Nil:

We´ve had a rather successful day navigating our way round town by local transport. We jumped on this little rickety minivan, which stopped at a rather unassuming crossroads in the middle of nowhere to pick us up. We were crammed in with what felt like a hundred other people, who were friendly (bar the ´bus conductor´ if you can call her that!). So after getting off the bus, we got a bit lost in an area that looked like a market place with dusty streets and fast-paced traffic, but finally we found what we were looking for - the main bus station. We used our well-honed noses, newly acquired since travelling, to suss out the cheapest, yet safest and most comfortable ride to Cusco! Lunch was equally successful as we managed to find a little place that did the ´menu del dia´ for 3 soles, which is about $1, yep you read that right, and we got a three-course meal plus drinks. Bargain. The only blip in the day was when Tom had to prize me away from the most beautiful and soft baby alpaca rug that I´ve ever seen and desperately wanted! There might have been tears and feet stamping, but I eventually did leave that shop sans alpaca rug. Off to Cusco tomorrow, only a 10 hour bus ride there, which is nothing now that we´re hardened travellers! Lots of love,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tom:

I´m tempted to say that Arequipa is the nicest of the three locations that we´ve stopped off at so far. We´re discovering with each step we take that it´s not actually a toilet, but a really beautiful little town in a rather scenic setting. I guess avoiding the South part of town is the best way to go here. We spent yesterday fraternising with nuns, and pigeons in the Monasterio de Santa Catalina and in La Plaza de Armas (the main square). The nuns took a particular shine to me, although only once I´d made a visit to the confessional! Really though, we didn´t see any nuns - they´re not allowed to see people, but the pigeon part is all true. Today we decided (after the aforementioned bus ticket affair) to take in some mountain views, in a northerly part of town, and we weren´t disappointed. Mount misti (or for Tolkien fans, The Misty Mountains) is pretty astonishing, and despite its standing at a mere 5822m, somehow outshines it´s bigger brother, Chachani, which stands at 6075m. One further point before I sign off - it´s not often that a Cornishman cries with happiness, but upon tasting the Peruvian empanada, which is basically a pasty disguised as a hispanic delicacy, I´ve decided that this is one meal to rival our signature food. Anyway blog soon. TY

P.S. Check out some extra photos of New Zealand that have been tagged onto the end of the "New Zealand - South Island" album.