Water Gypsy: Rain or Shine

Many people advised us against trekking during the rainy season - but, being from the rain capital of the Northwest, we had learned the important lesson of never allowing 'rain' to hold back our outdoor adventures. With the mountains calling our names, we made our way to Huaraz - a small town at the heart of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru.

After yet another over night bus trip, we stepped off the bus with blurry eyes and smiles as the crisp morning air accentuated the bright blue skies and dramatic snow-covered peaks around us. We found our way to our hostal and thoroughly enjoyed the first of many treats from the amazing bakery conveniently located across the street.

Although our stay in Huaraz was relatively short, we were able to squeeze in two amazing day hikes and plenty of exploring within the small dusty town. Initially, we had our hearts set on some overnight trekking, but the reliable and heavy rainstorms were coming in around 2pm and not leaving until early the next morning - so we opted on the $6 hostal instead. For our first full day, we set out in a taxi with two other girls to Laguna 69. The drive itself was amazing - as we passed small villages and jagged mountain vistas. But it was only a small teaser for the incredible hike to come. Although the day started out overcast - the wildflowers lit up our path in the lush valley and the multitude of waterfalls made the entire valley very surreal. The long and strenuous hike was more than worth it as the turquoise waters of Laguna 69 emerged around the last grey corner. The clouds parted at the top and we soaked up every last bit of the 15 minutes of sunshine.

The following day we took a hiking tour to the nearby Pastoruri Glacier. Although the trip was a bit more on the 'touristy' side - in the end we were able to break off from the group and climb to some incredible areas overlooking the glacier and surrounding area.