Hostal Le Foyer Arequipa

As much as I liked San Pedro, one day was rough enough on the wallet so we hightailed it out of Chile. A night bus took us through the desert to Arica, on the Northern border. A taxi ferried us across and deposited us in Tacna, Peru where we had breakfast and then hopped on another bus to Arequipa. By the time we reached our destination we had spent close to twenty hours traveling. I really needed a comfortable bed, and unfortunately, that proved impossible to find.<br ...

... our climb we met our guide, Ivan, and had a good chat with him as we didn't want to be climbing with some sort of cowboy. Ivan, we learnt, is an international guide who climbs all over the Americas. He seemed like a good, switched-on bloke and came with good references. <br><br>After talking with Ivan for about an hour, he advised that because we had acclimatised properly over at Chivay, we could go for the one day climb - a rapid "Alpine style" ascent. Normally, the climb takes at ...

... the right to buy the land. These areas of land were grouped together into associations. The people with land in the association area pay dues to the association to help maintain their area &#8211; sort of like a condominium complex. But, don&#8217;t get the wrong idea. These are people with no money, no job, nothing. <br><br>Some of the older areas, which are closer to town are nicer because the people who started them did have money, but for the most part these ...

... the city, especially the relaxed atmosphere in the park inside the Plaza de Armas itself. <br><br>We visited the museum that holds Juanita, the frozen Inca child who was sacrificed at the summit of the nearby Mount Ampato. Apparently she was only discovered after a neighbouring volcano erupted, melting the ice on Ampato&#8217;s summit and uncovering her tomb - a party that was trekking up Ampato to photograph the eruption discovered her. Another highlight of ...

... and looking the drivers just beep their horn and carry straight on expecting the other driver to give way! A crazy system that clearly doesn´t work. Another car had come along the other street and we had rammed it into the building on the opposite corner. Our engine was screwed and both sides of their car was screwed. In the ensuing medley a bunch of locals appeared from nowhere and tried to blame our driver, everyone on our bus tried to blame the other driver and ...

... 35. Can't beat that ! Note though that this is because we were on a residential neighborhood and not in the city center. You won't get the same food for this price near the main plaza.<br> <br> Our taste buds happy, we took a cab to the museum to see the Ice Maiden. In Arequipa, taxicabs don´t have meters. Everyone knows how much to pay to go anywhere in Arequipa, which is 3 soles ($1). Ain't that great ? no ...

... the day, i book people in and tell them about the city, book taxi's and answer the phone. Its good fun so far!<br><br>My Australian friends are leaving tommorow which makes me sad as i will have nobody to take about kat h and kim with :( <br><br>I saw Dennis my Peruvian friend the other night which was great, i think i'm going to join a yoja class or somthing to try and meet more Peruvians.<br><br>I also start work at Villa Chachani tomoro, so busy busy day.<br><br>Slaters x<br>

... His friend was trying to back me up at some points of what I was saying, but he eventually kept quiet as it seemed he did not want to offend his friend. I found it amazing that I was just having my breakfast, trying to be friendly when he just felt the need to explain to me as to why he thought it was better to not travel alone. I say everyone has different preferences &#8211; but he can't say one is better than the other if he hadn't tried both ways ...