Altitude sickness rears it´s ugly head.

We´ve been warned time and time again to expect altitude sickness and that this is the first place we´re likely to encounter it. We´re to avoid large meals(no prob), alcohol (errr....), and smoking (lol). And we´re to chew coca leaves (ooo! I could give that a go...).

Yesterday I had no probs but today I suffered. For at least 2 minutes. We went on a proper walking tour with a (boring) english speaking guide and after about 3 hours and the umpteenth church I started to lose concentration and became more interested in staring at the floor. Then when she asked me a question I couldn´t remember what she´d said and decided it must be altitude sickness. Why couldn´t I have that as an excuse when I was at school?!

That said, the tour was actually pretty good.

After we went to a nunnery which was also good for a giggle. Then we had mexican for lunch. Then the girlies were tired and wanted to siesta in the hotel. So I went out and found myself in the Irish bar. I think it was the altitude again, making me disorientated. I was looking for cultural things, honest.

As regular readers will know, I attract unusual occurences and guess what I managed to do? Meet the majoy/president of Arequipa! Yep, in an Irish bar. We discussed european and local politics for about 2 hours and had a good laugh. He offered me a night in the presidential suite at the beach with him and his family. If only I wasn´t on a tour!

The new people seem ok although they´ve slept all day with jet lag and stuff.