Days 47 We farewelled Arequipa with another early start and a long day on the road. 7 am to local bus station for a 6 hrs trip by local bus to Juliaca before a change to a private bus for a few more hrs for an expected 8 pm arrival in Cuzco. It's unfortunate but our free day in Cuzco tomorrow is a Sunday where many places are likely to be closed just like when we arrived in Cuenca. We briefly heard before leaving that the Tungurahua volcano at Banos, where we were 2 weeks ago, is in a far more active stage with some concerns for a significant eruption. Along with our earthquake aftershock in Arequipa we are getting the full South American geological experience. If ever you want a 12 hour bus ride the ... read more

Days 43 - 44 Nazca is a pretty soulless town with not much of interest due to being newer than the colonial towns we have been visiting so far. The town seems to be only geared for the tourist trade including sand boarding and buggies in the nearby desert hills. Wandered around much of the same areas as yesterday waiting for our afternoon local bus trip to Arequipa. While an 11 hr trip & a midnight arrival we were ready to move on from Nazca. The trip was quite interesting. Initially out of Nazca it seemed to be endless flat desert landscape on both sides with a sand storm blowing & passing occasional shanty settlements. The road then moved closer to the coast with endless whitecap crashing into the mainly rocky shore for the next several ... read more

Day 41 Today was a free morning allowing for a welcome sleep-in after the late night drinks last night. After breakfast in pleasant temperature we walked the Miraflores promenade overlooking the beach to get some much needed exercise. We returned to the hotel by 1pm to load our luggage into a minivan back to Lima's bus station for another local bus to our next stop, Paracas (approx 3 hrs). The trip down was along the coast with some obvious nice beachside housing scattered along the way while on the opposite side of the highway the initial outlook was mostly bald sandy hills occasional scattered with shanty towns but then opening up to some agricultural farming on flat plains. Paracas & Pisco are neighbouring small fishing towns and the gateway to the Ballestas Islands and the Paracas ... read more

DAYS 38 - 39 After our late arrival yesterday we had pretty much a normal sleep ready for another busy day. First off we hired a guide for a tour of the museum, Lords of Sipan (English translation). The museum is a new purpose built facility that specifically houses the remarkable treasures of gold, silver, copper, turquoise, artefacts, ceramics weapons etc which were found in burial sites all along the North Peruvian Coast. The findings belonged to a previously unknown Moche culture that preceded the Incas by several centuries. The Sipan discoveries were the most lavish tombs found & only occurred in 1987 after one lesser tomb was plundered but others remained completely undisturbed & put under protection & intensive study by local & international experts. The tombs were much deeper than the Incas & probably ... read more

DAYS 35-36 Today we farewelled Equador although the 6.30 am taxi to the bus depot was not welcomed by the group. Loaded up with breakfast & lunch supplies for a 5.5 hr local bus to the Peru border where we had to change busses after clearing customs & immigration. The trip was generally downhill from the highlands heading towards the coast. The outlook was more lush valleys scattered with agriculture & dairy farming communities. On levelling out the land was noticeably drier yet we came across vast bananas plantations. Our guide offloaded us at the border turn-off & arranged taxis instead of remaining on the bus which proceeded to the next town before going to the border. The move proved to be a godsend in saving about 45 min at the notoriously slow border crossing. It ... read more