(Lots of of autos caught in southern Peru within the Arequipa area).
A Dutch couple in a van left the campground yesterday on their approach to Cusco. So far as they knew the street inland is open and so they anticipated no issues moving into the mountains which, as they haven’t returned is sweet information as in the end that’s our route out of right here. There’s a solo German in his van, a strapping younger Aryan who climbed a volcano exterior the town however who retains to himself within the campground. He has tales to inform, together with like all of us his time on the mechanic, in his case in Argentina for a complete engine rebuild. I do know he has a lot of tales untold to us, however you’ll find them on his Instagram deal with which he publicizes throughout his Volkswagen van:
A German overlander informed me as soon as there is no such thing as a place in Germany greater than 28 kilometers (19 miles) from a home. Which explains the eagerness Europeans have for South American wilderness. Once we drive these superb wild areas we discover ourselves regarding locations we’ve traveled within the US, huge southwestern deserts, canyons, countless forests, the Nice Lakes and on and on. In the event you dwell on a small continent with 600 million neighbors it’s important to come right here to breathe free, within the Americas. A Spanish father in a van was waxing lyrical about this earlier than he drove off to discover a mechanic in Arequipa to repair his Ford camper van. He feels suffocated by tenting bans and restricted wilderness in Europe and might’t wait to discover the US.
Right here’s a headline you wish to learn in your travels. “Police In Arequipa await reinforcements to clear the PanAmerican Freeway.”
Life in Peru continues to be chaotic on day ten of the miners’ strike. Large strains of parked vehicles on highways, ten thousand miners camped on roads throughout the nation, meals rotting in caught vehicles and provides of propane gasoline (used to energy autos because it’s cheaper), gasoline and diesel working out throughout the nation. We’ve observed the provision of contemporary fruit and greens shrinking on the PlazaVea grocery store up the road and site visitors in Arequipa appears a lot lighter than standard with so much much less horn honking from site visitors jams. Lengthy distance bus service across the nation is being cancelled. 500 bus strains affecting 1000’s of passengers are suspended.
We talked to our Uber driver and he stated meals isn’t normally an issue when Peru shuts down (!) however gasoline, if you’ll find it, goes up in value. We’ve been tipping madly, greater than standard, to attempt to assist. He’s among the many 98% of the nation who can’t await the President’s time period to finish subsequent yr. When she final got here to Arequipa he stated with satisfaction, individuals (not him) threw tomatoes at her.
Trash collectors in Arequipa proceed on strike demanding extra pay, metropolis provided protecting gear and extra respect from residents. They presently purchase their very own masks and gloves and are fed up with discovering medical provides together with biohazards and needles tossed into the trash by medical clinics, individuals and canines (not Rusty I decide up after him all the time) shitting within the streets and children vomiting copiously in public on weekends. You recognize it’s dangerous if it’s making headlines within the papers. Plus they’re fed up with individuals tossing trash on streets and sidewalks and telling them it’s their job to choose up after lazy residents. With the town celebrating its birthday in a month the trash state of affairs is such I don’t even wish to {photograph} it you’ll be joyful to listen to. Right here’s a dude watering the grocery store window show on one other excellent sunny afternoon in wintery Arequipa:
We had some garments to restore so we went to our favourite tailor, Señor Castillo on the far aspect of the primary sq.. He all the time has a number of buddies in there, in his sastreria, chatting with him as he sews, a bit just like the proverbial barbershop within the States, and so they had been fairly relaxed in regards to the mounds of rubbish accumulating on the road. Our repairs will likely be prepared Saturday. Life goes on.
What I’ve come to understand about Arequipa after a lot time spent right here is how regular the town is. Individuals work regular non vacationer jobs right here and after I spent time in Cusco getting submerged within the vacationer financial system I loved being again capable of disappear into the anonymity of regular on a regular basis life on this working metropolis.
They know me for what I’m, a bizarre foreigner, however I don’t really feel singled out as the item of their working lives. They’re getting on with no matter they do and I’m allowed to swim by within the sidewalk crowds unmolested. It jogs my memory of Cali in Colombia, the town you recognize of because the cocaine capital of the world however we lived it as a helpful metropolis crammed with companies and like Arequipa outfitted with a stunning campground that suited us.
Which isn’t to say I can’t wait to get out of right here, the strain is constructing and we now have to start out for a border on the finish of the month. Have new passport, will journey.
We talked to Renzo who’s having hassle contacting his elements provider for our suspension improve. That’s extra of a need, a bit of preventative upkeep to refresh our suspension after 100,000 exhausting miles with extra to come back. If we now have to do this elsewhere, Uruguay probably, that might in all probability be no downside, a little bit of clunking on dust roads and tire put on is bearable for now. However to go to Brazil we completely need to get our ethanol conversion put in and we’re urgent Renzo to determine if he can or can not do it. I like him as a result of he’s not afraid to say what’s above his pay grade however he’s additionally a person who enjoys a brand new problem.
We’ve determined that what we wish to do is get the flex gasoline system put in and begin in the direction of Puerto Maldonado and the Brazilian border once we can and when protests permit. For now there’s no rush because it’s nonetheless wet season which makes dust roads very troublesome.
If we are able to do the suspension nice, but when not we are going to handle effective. We will’t get to the seashore and we now have to be out of Peru by August 14th and admittedly I’m sick of sitting nonetheless. We’re each excited to go to a brand new nation (final visited by Layne in her earlier life 40 years in the past) and to see some humid Florida model jungle. Rusty likes it proper right here thanks…poor touring lad.
