We had the pleasure of meeting with Intiwawa on our last day in Arequipa and getting a tour of their non-profit organisation. And what great work they do!

Intiwawa is a dynamic organisation that fights poverty in the slums in Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru. Founded in Peru and Germany in 2007, today their network consists of multiple teams in Holland, France, England and Hong Kong. Their main focus is in a small settlement on the outskirts of Arequipa called San Isidro.

We dropped off our donations and got to meet some of the kids. Thanks to our amazing supporters, our GlobeDrop was larger than normal and our donations consisted of notepads and pens, cereal (both hot and cold), sewing needles and threads, toothpaste, toothbrushes, safety pins, soap, water paint and balls.

Intiwawa are always looking for volunteers and donations. You can visit their website at www.intiwawa.org. Alternatively, if you would like to participate in your own GlobeDrop, you can visit GlobeDrop's website at www.globedrop.org.

Any donation, no matter how big or small, is worthwhile.

Travel often - travel meaningfully!

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse - it did. We broke down multiple times in Peru, ended up spending every single $ we had, couldn't find a place to live, had to have emergency dental treatment not once but twice, faced enormous fees to finally get our vehicle back on the road...and on top of it all we had to find the money for our exit fees which ran to over US$2,000. Sounds like a very bad plot for a movie, right? This happened to our family recently and we contemplated quitting our long term travel plans more than once. But the sad fact was that while we didn't have the money to stay, we didn't have the money to leave either. Stranded in Arequipa, Peru was pretty much the size of it. And as I write this, we are still here - in Arequipa that is - but hopefully not for much longer.

And boy did we learn a lot from this experience.

1. You learn who you can count on. I am not too proud to admit that things got pretty rough there for a while but it was the ones who stood by us while we slowly kept sinking deeper and deeper into the hole and enabled us to laugh about it and keep our focus that maintained our trust. It was the ones who reached out to us, even if it was just a message or words of comfort, that taught us the true value of friendship and family. Believe me, we couldn't have gotten through this period without all of those kind words and messages of support. 

​2. You can't travel long term if your heart is not in it. Our heart was in it, then not, then in it, then not - for a period of many months we stopped enjoying our travel yet couldn't seem to find any way out of it. We got disheartened, sad, mad and frustrated. Then we regrouped again and again - every time something happened we went through the cycle. Hopefully we have come out the stronger for it. We love to travel and hated losing our passion for travel to a set of bad circumstances.

3. You can always change your plans. Our original plan was to go to Bolivia - we had arrangements made with friends, volunteer positions set up and ready to go, free accommodation en route. We were ready - except we couldn't afford to leave. So after toing and froing we decided to cut 5 countries off the itinerary - that was 5 border issues we didn't have to deal with, 5 countries we didn't have to source accommodation for - immediately our hearts felt lighter. It was never about seeing as many countries as we could, it was always about being able to provide a wonderful educational experience for our family as a whole. So we turned around and focused on Ecuador.

4. You are stronger than you think. While at times we didn't feel very strong, in reality we were. We faced being penniless and homeless in a foreign country with two kids - and you know what - we survived. We worked and worked hard to better our unfortunate position - we tried to stay strong and quite often we failed. But you know what we stuck it out - we made it through sanity (just) intact!

5. You are more resourceful than you think. We got to our last cent many times during this situation. As the van sucked our savings dry we had no backup. As a freelance writer, the money flows sporadically and when clients are slow to pay then I can't afford to eat. My husband got a job, I started working for a local travel company - every little bit helped.

6. Amazing opportunities can open up. We made some amazing new friends in Arequipa and visited some wonderful sights. I got a delicious gig reviewing some of the local restaurants in Arequipa on behalf of Peru This Week. Emilia and I even got to enjoy a cooking class together. None of this would have happened if it weren't for the problems we faced. I am not saying I am glad they happened - but I am thankful for the opportunities that arose as a result. Every cloud does indeed have a silver lining.

7. Things will get better. Yes they will, it may take 6 or 7 or even 8 months or even longer but they will. We knew that deep down but we faced seemingly insurmountable problems that at times despite all reasoning there was no way around. While our problems have not fully sorted themselves out, we are moving forward. It is just at a much slower pace than we would've liked. 

