Choose another map, showing:

• Amazon
• South America (central)
• South America
• The World

Other entries in Andahuaylas

Never a Dull Moment....

So, I finally managed to leave Cusco, heading West, off the Gringo Trail, through the Andes. Broke the journey at Abancay and then headed onwards to Andahuaylas. Half way through this 6-7 hour journey I was informed that there was a "small political problem there" but not to worry as it was totally safe. (If any of this is sounding familiar you may well have seen it in the national press - turns out that a state of emergency had been declared as 11 policemen were being held hostage by a retired army major who was demanding resignation of president Toledo!) So anyway, we arrived in Andahuaylas and 4 soldiers got on the bus and checked everyone´s ID. We then all had to get off the bus (despite being nowhere near the bus station) and get a combi into town. We drove round and round in circles due to numerous road blocks but eventually got to where we wanted to go. I was pointed in the direction of a hotel but at this point wasn´t entirely sure if I wanted to stay or not. Must have looked pretty lost as the receptionist of a nice hotel took me inside and said I could camp out in reception until the next bus. It turned out that this was the hotel that all the journalists were staying at so they were constantly fleeing in and out with multiple cameras, phones and tape recorders! Then, this is when the excitement really begins - they started using gas! At this point the receptionist forced me through the back (obviuously he didn´t think having a Gringa in the reception of his hotel was the best idea!).
So, to cut a long story short I decided to stay over night which seems to have been the best move - everything seems to have calmed down today, although there are still loads of police and soldiers around.

Photos / videos of "Never a Dull Moment....":