Arica

So I am in Arica...
I took the train in the end... to be honest it wasnt so cool as the museum,
but at least it was chaep and easy. I didnt have anyone to cross the border with,
and I didnt feel like facing all the bargaining and hussle alone.

But Arica had only one hostel I could find online, and that prooved to raise prices
considerably, so I am taking a bus to next city overnight instead, which is more
or less the same price.

Even though at first sight, when we were crossing the border, Chile looked like
Austria compared to Peru, the center an terminal are quite sketchy. So Ill move on,
no reason to fall behind my schedule. And it IS more expensive here.

Mpre news from Angofasta perhaps, or, If I get a good connection, from Santiago or
Valpo.

Tacna . monday

Tacna saw us in the morning at around 10 AM.

One good thing about Peru - lots of tourist facilities. So in this smalltown terminal there was a tourist info office (part of i-peru net - the smae Ive used in Lima). So I got map and all the info, left my bag in a storage room and went for a walk.

My destination - besides the center - was a local Railway Museum. Well I bravely claimed I am a student and then enmtered for 2 soles - less then 1USD. The guy didn't check. The museum only has two rooms, but they basically don't care about what and where you do, and let you explore their whole junkyard with lots of old trains, vehicles and weird machines. I was fascinated and spent there a very relaxing 2 hours. Some of the machines are Brittish from 19th century... And its all in these rundown deserted shops, where they nevertheless still take care of some ocassional maintenance. Even the artist Skala would be happy there, and - what a coincidence - my camera this time worked nonstop for the whole two hours - so I should have some good pictures.

I am currently considering the option to actually cross the border by this romantic train - its very convenient as the migration officers come on board, and then perhaps stay one night in Arica and take another connection in the morning.

I really like these little town, they are a lot less stressful, also quite economic. Only here I had the oportunity to try local specialty - ceviche - which is a meal prepared from raw fish. You should eat it before 3PM cause those are the morning fish. We are at the shore and I had it at 1 PM, in quite a reputable restaurant, where lots of local had it too. And it was an entree - a part of a menu - which alltogether cost less then 2 $ - couldn't get it so cheap in Lima I think.

transfer to Tacna - monday

The bus ride from Lima involved some curious passages, especially in the night. I forgot to mention that I had again first floor seat in the first row, so view better then the busdrivers.

Around midnight we were going through a sequence of sharp curves in the mountains, that readilly illustrated why Peru's roads are deemed dangerous. Two lanes, rock on one side, abyss on the other - much like the old school Acolade Test Drive game. No space for mistakes. Leave the curb and gameover succeeds.

And then, in that good old game you drove like a swift sports car... now imagen this 20+ tons mastodont, 5 meters high... And there were slow trucks. And sometimes rocks fallen on the roads surface - up to the size of a decent fridge - no kidding.

Then in the morning (and I was thus glad that I took a reputable company this time) another lengthy passage through dessert. Peruvian shore is all dessert, so it seems.