8. No one has it all figured it. I am not one to put on a brave face when things go wrong but nor am I one to get down in the dumps or seriously depressed unless I have good cause to do so. No one person I know has a perfect life - everyone is faced with some kind of relationship issue, money problem, family drama, whatever it may be. The only way we got through it was by talking about it. No good comes of anything when you pretend things are rosy 24/7 and you never know that one person who may be listening might just be able to help.

9. Regret is wasted. So the mechanics we encountered along the way didn't really know what they were doing and took our money without properly servicing our vehicle. So we spent thousands of dollars on our vehicle which we have no way to recoup. So...so...so...what! We lived to tell the tale. We aren't focused on money per se - we are only focused on money at the moment so we have a way to leave the country and continue on our way to Ecuador. If we don't have the money at the border they won't let us leave. If we don't have money for gas we can't drive there. The rest will sort itself out.

10. There is no point in trying to control everything. We don't thankfully - but if we did our problems would've been a lot worse. We are go with the flow types naturally and usually things don't faze us. But of course when you have kids there has to be some sort of plan. We had no way of controlling this situation at all. I could earn more but I couldn't earn enough to make things better. Every day we stayed was costing us more in fines. We had to take a big leap of faith - one which we are still hanging onto as we speak.

11. Adventure is a lifestyle. So we got off track. So we cut 5 countries off of the program. Our experiences to date have not been too shabby. We are raising two wonderfully strong and independent children in a foreign country. We didn't even speak the language when we came (not that we can now mind you). But this foreignness is our version of normal - going to a supermarket in Peru does not seem weird to us. Our life is an adventure everyday and we choose to make the most of it.

12. A bad travel experience will not put you off travel. As much as we liked Arequipa, it was seriously sucking us dry, whichever way we turned. But you know what, we are excited to get back on the road and hang out in Ecuador for a couple of months. We feel like we have earned our own private beach retreat. Bring it on.

13. You can always help others. When things are low and you have no money you can still help others. We did not one, but two, GlobeDrops for non-profit organisations in need due to the support and kindness of others. Gratitude is a big part of what we do and we are truly grateful for every day we get to travel and live life on our own terms. So we do what we can and give what we can - even when we are experiencing massive problems of our own. There is always something you can do for others.

14. You learn to cherish the little things. Not that we really needed it - but we got a reminder like no other. We made do with the basics - we had our gas stove and that was all that we needed. Who needs a fridge or a microwave or a TV? We appreciate when we have hot water because sometimes we have no water. We appreciate when we have electricity because for mysterious reasons that can go off too. And we appreciate our ability to plug into wifi whenever we can - that is truly a lifeline to the rest of the world. We appreciated a roof over our head (sleeping in the van is not easy or comfortable) and we cherished our friends more than ever.

15. The world really is a beautiful place. Yes we were stranded and verging on the homeless. Rent was so much more than we had prepared for. Dental bills were overdue. But there was no better place to be than right where we were. The weather in Arequipa was gorgeous and sunny, the views of the nearby volcanoes were spectacular. And we had each other.

Walking around Santa Catalina, the city within a city, is an enjoyable experience and you can't help but appreciate the history as you wander within the grounds of what is still a working monastery.

The monastery only accepted women from upper class families and, at its height, the monastery housed 450 people (approximately 1/3 nuns and the rest servants). The dowry which was paid by the families for the women to enter the monastery was the equivalent of US$150,000 and they also had to bring a list of 25 other items including clothing, a statue, a painting and a lamp.

There are approximately 20 nuns living within the walls of the monastery today.
 

There are many interesting things to see and do in and around Arequipa. You can stroll the historic centre or visit the nearby Colca Canyon. Here are some of our favourite places to visit within the city of Arequipa itself outside of the popular historic district.

Fundador Mansion

While perhaps not a mansion by today’s standards the property was once home to Arequipa’s founder, Garci Manuel de Carbajal. It is located approximately 9km from the city centre and has been restored with original furnishings and paintings. The mansion is set in immaculate grounds and even features its own chapel. This building is a perfect example of the widespread use of sillar, the white volcanic ash which was used to build many of the stately homes in the area. This white stone ultimately gave rise to Arequipa being known as the white city.

