We arrive in Cusco in the early afternoon after a flight from Lima. The altitude here is going to be an interesting factor, with it's 3300 meters above sea level it will be like nothing we ever experienced before. Altitude sickness, or 'soroche' as it is called here, can mean headaches, nausea, nosebleed and insomnia. And off course you're out of breath just thinking about doing any physical activity. The remedy is to take it easy, breathe deeply, drink enough wa...

My mother's friend Susanne gives us a lift to the airport. We take a flight from Alicante to Barcelona and arrive around 11 pm. Our flight leaves 6 am next morning and we fly via Amsterdam to Lima. So here I am again in the Barcelona airport, at the exact same spot where I said goodbye to the class from Norway, only a short time ago. We have something to eat and have a look around the deserted airport and eventually find a nice spot under a staircase where we lie...

Hey. My name is Lucca. I live upstairs from you... This is the song that is continously played in my head as I spend a few days in this little town between Firenze and Cinque Terre. Lucca is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls surrounding the city, and this is broad enough for a road on top of it. People here go for walks, jog, cycle and relax in the parks. I love this town and there are many small streets with interesting shops and restaurants. I'm ...

So where to next? I don't know if I can take more churches now - it started in Barcelona and that's a while ago. People say that Cinque Terre is a great place to relax and see a bit of nature even if it's touristy as well. 'Italian riviera' sounds nice. I decide to go and Arabella helps me to make a reservation in one of the five villages that are strung like beads on a necklace along the coast: Monterosso al mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. T...

The boss lady in the Hostel in Assisi has a husband, and he gives me a lift to the train station. The entire trip, though not long, is one awkward silence, but I'm glad to be given a lift. I board the train and enjoy another journey through the beautiful Italian landscape. I travel north east to Firenze. In English it's Florence off course, and the first ever nurse was named after this city because she was born here: Florence Nightingale. I've always been fascina...