PERUVIAN FLUTE MUSIC!!

Well I havent heard much of it yet but i know its coming, why? because I'm in Peru!! Dont worry Tommy I will make sure to bring lots of cd´s back for you. So yesterday I crossed the boarder. So strange that one step can make such a huge difference, and it was really thrilling, especially compared to the good old  TJ boarder. I think all boarders have their interesting qualities, and this one happened to be full, not of tourists, but of old ladies carrying about three trashbags of clothes. I sat there for a long time trying to figure it all out, and I still am not really sure I get it, but basically a bunch of clothes that get donated from the US and Europe end up in South America, and apparently in Chile but not Peru. So these women make there buisness getting the free or cheap donated clothes from Chile and smuggling them into Peru. But it is Illegal, so watching their methods of trying to hide 3 trashbags full of clothes was hilarious. they all had about ten sweaters on (and probably 5 pairs of pants). Another technique was to ask extranjeros (me) to carry it accross for them. I'm not the most streetwise guy there is, but I knew enough not to smuggle something accross a boarder, even if it was just a pink, sleevless, hoodie covered in glitter.

San Pedro de Atacama was beautiful. Of course the first day when I arrived in THE DRIEST DESERT IN THE WORLD... ready for it... can you guess... yes!...it was RAINING! apparently (not confirmed) it was the first rain they have had in San Pedro in 6 years. Anyway it was actually kind of exciting.

 I met lots of good people, and happen to be in Arequipa Peru with 2 of them. I went Sand Boarding, which was way more fun than I thought (like snowboarding on giant sand dunes) but I was no good at it. I also went for a night time horse back ride, which was beautiful with all the stars! the milkyway clearly visible. The tours are very different down here. For horseback riding, I signed no papers, was given no instruction on how to ride a horse, and was basically free to ride where I wanted. Which was scary at first, but I got the hang of it thanks to a french guy who knew what he was doing. I also visited geysers, and a hot spring. which were really beautiful! The landscape is hard to describe, some people call it moon like, and that may be the best way to describe it. Vast expanses of salt flats surrounded by red mountians, snow capped volcanoes, salt formations, smooth sand dunes, and pracitically no living animals or plants, all under a cloudless blue sky.

It has been really interesting traveling alone. At times I am aware of how great it is and other times it can be a bit lonely. But recently I traveled with this German guy up here to Peru and although a really great guy, I immeadietly realized the joys of traveling alone. However, I am really looking forward to being 8-9 days not alone, with my parents!

Lima is beautiful, really impressive. Where Chile was mostly new buildings dotted with old ones, Peru seems to be the opposite, where almost every building is old and impressive. Of course the food is also very different, and very good. It's interesting to see the differences just a couple feet can make. So far I am really enjoying exploring what is new and different here.

more soon.

Joseph
(the name I have had  to start using because no one can understand Joe)