Sillar Quarry

If you are fascinated by the sillar which is at the foundation of many of the local buildings, then it is worth visiting the quarry, located a short distance outside of the city centre. Here you can begin to understand the grand scale of the quarry operation and even see some of the workers cutting the stone blocks. 

Sabandia Mill

Sabandia Mill, built in the late 1700s out of sillar in the Sabandia district, was Arequipa’s first stone mill. It provides an interesting view into the past where you can still see the stone grinding wheel techniques for wheat processing. Now also a popular picnic spot, it features hiking trails, horseback riding, a petting zoo with pristine views of El Misti in the distance.

Carmen Alto Viewpoint

For wonderful views over Arequipa, the mirador is a lovely spot to relax in. Perfect for panoramic shots and a popular spot for the tourist buses, it is still worth making your way to the top if you have the time. With a café at the top, you can enjoy a cold drink overlooking the nearby Misti and Chachani volcanoes before making your way down the natural scenic spot.

Arequipa, Peru is a wonderful family-friendly destination and during our time here we have discovered many fun things to do with the kids. Here are some of our favourites.

Cooking Classes

My 10 year old daughter and I did a cooking class with the amazing restaurant, Zingaro, and we got to try our hand at making Causita de Pollo and Lomo Saltado. I also had the pleasure of trying my hand at making a Pisco Sour - a definite favourite of mine. We definitely enjoyed the experience and of course were able to sit down and relish in our work once the meal was cooked. There are a few cooking opportunities available around town but we especially liked this one as Zingaro is a quality restaurant and we enjoyed the "behind the scenes" experience it gave us.  This experience was actually part of a half day tour with Peru Inside Out which also takes in the local market and the volcanic rock quarry.

Mundo Alpaca

Mundo Alpaca is a great place to wander around with kids - they have llamas and alpacas there to see, an informative area to view the wool and the dying and weaving process as well as a museum of wool processing machinery all set in a lovely garden complete with art gallery and cafe.

La Cueva del Pirata Minigolf

Located in Parque Lambramani, four floors down, we discovered this pirate glow in the dark minigolf course. Featuring 18 holes, the kids had fun trying to putt the balls and sink a hole in one. A fun way to spend an hour, the course costs 12 soles per person.

Parque Los Ccoritos

As the weather in Arequipa is so agreeable, it makes sense that you would want to spend much of your time oors. Parque Los Ccoritos is a great little park for dinosaurs lovers featuring dinosaurs, swings, slides and much more to keep the kids amused. We went on a week day and it was extremely quiet, although saying that, not everything was open. We were told however it got very busy on the weekends so pick your days wisely.

Selva Alegre Park

Selva Alegre Park is a lovely park in walking distance from Plaza de Armas. You can choose to take a picnic and just hang out in the grounds, purchase some Queso Helado at the gates and enjoy it on a park bench, play on the climbing equipment or rent a boat and paddle around the lake. Quite often on weekends, there are food fairs or markets there providing an opportunity to sample the local food and other delicacies.

City Bus Tour

You can't miss the Arequipa city bus tours - there seem to be many companies offering the same tourist route but admittedly it is a lot of fun for the whole family. The tour takes four hours and for 25 soles this is a real bargain, however if you enter the Fundador Mansion and Sabandia Mill, you will be expected to pay the entrance fee for those on top of the tour. Starting at the main square, the tour will take you from the historic district to Yanahuara, Cayma, Sachacha and beyond giving you a good feel for the city of Arequipa.

Sabandia Mill

While the city bus tour does take you to Sabandia Mill, it is also possible to see it on your own and spend an extended visit there. Sabandia Mill was Arequipa's first stone mill built in 1785 and restored in 1973, after which it was subsequently opened to the public. You can picnic in the grounds, go horse riding, see the animals in the petting zoo or just relax while enjoying the views of El Misti in the background.

Chocolate Making Classes

Chaqchao Chocolate Factory offers chocolate workshops to kids aged 7 and up, who are accompanied by their parents. The smell of their chocolate kitchen is enough to tempt anyone and their store offers a fun range of chocolate goodies to purchase. Even visiting their store or enjoying a hot chocolate in their upstairs cafe, is a fun way to spend an hour or two if you choose not to partake in their classes.

