Well I am now on my way back from my visit with Elva and Hugo in Ilo. I said goodbye to them at 12 noon today and set off on the first leg of the journey back. The journey was a monotonous vista of sand and rock and curving roads busy with lorries and buses - it is amazing that those roads are as stable as they are on such uncertain looking terrain. I remember on an early visit seeing the road buckled in places after an earthquake which hit Moquegua and Arequipa, with many of the houses destroyed in both towns.
The bus pulled into Arequipa at 4.30 pm where I was relieved to see Elva´s son Hugo awaiting me - especially so as the bus didn´t go to the main terminal but to its own terminal a couple of miles away. Fortunately Hugo had his friend with him, the taxi driver who drove us around in Arequipa last year, so in no time we were arriving at the terminal from where the bus leaves for Cusco (there are three main terminals in Arequipa as well as all the individual ones of the various bus companies!) I was especially glad to have Hugo to help me because I am lumbered with three heavy bags as well as my handbag. I left a load of my things in Ilo last year and it made sense to bring them back with me to Urubamba. In no time, I managed to stow two of them with the bus company I am travelling to Cusco with, to collect at 8 pm and then stow in the bus prior to travel, and Hugo found a small internet cafe here in the terminal where I am passing some of the time before going to have something to eat nearer the time of travel.
The next bus will take 10 hours to reach Cusco but hopefully I can sleep for part of it. Whilst in Ilo we went on a daytrip to Tacna, a duty free border town near Chile, and whilst there I bought a portable dvd player which is mains operated but also has a rechargeable battery like a mobile phone, so I charged it up last night and have a film in my bag to watch once dinner has been served and before I settle down to try and sleep. I also bought a beautiful watch with an aquamarine face - watches are cheap from street vendors there - but then lost it the next day whilst out walking the dog - obviously I could not have secured the catch properly. I was really sorry to lose it as it was so unusual and pretty. I would have bought two if I knew I would lose it that soon!
I enjoyed my week in Ilo with Elva and Hugo, even though I was ill for part of the time. I felt guilty arriving with a bad cough and cold, which got worse in the first few days of my visit, but fortunately is well on the mend now. I just hope neither of them catch it. Elva really mothered me while I was ill which was lovely. I got really partial to her hot limon drinks sweetened with honey, and will be keeping that going when I get back to Urubamba as limons are so cheap and plentiful there - only 20p for a dozen of them - they are different from our lemons or limes - to achieve the same taste back home I would have to use half a lemon and half a lime.
Although the weather in Ilo is normally hot and sunny, unfortunately the only sunshine I saw was the day of my arrival and today when I left! The days in between were grey and dismal and even slightly chilly which is unusual for this desert town which meets the sea, so no trips to the beach. I walked the dog several times a day though, as it was only two blocks walk down to the sea front, and yesterday whilst down there I took photos which will be uploaded in November.
On one evening we took a taxi high up a hillside to a series of lookout points, beautiful paved with ceramic tiles and seating areas, from where one could see the whole of Ilo lit up below. Even the boats moored in harbour and sea had lights on them and it looked really pretty. Another evening we went to El Tablon food centre for our tea, enjoying delicious lechon sandwiches (roast pork in crusty ciabatta style rolls with chopped onion, tomatoes and herbs, served with a series of dips. I enjoyed watching Elva cook and have posted some recipes on this blog - all her meals are really healthy and nutritious, using scarcely any oil - if anyone is trying to lose some weight the soup recipe is especially brilliant. I was amazed that I enjoyed it so much considering I only like one of the five vegetables that feature in it!
I will be glad to arrive back in Urubamba tomorrow after such a long journey back. Even when I arrive in Cusco it will take a further two hours to get home - what with a taxi, then the journey in a shared people carrier taxi, and finally a moto from the terminal there to Nohemy´s. I have kept in touch with her whilst I am here so they know more or less what time to expect me. Well that is all news for the moment and I will write again in a week or so with news of what I have been up to in Urubamba.
