The living room of our first apartment. Around 7 a.m. We had only just arrived.
Peru 2023
Days 7–14: August 26 – September 2
Arequipa
Peru 2023
Itinerary
And so we got “stuck” in Arequipa. Everything went off plan.
But do you even need a plan, and how rigid should it be?
I’m increasingly coming to the conclusion that when traveling, you need to be as flexible as possible.
Travel teaches flexibility a lot. And it also teaches you to accept reality as it is.
Fewer expectations. More enjoying what is here in the present moment.
And if you can’t enjoy it (and that happens so often) — then it means observing yourself from the outside: what is life trying to teach me?
Why is all this happening to me?
Without pain, nothing would exist. Pain as a catalyst for life. Pain as an emergency brake.
As the organism’s (and the Universe’s) last resort to finally shout to us ourselves.
Stop. Quiet down. Ask what matters — are you living in the right direction?
Try to hear yourself.
A week ago at 5 a.m. we arrived in Arequipa.
It was still dark when we were dropped off from the bus. We forgot the laptop on the bus.
We were lucky that in Arequipa a young guy took our seat on the bus, found the laptop, and wrote to Serzhyk.
We had almost made it to our accommodation when Serzhyk received his message.
We asked the guy to ask the bus driver to wait for us.
We walked back very quickly. It was about 15 minutes on foot.
It was getting light. It was cold. Quiet.
We got the laptop back, thanked him (Serzhyk even later transferred him some money).
Our first apartment was very beautiful, huge (3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms!), with a view of Misti volcano, which majestically rises above the city with its perfect cone.
Mount Misti. View from the bedroom window.
View from another bedroom :). Mountains.
Even then, on the first day, we both were not feeling very well.
I thought it was just because we had spent the whole night on the bus.
During the day, we did manage to go out for a little walk.
The center was not far away, about 20 minutes, but we barely made it there.
I’m taking a photo....
... such a beautiful building
Looking for somewhere to eat
We exchanged money. We stopped at a local hole-in-the-wall to grab a bite.
A street leading to the center was lined with many simple, inexpensive eateries.
Almost everywhere there were lots of customers, all local residents.
We went into one, ordered some rather unclear dish.
They brought us free chicken broth while we were waiting.
The food turned out not to be tasty. Although it looks quite good in the photo.
What’s on the right is (we think) chicken in batter, drizzled with such a sweet sauce that it made our eyes pop.
Returning home
We went into a supermarket. These are all different kinds of potatoes. There are just as many on the other side. The prices vary a lot. From 30 to 90 UAH per kg.
Serzhyk got sick the next day. I did two days later.
All this period was one long, long day.
Yesterday we were riding in a taxi to the new apartment, and I thought — this city has already become like home to me.
Something was happening, hard to remember what.
While I was feeling okay, I went out for a little walk.
Walking around. Evening is falling.
I noticed that their parks close in the evening. A small park near our house.
Serzhyk is drinking Inca Kola. Peru’s challenge to Coca-Cola. Locals really love it. For them, it’s like a national drink. It tastes like tarragon and duchess pear soda at the same time.
Our lovely little apartment came to an end, and we started looking for others..
The second apartment — awful. The third apartment — okay, but not nice. I’ll write about the fourth one later.
Moving between them with a fever over 38 even in a taxi seemed like an almost impossible task.
But still…. Even that couldn’t stop me from staying somewhere that wasn’t nice.
The view from the windows of our second apartment. Their development is rather chaotic.
And another view of the city.
Serzhyk brought me some food.
He made me quinoa with vegetables. It was tasty.
A doctor came to see me. So civilized. A doctor with an assistant.
The assistant brought a little case with medicines and all kinds of instruments.
I have otitis and herpangina.
One day Serzhyk went to the city center.
He took a photo of his walk for me.
Serzhyk is getting ready for a walk. Our third apartment.
Main Square. Arches.
Catholic cathedral on the main square.
Market in the city center