Friends had warned us beforehand that the town we’ve decided to call home until October isn’t the most attractive place in the world, but that its sublime setting and ease of access to the mountains more than make up for it. And after a month here we’re satisfied that this is an accurate enough assessment. Not much in Huaraz survived the great earthquake of 1970 and the modern replacement brick and concrete architecture is never going to win any beauty, design, or safety awards.

But it’s a happy, lively, bustling town all the same, boasting plenty of colourful market stalls attended by abuelitas selling exotic fruits, artesanias, guinea pigs by the sackful and fake Man Utd shirts. There’s a substantial expat community, many of whom run gringo restaurants perfect for a post-trek splash-out meal, and every street has at least a couple of chifas (Chinese restaurants) and ‘menu del dia‘ places to fill up for a GBP or two. If you asked an aging Huaracino what they think of their Ancash capital, the Andes’ outdoor Mecca, they’d no doubt shake their head, tut and say it’s not like it used to be. But then, where is? It’s the kind of mountain town where we fit right in – we know we’re going to love it here and are looking forward to settling down for the season.

Huaraz from above – probably its most attractive face.

Lots of traffic and ugly buildings, but there’s a snowy mountain lingering at the end of most streets.

Huaraz street art.

Some slightly more bizarre Huaraz street art.

Our room for the next 6 months. We’ve rented the top floor of a family home – bedroom, bathroom, lounge, terrace with mountain views. A month here is the same price as 3 days in a flatshare in London.

Views from the roof terrace of our Vichay flat. Enough to make us fight over who gets to hang out the laundry every time. Left to right: Huascaran Norte and Sur (Peru’s highest mountain), Chopicalqui and Hualcan.

We never got round to servicing our bikes in the UK after our Himalaya trip, but fortunately soon found Arturo in Huaraz to give them a quick once-over.