Day 170: Missing Juanita

Nazca – Arequipa, Peru

I thought I would be able to sleep quite well on the night bus from Nazca to Arequipa but the road was horrendous. I don’t think I ever went into a deep sleep.

Arriving at Arequipa, I took a much need shower. Afterwards, Richard and I went out to grab lunch. A fee blocks away from the hostel, Richard spotted a restaurant that he’s interested in. Looking more like a fast food place, I told him he could eat there if he fancied and that I’d try to find somewhere else. He hesitated and then came along with me. After a couple minutes of walking, I turned around and he was nowhere to be seen. The area was mad crowded rendering it impossible to locate him. I decided to keep going and found myself a small restaurant full of locals. There seemed to be no seat available, buy a lady grabbed me and told me I could sit with her and her husband. The lady also helped me order the set menu for my lunch.

So all over Peru, in small restaurants, they serve what they call “menu.” It’s pretty much menu of the day with a few selection. It consists of soupa for the primero and an entree for the segundo. Now, the soupa itself is already the size of what I’d call an entree. Then you’ll also get to order a segundo of either pescado (fish), pollo (chicken) or carne (beef). The set menu also comes with unlimited lemonade. And the best part of all is that all this feast only costs 4.5 soles, a meager $1.70!

After the big meal, I went to the Museo Santuarios Andinos where the famous Incan “Juanita” (the Ice Maiden) mummy was displayed. Due to the season, I didn’t get to see Juanita, but her other mummy friend. Juanita is the most famous because her organs are still pretty much intact after 500 years since she was sacrificed to the Incan God. She was discovered by accident in 1995 on top of Ampato mountain. The then active volcano exploded and melted her snow covered burial place. Since then, 14 other Incan human child sacrifices were found. All of them children under 16. I have no photos of this museum trip because photography isn’t allowed in there.

I got back to the hostel before Richard and I just chilled around having my Internet fix. He came back soon after and I asked him if he lost me. I got no answer. I asked two more times and realized thay he just plain ignored me! I waved my hands in front of his face and told him I was asking a question and if he’s mad at me. He curtly replied that he didn’t want to talk and went about sulking.

I left him alone for a couple hours before I confronted him again. Apparently he said he was insulted that I said I wanted to go somewhere else to eat and that he left me and went another direction on purpose.  *sigh* And I suppose him leaving without telling me wasn’t insulting?

We had a talk afterwards and I told him I found it hard traveling with him and I’d rather go my own way. No hard feeling. It’s just we had totally different vibes and travel style.

Thus ended the duo and it’s back to soloing it for me :] Unless… Greg decided to join me in Chile, or Elly in Australia and New Zealand, and my mom in Taiwan and China.
*hint hint, make it happen folks*