The Long Road Home

Our bus trip from Lima to Arequipa was quite the adventure. What was supposed to be a 15 hour overnight trip took 29 hours! About eight hours outside of Arequipa a river had risen up over a bridge and we had to wait for the water level to go down before crossing it.

About three hours from Arequipa we encountered a washed out bridge and had to wait half the night for bulldozers to make safe the river crossing. Trucks, buses and cars were backed up for miles.

Even though we were stuck along the scenic coastal desert, waiting around with little to do got kind of old.

The bus did not have enough food for a 30 hour trip and we did not bring any extra supplies. If it was not for the kindness of strangers we would have ended up like this poor dog.....

It was a long trip but we got home safe and sound. We found out that two of our friends had similar bus experiences and that there was a state of emergency in southern Peru due to the worst rains in 40 years. Some of the resulting problems facing poor folk, especially in rural communities, make our bus delay seem pretty insignificant.

Despite the state of emergency, city officials decided to continue with the planned carnaval parade which celebrates the culture of the Arequipa region.  We got to see hundreds of dancers, musicians and floats, 90% of which were playing the same song "Carnaval de Arequipa."

The parade was also a chance for young and old, performers and audience, Peruvians and Gringos, to spray each other with water, white foam and other liquids. Everyone got into the action and had a great time at this very interactive parade. The girls were attacked by a man on stilts and Jeff was ambushed by an old lady (the retaliation was fierce).

After recovering from our trip and the parade, we started looking for ways to keep busy before school starts on March 5. Aileen has a fair amount to do to get the girls ready for school and Jeff is back to work. Hannah started violin lessons (and resumed gymnastics).  Emma continues with guitar and took her first step on a long road toward straight teeth.  Though we have plenty to do, Mom and Dad are counting down the days until summer vacation is finally over.

We are a bit burned out on traveling but are taking the time to visit some of the famous cultural sites in Arequipa. We recently toured the beautiful Convent of Santa Catalina which is like a city within a city.

We have also been reconnecting with friends. The girls have enjoyed play dates and sleepovers and we recently celebrated Mama Techi's birthday with a big plate of guinea pig.

One of the best things about Arequipa is the weather and we were bummed to come back to very cold temperatures, grey skies and rain.  However, after about ten days of that mess the sun came back out.  Our beloved mountains are now covered in snow and just walking outside is once again a treat.

Here are some final thoughts on our travels and subsequent return to Arequipa.

Well, when I went to America I really had fun. I loved Trujillo because the hotel had a swimming pool we could go to after the beach. I was excited to come back to Arequipa to see Picachu and Bunny (stuffed animals) and my friends. I had a sleepover at my friends' house and we stayed up until almost midnight.  That was fun. I am happy school starts soon.

I was a bit surprised about how good it felt to be back in Arequipa even though this has only been our home for a few months. On the other hand, because we were back in the USA for so long I am really missing our friends and family. I am looking forward to getting back into a regular routine, especially having the kids off at school five days a week.

It is wonderful to be back home after five weeks of travel (about 1 week too long I think). I missed Arequipa but being away helped me better understand Peru, including some of the more negative aspects.  Upon our return I really started to notice a certain type of racism/classism that exists in this country (more on that in a future post). During our trip I also realized how much I miss our friends and family in the USA. Living overseas has been an amazing experience and we still have much to see and do. Sometimes the idea of coming home seems horrifying to me (especially after watching the Republican debates).  However, when July rolls around I think that we will all be anxious to return to the motherland (but if Rick Santorum wins the nomination all bets are off).

I had a really good time in the United States, especially because we got to see our friends and family.  Still, I was happy to come back to Peru because I missed my friends, my school and also my apartment.  I loved going to carnaval in Arequipa, that was really fun. Our vacation in Peru was fun too. I liked Huanchaco because we made nice friends there.  Still, I am excited about moving home to San Francisco in a few months.