Santa Catalina Monastery

Whether you choose to go during the day or in the evening, Santa Catalina is an enjoyable destination for the whole family. While not seemingly kid friendly at first glance, kids will enjoy wandering around this picturesque mini-city and learning about the history of this fascinating place.

Parque Aquatico de Tingo

We always try to source out a swimming pool wherever we go and the kids definitely favoured the one at Tingo. It had a lovely pool for kids complete with water slides of all sizes and was cheap to enter. Admittedly it was out of town a bit, but definitely worth the visit in our opinion. The only issue we had was the pool was not heated but they had fun nonetheless. Note that swimming caps are necessary in order to enter the water, generally a non-issue as you can purchase them there on the premises.

Mono Blanco Aventura

Mono Blanco Aventura is the name of a centre on La Marina filled with a myriad of climbing walls for kids of all ages (and adults as well). There is a section where the kids can just free climb "for fun" or there is the harder wall where the kids need to be harnessed with a helmet. Definite fun for all ages and good value as well. We visited on a Monday when the centre opened at 4pm so it is definitely worth contacting them ahead of time to check their schedule.

Arequipa is really a family-friendly city and we spent countless hours just wandering around the streets and seeing what we could find. If you have anything you would add to this list, let us know.

Wherever you walk to in Arequipa, there is undoubtedly someone selling queso helado on a street corner. Queso helado translates to something along the lines of "cheese ice-cream" or "frozen cheese" which sounds quite odd in itself. But interestingly enough there is actually no cheese in it at all. Recipes vary depending on where you purchase it, but it generally contains fresh milk, unsweetened evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk - along with eggs, coconut, vanilla, sugar and a dusting of cinnamon on top.

My kids and I are quite the fan of this Arequipenan specialty - especially as the weather can quite warm in the middle of the day. You can choose to eat it from the street vendors in a cup complete with the cinnamon dusting, pre-frozen on a stick at Chaqchao Chocolates, in a tub at your local supermarket or order it from any city-wide restaurant with a variety of sides. Some servings have more of an ice-cream consistency while others can be likened to a shaved ice. Either way it is very delicious and extremely refreshing!

Here are just a few variations on our taste testing opportunities...

Photo by Jenny Guerrero

Photo by Jenny Guerrero

If you talk to anyone about visiting Peru, the general consensus is that Machu Picchu is totally worth the visit, and without a doubt it is. However there is so much more to this part of Peru that many travellers just don’t seem to be aware of. Tourists book their trip to Machu Picchu avoiding many of the nearby gems, however our recommendation is take the time and add these to your itinerary as well.

Cusco – This historic capital sees approximately 2 million visitors a year however many just use it as a stepping stone to get to Machu Picchu. Take your time to embrace the city, visit the ruins, sit atop the double decker bus, shop at the markets, dine at the restaurants – there is so much culture and tradition to be found here that it would be a shame to miss out on it.

Pisac – Just a short ride from Cusco is the wonderful little town of Pisac, with a strong bohemian vibe. There are many quality eateries and accommodation options and it is well worth staying a night or two to check them out. Pisac has a slower pace than neighbouring Cusco, so you will have plenty of time to walk the ruins, visit the market, go for a hike, take a swim or just relax.

Ollantaytambo – Ollantaytambo is the gateway to Machu Picchu, whether you are choosing to walk the Inca Trail or take the train directly to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Not stopping to take in the sights as you pass by would be slightly remiss. It is a lovely town with some very interesting Inca ruins situated directly in the town centre and on the outskirts. You can choose to explore the town on foot or by even by horse if you are so inclined.

Puerto Maldonado – A 10 hour bus ride or a short plane flight away from Cusco, is the Amazonian jungle city of Puerto Maldonado. There are many tours on offer to explore the inner jungle area but for those staying in and around the town, we recommend a tour up the river to view the local wildlife and a trip to Mariposario Tambopata Butterfly Farm. While there aren’t many quality accommodation options available in Puerto Maldonado itself, you can’t go past The Anaconda Lodge. It features jungle style bungalows, a swimming pool to relax in and the in-house restaurant offers the best Thai food around.

