Through the Desert

My journey took me along the Pan-American Highway by night bus. The bus left Ica at 11 p.m. and I didn't take long to fall asleep. Spacious seats, comfortable adjustable backrests, fully air-conditioned, and a smooth driving style helped.

The route I chose was not exactly original. Most travelers in Peru followed the coast south from Lima and then headed towards the Andes, either to Cusco or Lake Titicaca, and so did I. The route was so popular that it earned the name 'Gringo Trail'.

Gringo was the slightly derogatory term for North Americans, which now also included Europeans. I, for one, liked to see myself as a gringo, as it allowed me to hide certain naivety or clumsiness. Being a gringo, so to speak, meant having a certain freedom.

The advantage of the Gringo Trail was the excellent infrastructure, with bus connections and hostels available along the route in reliable numbers. The disadvantage was the entertainment program aimed at backpackers. Surfing lessons, salsa classes, sand buggy rides, trekking trips through canyons, cooking classes, horseback riding through the wilderness, sandboarding, scenic flights over the Nazca Lines, culinary city tours, or paragliding... everything offered for a small fee. After two years of the pandemic, the agencies were hungry for arriving tourists. Considering my wallet, I saved these unique experiences and adventures.

The fact that I was traveling alone in Peru with a backpack was adventure enough for me. I also gained unique impressions during my bus ride at dawn. The sun bathed the desert in a reddish light. On one side, a rocky Martian landscape, and on the other, the endless Pacific coast, empty and deserted. Occasionally, I saw a few fields and settlements along the way, which seemed like out of place objects in a hostile environment.

By 1 p.m., the bus reached Arequipa, my destination for the next three days. My hostel was located in a historic colonial building, beautifully restored and well-equipped. Unfortunately, the hostel was quite empty, and I occupied a six-bed room all by myself. After the bus ride, I was looking forward to a quiet night in a bed on Thursday evening.