The trip is amazing so far... once recovered from the lurgy, we explored central Lima..absolutely fascinating..a city of haves and have nots...extreme beauty, fun and beautiful people coupled with the most abject poverty. Two blocks away from the lovely parks of colourful fountains doing a spectacular display to classical peruvian music there was a woman in rags breast feeding her baby who was wrapped up in a threadbare green woollen suit, begging on a bridge in a derelict shanty town area. To be truthful, I was actually scared at the neighbourhood we,d accidently wandered into. Anyway, that is what this trip is about...absorbing everything the world can throw at us. It really makes you reassess the things we moan about and makes you value the things you have...I think everyone should try and do a trip like this at some stage in their lives. On the 10th we caught a night bus to Arequipa. These buses are amazing they are just like flying only a bit nicer. You get a nice reclining seat, blankets, pillows, food, films and a good nights sleep as the bus takes you on a fifteen hour journey through the night. We arrived at Arequipa at 10am, refreshed and ready to go...actually thats a lie...we were knackered and breathless, stomach hurt, dizzy, legs felt like they belonged to someone else, felt bloody awful , through the night we ascended 7,661 feet and were suffering from altitude sickness..remedy?...coca leaf tea...works a treat!! Our room was nt very pleasant but we did like the look of Arequipa. We stayed in the old colonial centre of town and right behind us was the magnificent El Mist Volcano...breathtaking sight and....active!!!!....we were assured that scientist are monitoring it and it is 'unlikely' to erupt...unlikely?? that means theres still a chance it might ...blimey!!! .....apparently in days gone by the Inca people made sacrifices to the volcanoes and mountains to keep them calm...so Ray had better behave himself!! The main square Plaza de Armas is a very busy little central hub, all sorts of things going on. We stumbled across traditional Peruvian dancers and a brass band doin a 'love' dance around the square. I could tell Ray was itching to join in!!.. We met a Peruvian Dr Robert Winston in an ill fitting toupee whilst trying to cross the road " iss craaazy driverrrs here, now you go, run" he said as he stopped the traffic for us.....gracias Dr Bob!! We went on a bus tour of Arequipa , at the end we were put in a taxi with two Japanese tourist and taken back to the main square. The Japanese lady asked us where we from , when I said Portsmouth she told me she lived in Southbourne near Chichester for a year..she also told me she liked crumpet and missed Heinz beans , all in a very strong Japanese accent!!!....bizarre!! Theres loads to see and do here but we decided to book a two day trip to the Colca Canyon....wild Andean condors, old cut off villages, Inca terraces and the deepest canyon in the world.....cant wait!!