Lake Titicaca – Again using Cusco as a base, you can easily head to the lakeside town of Puno. Most visitors don’t tend to spend a lot of time in town, instead opting to tour the largest lake in South America, Lake Titicaca. You can visit many of the islands and even stay overnight on the island of Amantani to experience traditional island life. The islands of Uros, although extremely touristy, are fascinating to view as they are made entirely of reeds.

Arequipa – Known as the ‘white city’ because of the myriad of white buildings situated around the centre, the city is popular because of its locale to Colca Canyon, a canyon which is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. You can choose to hike down into the canyon or stop by to view the Andean condors which call this region home. The Monasterio de Santa Catalina, the Museo Santuarios Andinos (home to the Ice Maiden Juanita) and the picturesque Plaza de Armas are worth visiting in Arequipa itself.

Nazca – You may or may not have heard of the Nazca Lines but if you have, these are not the only fascinating thing to see in Nazca. The Palpa Geoglyphs, the Cahuachi Pyramid and the Chauchilla cemetery are all worth a look as well although you may find it easier with a vehicle of some kind as there are quite a stretch of kilometres between these locations. There is so much history in one small area as well as a number of museums which look to provide some kind of background for the sites, that it is a must-see travel destination for those who love history and mystery.

Huacachina – A real life oasis in the desert and this is your chance to visit, but beware the mermaid in the lake, or so the legend goes. Mermaids aside, Huacachina is a great place to hang out by the pool, visit a winery and take on some of those sand dunes via a dune buggy ride. And be prepared, once you are at the top you will be presented with a sand board to make your way down the massive dunes where your designated driver will be waiting for you. Much fun in the sun to be had here.

Peru sounds amazing doesn’t it, and that doesn’t even begin to cover the wide variety of things you can do in Lima and the North of Peru. It’s a vast country, rich in history, with so many great experiences on offer.  So what are you waiting for?

I love the unpredictability of life - one day we were told we had to be out of our accommodation and the next we have moved across town to live with an American/Peruvian family who were willing to share their home with us. I didn't see that one coming.

Without even taking moving into consideration, we have been keeping busy. We have been dealing with broken laptops, dental surgery and constant shoulder and back issues and in amongst that, we have been reviewing restaurants and dealing with life and work in general.

Arequipa is treating us well - we love the sunshine the city provides and are not missing the cool days or nights of Cusco and we have so much more planned for our stay. First we need to get Matthew's passport updated so that's priority in the next couple of weeks along with buying a laptop (mine finally bit the dust for a second time)!

All in all a totally unexpected but fun chapter of our travel journey...

We signed up with GlobeDrop last year (in fact they are a huge supporter of our travel journey and the book we are writing) so it was with much anticipation that we were finally able to add our first experience to the long list of blog posts I had to write. We would have done it earlier but there aren't many GlobeDrop organisations on the list in Peru - in fact there are only 3 at present; 1 in Cusco and 2 in Arequipa - so as soon as we arrived in Arequipa, it was our mission to help out immediately.

As part of our meaningful travel plan, we planned to donate items to Casa Hogar Luz Alba, a children's shelter in Arequipa (http://www.casahogarluzalba.org/). They were in need of antibiotics, children's clothes, balls, pens, band aids, blankets, books, pencils, cotton buds, toys, diapers, juice boxes, jump ropes, paper pads, pasta, powdered milk, rice, soap, socks, sugar, tooth brushes and water paint so we had quite a task ahead of us.

Emilia and I had a budget - 300 soles - so we set off to the grocery store to buy as many of these things as we could - we needed to make our money stretch as much as possible. It was a great exercise for Emilia - she was helping me decide what we should purchase and then we would look at the costs and see what was the best option. The final tally came to 298.05 - not bad at all.

Following our shop, the experience was fairly simple. We logged onto the GlobeDrop website and let Casa Hogar Luz Alba know exactly what we would be donating - choosing a 3 day window delivery period. The drop was confirmed and we made our way over to the children's shelter with bags in hand.

Casa Hogar Luz Alba were very appreciate of our little effort - they noted everything we had donated in a notebook and gave us a tour of their premises. We got to meet some of the children and had a peek into the nursery where all the babies were sleeping. And it was great for Emilia and Matthew to see how directly we were able to help another organisation.