Trek to Valle de Lares 4 - To infinity and beyond

After finally getting going on that bloody freezing morning, things quickly got steep and Llamas stared curiously at the huffing and puffing bipedes passing by ever so slowly.




Since I hadn't introduced our most excellent co-trekkers before: here's Benjamin from Brussels...




...and Shirly, Brusseloise, elle aussi!




"Wie die Orgelpfeifen"




Climbing toward the sun was intensely satisfying...




...especially since the view was a breathtaking mix of light and shadow.









There were heaps of Llama droppings on the ground in places - literally heaps!






Picture stop below the snow-capped mountaintops that we would be passing by.








Our ambulance horse plodded along quite calmly, although the arrieros complained among themselves that the pack horses only moved very slowly.




Looking back on the path we trekked up.




Too much time on their hands, because we moved so slowly; so our cook (left) and "ambulance driver" (right) had a sit down and a little yarn along the way.




Apparently, there's always room for a Gatorade / generic Isotonic drink commercial on your way up a mountain




Finally catching up with us, the pack horses didn't spare the scenery a single glance, but rather kept a weary eye on us.




The precise moment at which the weather changed and we still thought "how quaint, there are a few snowflakes falling!"

Things soon got a tad more challenging and a lot more spectacular!