Enjoyment in Arequipa

Because of my rebooked trip, I have until this afternoon to explore Arequipa. Since I still feel very weak and my circulation is not yet back to full speed, I take it very slowly. For breakfast, I go to the roof terrace of the hostel and get just the right drink for this morning: lukewarm quinoa juice. This breakfast drink, popular in Peru, is made by boiling quinoa with apple, cloves and cinnamon and then sweetening it with honey or sugar: lots of fiber and very good for the stomach, so just the thing for me today. After that, I take a short walk to the Plaza Mayor and the San Camillo market, a local market hall with all kinds of stuff and fresh food. To get some vitamins, I get a pineapple-papaya juice and enjoy it while I sit on the steps of the Catedral de Arequipa in the Plaza Mayor. The sun and the steps I have already walked are getting to me, so I decide to sit in a café and spend a few quiet minutes there. Beforehand, I get a notebook from a library and use the time in the café to write my training plan for the next few weeks. After that, I browse through a shop that sells all kinds of clothing made from alpaca wool and equip myself with socks to keep me warm during the cold nights on the Inca Trail.

Back from the café, I feel the warm sun on me and am curious when I see several Peruvian ladies selling "Queso Helado" (= cheese ice cream) on their carts. Google gives me the reassuring answer that, fortunately, there is no real cheese in this. Queso Helado consists of milk, sugar and sweetened condensed milk, as well as coconut and vanilla. It is served with cinnamon. With my sweet refreshment, I sit down on a bench in the Plaza de Armas, read my book and watch the goings-on in the square.

A relaxing day can end so quickly: I pick up my backpack from the hostel and take a taxi that takes me to the airport in the north of Arequipa. Shortly before boarding, my name is called - that has never happened to me before. Together with three other passengers, I now receive a stylish safety vest and a private tour of the baggage handling at the airport. The reason for this is that when I checked in my backpack, I forgot to stow my second power bank in my hand luggage. So together with the airport staff, we open my backpack and I pack the power bank into my small backpack. This trip was definitely worth it, because we are right on the runway and have a beautiful view of the Misti volcano during the sunset. The flight from Arequipa to Cusco takes less than an hour and I am already at an altitude of around 3,400m, so now I start getting used to the altitude for the Inca Trail.

After checking into the hotel, I take a walk through the city. It's a Saturday evening, Cusco is crowded and loud, music is playing on several corners and the markets are still open late. I also find the travel agency's office where the safety briefing will take place tomorrow. I also stock up on water, Powerade for electrolytes and Coca candy before I'm looking forward to going back to bed after a long day.