Arriving back in Lima for the second time, but this time in winter and a major temp difference. This was the start of another tour I’d booked over 11 months, which amongst other sights included the four day Inca trek, and was the main reason for booking the tour. June is one of the best times to do the Inca trail as its dry season, (though very cold when the sun sets). In high insight I regretted booking a three week tour, a) it’s a an expensive way to see a pretty cheap country, b) I’ve come to love the independence of travelling alone. That said I came into my previous tour back in December ( Santiago to La Paz) with a similar less than positive attitude, and ended up having an amazing time with a great little crew of six. That last tour was aimed at 18-36 age bracket, and the accommodation was a more basic and we ate at pretty cheap places.

This tour was the level above, and turning up at the nice modern hotel in Miraflores, Lima with my backpack I felt a little out of place. I checked in and had a bit if down time to catch up with family on Skype. Sadly my grandmother passed away whilst I was trekking in the jungle in Colombia and her funeral was the next day. It’s been strange to be away for something like this, and hard not being able to be there for Mum and give her a big hug, and help with arrangements. Honestly I’ve not missed being at home for many things, save the birth of a couple of friends new babies, but this was another one of those times I just wanted to be back with the family.

I had a few hours before I was meeting the group, and in attempt to further help my damn back had massage number three. This time with some more unusual techniques of some hot lamps and Chinese pressured cups. Fingers crossed again. At six I got to meet most of the group and found we were 14 in total, including a group of six, a couple and then six independent girls (of whom only one was there that night). Honestly first impressions of my travel mates for the next three weeks not great. We had dinner together and I had a local speciality of cows heart grilled, pretty tasty! First experience of dining out on mass….this is going to be painful!

Next morning we had till midday in Lima before heading off. I found a Chiropracter, and managed to fully communicate my back history and current pain in Spanish. After a thorough examination he diagnosed what I’ve suspected.. Sciatica. He ran me through all the usual clicks, and I was super clicky! I then had a ten minute ice pack, followed by ten minutes heat treatment. I also had time to quickly by my fifth pair of earphones as the cheap ones I’d bought in Colombia were terrible.

Back at the hotel I met the rest of the group, and we boarded a five hour bus to the coast and the small resort of Pisco. Again my leg pain was terrible, and I couldn’t wait to get up and walking. We had a fish dinner by the seafront, as soon as I finished eating I had to get up and move around again.

The following morning most of the group headed off to Isla Ballestas, known as the poor man’s Galapagos, having been lucky enough to go to the real deal I opted out of that. We departed midmorning for Ica, stopping for an hour at a local pisco winery. Not the most interesting tour of my life, and I’d all ready been to a large Pisco vinery in Elqui Valley, Chile. A further short drive took us to Haucachina, a tiny oasis set amongst huge sand-dunes. There was another optional activity that I’m gutted I didn’t do, riding sand buggies and sand boarding down. Having manned up and rafted and para glided through the pain four days earlier on this day sense prevailed and I had a few hours sunbathing and relaxing. As soon as I saw the photos of the guys that went I regretted my decision…”you can’t do everything”…but you should try at least! We had an average lunch and departed for Nazca.

Nazca is famous for the huge markings in the land, 800 lines, 300 geometric shapes and 70 drawings. Really the only way to appreciate these is from a $100 flight above them. As we approached Nazca in the last hour of light we just had time to stop at the viewing tower by the side of the road where you can make out two of the drawings. The view is not brilliant and was underwhelming. On arrival into town it was decision time, wether to take the flight or not. I’d been meeting people for the last ten months who’d been through Nazca, and asked them all should or shouldn’t I bother with the flight. I’d met such mixed opinions, and $100 is a lot of dough for a half hour experience, I decided not to.

The following morning we had quite an early start to visit some mummy tombs outside the town in the desert. Like so many of Peru’s hidden treasures on their discovery they were plundered and ransacked for gold and valuables to be sold. That said they’ve done a decent job resembling how they would have looked. But without enough money for archeology in Peru the mummified bodies are just exposed to the elements in the pits they were found with a basic shelter above them. If these type of remains were found in Europe they would be behind class cabinets to prevent further decay. Luckily the climate is so arid in the area further decay is extremely slow. After the mummy cemetery we went to see some pottery being made in the exact same way as it was a thousand years ago by a family whose grandfather spent twenty years of his life figuring out how. All the dyes on the pottery were made from natural minerals and the original pieces they had on display had kept their colour all these years. We were even allowed to handle the original wares which again seemed insane to me that they weren’t behind glass.

Midmorning a number of the group headed off for the flight over the Nazca lines, and the rest of us had a relaxing afternoon by the chilly hotel pool. Late afternoon we had a huge meal that was cooked underground, “Pachumanga”. This was done in a slightly touristic way for our benefit with the old rituals explained and a few of the group taken part in the scattering of the coca leaves and sprinkling of drink before the meal was dug up. It was substantial to say the least…beef, pork, chicken, cheese, corn, tamales, potatoes.

We then had several hours to kill before boarding a ten hour nightbus to Arequipa. During those few hours I managed to catch my nice new headphones on a bench and rip the wiring apart.(RIP No 5) Myself and two other girls had upgraded for £5 and were down in “full cama”..(first class). My reasons for my back pain, which had luckily began to subside. There was a section of the journey which was very twisty and steep that was impossible to sleep, but I managed to get at least five hours kip done.

We arrived early doors in the cold to the white city of Arequipa. At 2325m this was the start of our climb into the Peruvian highlands, and on checking info our quaint courtyard hotel and climbing one flight of stairs with full backpack we were all out if breath. A quick breakfast on a very sunny roof terrace, taking in the view of the three surrounding volcanos between
5570 & 6070. We headed off on mass for an orientation of the town, again my patience were severely tested as everything from getting money or going to the bathroom took forever. We headed to the local food market, which was as colourful and interesting as ever but impractical in the group form. The city is quite beautiful with most of the older buildings made from volcanic stone that is a white grey colour. We taxied out of the centre to a very local restaurant where most of us tried the ubiquitous “Cuy”, ginea pig. It was deep fried, and the skin was tasty. The meat had the consistency of chicken legs, and not much of a stronger flavour. The meat was good, but it was quite hard work getting it off the bone, the locals eat the whole thing bones included. It wasn’t to everyone’s liking, and them being served whole on the table was a little big too much for a few people.

After we wandered to a mirador were you could see all three volcanos. We then had a free avo, and it was great to break out the group of fourteen. Four of us headed off to visit the Monasterio de Santa Catalina a walled convent were the nuns of yesteryear lived in relative luxury in an enclosed village with private cells complete with servants, own gardens and kitchens-prior to the reformation. Narrow streets wind through the complex, all the walls are painted, reds and blue. Even if churches and religion don’t float your boat it’s worth a visit as its so beautiful!

We left just in time to get to a roof top cafe on the central plaza to watch the sunset over the city with a Pisco Sour in hand..stunning. My back pain had alleviated substantially, and I’d found my groove with a couple of the girls in the group, we had empanada and Icrecream for dinner and I slept so well, it was the first day on the tour I’d really enjoyed myself.