Arequipa was to be our second to last stop in Peru, before crossing the border. This town proved to be a fantastic place to hunker down for a bit to figure out our next few weeks of travel. Eveyone was super friendly, and we even had a chance to have a “nice” (and relatively cheap) dinner out, consisting of salmon and beef cooked on hot plates.
We had initially planned on staying in Tacna, Peru before crossing the border, but we were able to find a route that would get us into Chile same day (Tacna is basically a crossing over point for most people, so the rates for rooms and board, plus food, are extremely high). We took a 6 1/2 hour bus from Arequipa to Tacna, then hired a “colectivo” (communal taxi) to bring us the 65km or so over to Arica, Chile. Arica is a total beach and surf town, but we must have been there during very low season, as we were the only out-of-towners that we saw the entire time!
We went to a bar outside of the normal “backpacker” strip, and met a local by the name of Oscar. He took us to the local casino, not to bet, but to sing karaoke! One of us (take a wild guess who) sang “Let It Be” with one of the regular singers at the bar. :-)
We are currently in San Pedro de Atacama, after taking a 12 hour overnight bus from Arica. Plan to see the Salt Plains, visit some hot springs, and take a constellation tour! Back to posting more soon, internet has been very sketchy.
Take care!
Scott and Jen
Hey Guys--When you say "take a constellation tour", I assume you mean THE constellations of Crux and the Clouds of Magellan--they will be with you for your entire journey--now THAT'S good luck! L/Y Dad.
ReplyDelete