Tiara in Transit

Arequipa is located 2,380 metres above sea level with the main attractions being the Santa Catalina Convent, and the acclaimed ‘Museo Santary’, where you’re able to view a 500 year-old sacrificed virgin (mummified for 500 years of course) .

I, however, chose to use this time in Arequipa to visit the supermarket , twice, and spend time in my room appreciating having a roof over my head. And television. God I missed television.

Though it wasn’t all a total tourist fail, I did make an overnight excursion to the Colca Canyon, which is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and where there’s a good chance of seeing condors.

As I stood at the edge, looking into the canyon, I wondered if seeing the wonders of China and India in the last few months has made me hard to impress? Because, shamefully, my wow-factor was pretty low. Sure it was deep, and long, but it was disappointingly narrow. Girth must be important.

… and just when I thought the documentary would have been better, a couple of condors soured out from over the cliffs, their 3 metre wingspan displaying their absolute might and glamour as they put on an amazing flight show within a 50 metre radius of my head.

Unfortunately, my little Olympus tough camera could not capture how special the moment was, turning the magnificence of the largest flying bird into that of a dying bat falling from the sky.

Need a better camera.