Well it has been a few days since I last wrote. We had another day out in Urubamba recently which was just as enjoyable as the first time. The four of us travelled out on an early morning bus, once again enjoying the indescribably beautiful countryside along the way. It was fun to watch Jorge play again in the restaurant and the weather was brilliant and hot again as it mostly is in the Sacred Valley.
In the evening we´d planned to go out as the two members of Peruviandina were planning a get together as it was Rosario´s the older brother´s birthday. Layla was still feeling a bit under the weather with the beginnings of a cough and cold and decided to rest up rather than risk going out in the night air and Juan decided to stay with her so it was just Jorge and me - at first we could not find his friends in the crowd - so had to exit the place and walk to find a phone so he could ring Daniel. It turned out that they were already in the club in a part we hadn´t explored yet and soon we were about 10 of us together enjoying beers and lots and lots of dancing. I really enjoyed the company of all of them, and with me being the only foreigner there, they all formed a circle around me as protection, and I danced the night away with first one then the other, all of us having a great time. By about 1 am I was quite exhausted from all the dancing, and getting me out of there was a bit scary and potentially risky as it was a bit far out from the centre, so not many taxis about. In the end we all moved as one, me surrounded in a cocoon by Daniel and Rosario and several of his friends, I was practically carried along by them, out of the disco and along the road to the nearest taxi, all of them waving and ensuring we were well on our way before going back to the disco again. I so enjoyed that lovely evening with so many super genuine musicians and hope to meet up with them all again one day.
Since then I met up with various musicians in the daytime to watch them play in various restaurants around Plaza des Armas in the lunchtimes and early afternoons. I kept close to the Plaza in the days leading up to Layla´s departure because of her being so unwell. Juan and I always made sure that one of us was with her at all times. When she didnt improve we made enquiries and were able to take her to see a doctor who examined her thoroughly and found she had bronchitis. Fortunately we did this in time so that the medicines prescribed improved her health enough to enable her to travel the long journey home. I have since heard from her that she got back safely. I already miss her lots as she was such a great travel companion.
I am now in Ilo with Elva and Hugo and will remain here until my bus departs for Lima on 11th September. Ilo is a quiet seaside town where the desert meets the sea, and my time here will be spent quietly, learning to cook recipes with Elva, meeting her friends, walking on the seafront etc. We went to a yoga session this morning which was interesting and lasted an hour. It was fun too to see old friends in the local market who had been awaiting my arrival. My next email will probably be from Lima on 12th September, the day before I actually fly home. I hope the account of my travels has been interesting for those who have followed it. See you all soon. Love Angela
