Bienvenidos a Peru! Huanchaco

Welcome to Peru! I cant quite believe we are in Peru already. Brazil only seems like two minutes ago but they do say that time flies when you´re having fun! Fun isn´t quite the word I would use to describe our first experiences of Peru. After a tyre change high up in the Andes, our bus finally made it to the border and after a few stamps of the passport, into Peru. You could be forgiven for thinking northern Peru is an African nation, with shanty towns stretching as far as the eye can see, thick sheets of dust clinging to the piles of rubble strewn across the roads and waste disposal sites burning in the horizon. We arrived in the border town of Piura exhausted and unimpressed and as my head hit the pillow, I did a little prayer for an improvement during our trip to Huanchaco the following day.

Huanchaco reached and exceeded our expectations as we were welcomed with a sunset over a glimmering shoreline, waves lapping at the pier and tourists and locals alike soaking up the last of the afternoon sun. The beach town of Huanchaco is a haven for surfers, and travellers like us looking for some downtown. After three days of travelling on hot and smelly buses, our first day in Huanchaco was spent on the beach doing nothing but sunbathing, relaxing, reading and eating tasty homemade empanadas. 

Whereas we had been able to wind down during the daytime, our Irish hostel owners informed us of free salsa lessons at the club next door so of course we jumped at the chance! My moves, rusty from our lessons way back in Cali, Colombia, were lubricated by Pisco, the national spirit made from grape brandy and soon we were all mingling and intertwining on the dancefloor, gringos and locals alike. 

I couldnt have asked for a nicer way to spend a few days at our first ´proper´ stop in Peru.