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Published: November 19th 2008
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Day 580 (29.10.08)
Today we were headed further north and into Peru. However, before we could set foot on Peruvian soil we had to negotiate the slightly confusing method of crossing the border. We heard the best way to cross is with a Collectivo, essentially a shared taxi. We thought we'd be able to catch this all the way through the Tacna the border town just inside Peruvian lines but when we got to the collectivo depot we found we could only get as far as the Chilean border and then would have to find a taxi once we got to no-mans-land. Getting a little confused we jumped into a car driven by a young chap with a F1 style steering wheel who was to take us to the border. We got through to no-mans-land whereupon we were swamped by a mob of collectivo drivers eager to fleece the tourists with no other option. By the time we had collected approximately 20 drivers we realised we had no bargaining power and paid the further fare to get us through into Peru and to Tacna the next big town. We gathered our thoughts realising in actual fact it had only cost
about 4 quid each!
Our ride through to Tacna started well with a drive through the desert in a vintage looking American Ford clad head to toe with a stunning burgundy interior - nice! However our serene and pleasant drive was to be interrupted and our driver about to earn the extra tourist tax he'd charged us. As we entered the city on the main highway, our driver stopped in the outside lane. At first glance the road ahead looked pretty innocuous, however we quickly realised that it was a mob handed riot blockading the road. No way through, we had to go around. Back tracking 100m we turned off the main highway and our driver did some excellent off road driving and we bumped our way through to another arterial road into the town. Our encounter with the angry locals (our spanish was not good enough to identify exactly what the riot was about) was not to end there. As we progressed toward town we reached points where there were large rocks strewn over the road mixed in with a bit of car window glass and debris, it didn't take a genius to work out what had gone
down, and by the looks of it, fairly recently. Weaving through the remnants of the feud, we were looking good until we again came to another screaching halt. There were a group of around 15 guys blocking the way. After a second for them to realise we were there, one of the angry scoundrels grabbed the nearest rock, aimed and fired. It was probably just a shot across the bow but we didnt hang around to find out and took off to find yet another route.
Turning a final corner we eventually arrived at the bus station, our driver having more than earnt his wage. As we arrived we were not yet out of the car before we were greeted by a barrage of taxi drivers who were all there shouting the same story, "you want Arequipa? NO bus for 2 days, you must take taxi" This line had us caught in a bit of limbo as the bus station looked closed and wth our recent experience coming through the city it was more than possible. As we pondered our options we had attracted a lot of attention from not only the persistent taxi drivers, but also the local
media. Out of nowhere a TV camera and reporter from Peru TV had come over to chat with us. With Mark giving his best "no thank you" and Chrissie "i dont speak much spanish" in our most fluent spanish, the camera and reporter eventually melted into the crowd.
Even though the bus station looked closed, we wanted to get away form the pushy drivers and went to check out it out. On closer inspection there was one door open so walking through into the compund we discovered an imediate sense of calm and relaxation from the hassle outside. Asking around we found that there was in fact a bus and that we could be on our way out of the city by 3.30pm. Only 3 hours to wait.
With our plan in place, seats booked and tickets bought the ladies settled in at the bus station whilst Mark and Jason went out to find food. The first gold mine they found was a fruit market just up the road. Superb. Stocking up on a fruit lovers dream haul, we settled in for a healthy feast. Finishing off the first load, within which we'd stumbled upon the best mandarins
we'd ever tasted, the chaps went out again in search of more fruit and a savoury snack. Whilst en route around the local area they passed some local coppers in riot gear before hitting the jackpot with a little lady selling BBQ'd meat and potatoes. During the wait for our meal the mood suddenly changed and the lady with her cart picked up her stuff and started to take off at a fast pace. It was enough of a cue for the boys to start heading toward the bus station compound before they shut the gate. Strangely everything settled down as quickly as it had started and they managed to get dinner and snacks for our onward journey.
The bus was pretty good apart from the fact that it didn't have a toilet, at first this wasn't an issue, but with a bumpy track and not the remotest glimmer of the bus driver intending to stop we started to get a little uncomfortable. It wasn't until it was pitch back and we reached a corner too tight even for our zealous bus driver that we all piled out and found our own private rock with a view. It took
the bus 20 mins of inching around an impressive 81 point turn before we could all board again to continue on our bumpy way. It turned out that the bus had had to use an alternative route due to further rioting in another town.
Finally arriving in Arequipa we jumped into a taxi with one of the funniest taxi drivers we have had on the trip so far (even though he couldn't speak english) and after getting lost a few times and finding a full hostel we found some beds at a hostel and crashed out!
After an epic day throughout all the problems we encountered and unexpected issues we had taken it all in our stride and laughed even more than ever. From what could have been a nightmare, we looked back on it all with nothing but good memories.
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