No Facilio.... You lecherous hombres!

Swealtering heat entombs me, unanimously assaulting from above and rebounding upon the sand, striking from all angles. Perching upon the peak of a sand dune on a radiant day smacks of unpleasantries and glory in tandem. Vastly breathtaking panorama temporarily imprisons me here despite my lack of a water bottle and the inevitable quest of escape via sweat gland orchestrated by moisture previously acquired. There´s something about standing atop something of height lacking precautionary railings and the like, I am filled with congruent vacancy and tumescence. Upon abandonment of Lima, under the guidance of our new amigo Mono (owner of the hostel we´d been staying at and avid admirer of the fabulous Caitlin Anthony) we ventured bravely towards Huacachina,

Huacachina is a tourist trap in the most literal sense imaginable... A village of 200 constructed around a desert oasis. Resturaunts, hotels, hostels and the like abound and I´m not entirely sure where the locals reside as every building appears to serve strickly as a tourist attraction. Beautiful to be sure, but the authentic cultural essence I´m seeking is absent.

During our time in Lima, a man by the name of Julio employed in our hostel had advice en masse: add salt to everything, go out dancing, and when you are out dancing and the lecherous club goers of Peru approach you with ill intent, respond with a firm ¨NO FACILIO!¨ Not until our expedition from Huacachina to Arequipa did it occur to me that I may want to learn the definition of this term before throwing it into use (we had yet to endure a ´night out´) Turns out ´facil´ translates to ´easy´ [french as a second language grade 8 anyone?] thus ´no facilio´ means ´not easy´ Cait and I are determined to print t-shirts boasting this phrase upon return to Canada.

Moving right along... We escaped the glorious clutches of Huacachina and travelled to Arequipa, ¨the white city¨ as it is known. While my glutes appeared to be experiencing the sensation of local anesthetic which can only be administered in the form of a very long bus ride, it was fairly dark out, and I was fairly exhausted; Amorous feelings enveloped me as our taxi whisked us from the bus depot to our hostel. Affirmation of my anticipatory infatuation ensued the following morning as we ventured beyond our hostal walls. Rampant juxtaposition between old-school architectural charm and a bustling city vibe fuelled my growing enjoyment of this venue (not to mention discovery of nearby vegetarian restaraunts!). Within our hostel, we quickly befriended a few other travellers in addition to a staff member or two.

Plans evolve quickly and this journey has lead me to a deeper understanding of ¨being present´ and ´Living in the moment´. While our initial intent had been to exit Arequipa in the direction of Puno, lake Titicaca, and Cusco, we were convinced by a new friend to abandon our itinerary and return to Arequipa for new years after paying a visit to the lake. My mission upon return: work my first-ever bartending shift in the hostel bar on NYE. Sink-or-swim experiences are often the ones that pose the grand crucibles of life; the eve of December 31st posed such a test for me and I must denote my grattitude for the discovery and cultivation of Coffee on this occasion.

Spanish is still shakey, however I am settling into the groove of travel and my home-sickness is subsiding (although I don´t believe my yearning for the mountains will ever subside entirely, nor is there any doubt in my mind that the Bow Valley is my true home.) My heart is filled with love and joy. O life, thou art so enigmatic! Praised be all that comes my way! Tonight, I raise my glass to Peru, Amigos, family, food, adventure, laughter, and love!

Chin Chin motherfuckers!