2 June. 2023. End of the Adventure

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We have returned to Arequipa and are leaving today for our trip back to Lima and Amsterdam. It is good to reflect on what we have experienced. One always have expectations which are often different than the reality in these sort of countries. First the roads. The quality of the surface is generally good. Intra-state roads are privately owned. Roads are used by heavy vehicles from mining companies transporting the ore to the various ports. This leads to lot's of heavy traffic. At times you encounter dangerous situations.
Food Generally the food quality is good. A variety of Lama, beef, and fresh fish. Lot's of fresh vegatables of good variety. Bread is freshly baked , but has a strong flavour of burned charcoal. It is recommended to only drink bottled water. It is a nuisance but a life saver for yourself and your friends. I found people hospitalised with E-coli infections laying on intra venous drips to get over their infections. It is a serious issue and better be very careful.
Climate I thought that it would have been warmer than it was. But ofcourse we often stayed at altitudes of 3000m and higher. Overnight the temperature often dropped to around zero degrees. Accomodation was cold with inadequate heating in bedrooms and bathrooms. The difference with the Amazon basin is stark. One moment you are at 3000m in the mountains and half an hour later you have decended in the rain forest. It is 30 degrees hot and humid. Tropical indeed.
Culturally The festivals are initially a novelty. But that wears off when the festival continues day and night for three days. The monotunous beating of the drums and the repetitive sound of the trumpets becomes a nuisance for the outsiders.
The Inca empire The history of the Inca empire is one of the main chapters in the history of Peru. It lasted only about 150 years but they build a lot of structures. Until the Spanish conquered them and the Inca's disappeared from the main scene.
Conclusion: We very much enjoyed our trip through Peru. Saw many highlights and covered a lot of distance. It was a pretty tough trip due to altitude. Our small group was very supportive and their company enjoyable.

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