EC-Rider Travels

Early start to the airport for a flight to Arequipa about an hour and a half from Lima. Surrounded by three volcanoes in the desert, Arequipa is one of the most vulnerable cities in the world from not only volcanic eruptions but also floods. It is 2,335m high and known as the White City as many of its buildings are constructed from the white volcanic stone. It is the second largest city in Peru with just over 1m people. It is primarily a centre for mining: copper, silver, gold and more recently they have found lithium. It is the legal capital and a major trading/commercial centre even though it is two hours from the sea! The alpaca trade, which interestingly was started by an Englishman, is major here as indeed is tourism.

The temperature has risen by about 10 degrees and the sky is blue which is lovely. We were introduced to our guide Marcelo and taken to our hotel. As we couldn’t check in for a couple of hours I went for a wander with Carol and Peter to find a bar they had heard about. After walking past it twice we eventually found it tucked away in a little courtyard. Although we were not too sure what the fuss was about, they did a fine pisco sour and a delicious platter of bread and cheese. Carol is a retired school teacher who has mainly worked in the Middle East and has rescue parrots and a cockatoo. Peter is a retired engineer (I think!) and is a mad keen walker and has walked over 2,000 miles with his dog Clancy! He travels with little Lego figures which he has made of himself and photographs them wherever he goes. They have travelled extensively and to some amazing places together.

I don’t think I have mentioned that it is still mandatory to wear masks in Peru and not just one but two or one of the very hot clinical ones which I was in fact advised to bring. Officious mask police greatly enjoy asking you to put one on in any public place – goodness it is hard to wear them again and so painful on the ears. Anyway the good news, we heard today, is the restriction is being lifted in a couple of days, which really will make a huge difference.

The hotel is comfortable and quite Moroccan in style with a nice garden and swimming pool. It is just a few blocks from the centre of town and near a park where there is unfortunately yet another a political demonstration going on!