| When I first came to Peru, I lived in Arequipa for | | | | running into the street and picking up money, I soon |
| over four months while I was studying Spanish. Even | | | | realized that it was mine! Here I was, trying to get |
| though I grew up on a farm in Minnesota, I had lived | | | | the money back from them, trying to pick up some |
| in Tokyo and Los Angeles for about 20 years so | | | | that is still in the street, and then realizing that more |
| was used to life in the big city. However after living | | | | money was falling on the street as I moved around! I |
| here in Cotahuasi for over a year and a half, I have | | | | was totally bewildered, as I knew I had zipped up |
| become a country boy again. When I go to Arequipa, | | | | the pouch and was sure it hadn't developed a hole in |
| I usually try to make it as brief as possible. Planning | | | | it since I last used it. I went back into the |
| to make a short trip there, I left Cotahuasi at 7:00 | | | | moneychangers to get off the busy street and |
| on a Wednesday morning. I decided to check out the | | | | checked the pouch; there was no money in it and no |
| approach to Coropuna on the way, as I was driving | | | | hole. I finally realized that in my trying to put the |
| right by there. We would be climbing it in a few | | | | money in there discreetly, I must not have put it into |
| weeks and I wanted to get a little more hands on | | | | the pouch but in between the pouch and my pants! |
| information, especially as it had fresh snow since the | | | | Sure enough there was still more money falling down |
| last time I was near there. I was a little nervous | | | | my pants legs so here I was trying to get that out |
| about the climb as well because Coropuna is 21,079 | | | | and make sure I got it all, while standing in a corner |
| feet high. | | | | of the open office! I'm sure I must have made quite |
| I looked around and found a different road and was | | | | a sight, the man behind the counter kept looking at |
| able to drive closer to the base of the mountain than | | | | me strangely. Finally sure that I had it all secure; I left |
| last time, finally stopping when boulders blocked the | | | | the office. Then I realized that it was possible that a |
| road at an elevation of about 16,000 feet. I then | | | | "ladron" (thief, pickpocket) might have seen me and |
| hiked up almost 3,000 feet, on what looked like the | | | | was just waiting for me to come out. I went away |
| best approach route, to about 18,800 feet. This was | | | | from the shopping area, looking over my shoulder |
| only about 2,300 feet below the summit, so I was | | | | often and quickly ducked into an open courtyard of a |
| very pleased with that. It took me three hours and | | | | museum and office complex to gather my wits and |
| 35 minutes to get up there and two hours and 15 | | | | count the money. I was about 130 soles short (about |
| minutes to get back to the car. Of course where I | | | | $40) but was thankful I hadn't lost more. |
| turned around is where it really gets steep and I was | | | | I felt that it wasn't a good idea to head back to the |
| already starting to really feel the effects of the | | | | shopping area on foot, so decided to go get my car |
| altitude. I was still below the snow line as well, so | | | | and do my shopping with that, especially as I had to |
| that will slow things down considerably when we | | | | get some heavy things like sugar, powered milk, |
| reach that point. Anyway, it got me thinking that it | | | | popcorn, a large case of cereal, as well as a large |
| might even be possible to do as a day hike! Will have | | | | pack of toilet paper. I parked on the street in a busy |
| to see how it goes this time as a two day hike, and | | | | wholesale shopping area and first went into a shop to |
| then decide if it is possible to do as a day hike or | | | | get a dozen packages of my favorite cookies, kind |
| not. | | | | of like a vanilla Oreo with strawberry filling. I had to |
| I arrived in Arequipa that evening about 10:00 and | | | | wait a few minutes while she found 12 packs with all |
| was at Marcio's, where I stay, and in bed before | | | | strawberry and just as she put them on the counter, |
| 11:00, hoping to get a good night's sleep. Of course | | | | a woman on the street hollered something about my |
| the dogs in the neighborhood had other ideas (they | | | | car. I was afraid there was a policewoman coming to |
| bark all night long), I always forget how much noisier | | | | give me a ticket so ran out of the store to see my |
| it is in Arequipa than in Cotahuasi. And then the | | | | car hooked up to a tow truck and they were just |
| combis and taxis start very early in the morning, | | | | starting to drive off with it! I ran to the truck and |
| honking and hollering for passengers, and the room I | | | | pleaded with the policeman to not tow it away but |
| sleep in is right on the street and is definitely not | | | | to no avail. He said I would have to go to the |
| sound proof! | | | | "deposito" to get it. Of course I had no idea where |
| In the morning I went to the main post office to pick | | | | or what the deposito was so he said I could ride with |
| up a package that was being held at customs. After | | | | them in the truck. |
| about an hour of waiting, filling out and signing forms, | | | | To shorten a long story, 142.50 soles and about an |
| I finally got my package, surprisingly without having | | | | hour later I got my car out of the impound yard, |
| to pay anything. Why they couldn't have just sent it | | | | after having to take the filled out forms around the |
| on to Cotahuasi, I don't know. | | | | corner to have copies made for them. Almost all |
| After that I started on my shopping, buying things | | | | government offices here require photocopies of all |
| that I can't get in Cotahuasi or that are more | | | | paper work but they don't have copy machines so |
| expensive there. I talked with a shopkeeper friend in | | | | you have to go to a store and have copies made. |
| the central market and she warned me that there | | | | Fortunately, there are copy machines everywhere, in |
| were more pickpockets and thieves than ever and to | | | | all kinds of stores, so it is not too difficult to find one. |
| be extra careful. I have learned to take warnings like | | | | I had remembered to take a copy of my passport |
| that seriously. Unfortunately I was out of money so | | | | to the customs office at the post office in the |
| had to go to the bank before I could finish shopping. | | | | morning and sure enough they wanted that as well. |
| I got my money in dollars from the ATM machine | | | | Later in the afternoon I met my friend Morayma and |
| and then went to the moneychangers to exchange it | | | | she went with me to go back and get my cookies |
| for soles. When I got my soles, I put most of them | | | | that I had left on the counter when my car was |
| into a money belt that I wear around my waist, | | | | towed, as well as do the rest of my shopping. Then |
| tucked into my pants. Of course I was trying not to | | | | I met another friend Maribel in the Square and told |
| be too obvious about this, not wanting people to see | | | | her what had happened so she invited me out for |
| where I was putting the money. I carefully zipped up | | | | roast chicken dinner. It was an expensive day but I |
| the pouch and then started back to the shopping | | | | learned a couple more lessons about life in the big |
| area, crossing the street right in front of the | | | | city, as well as had an enjoyable time with two good |
| moneychanger's office. | | | | friends. Hopefully tomorrow will be uneventful as I |
| As I got to the other side, I noticed a couple of men | | | | finish my shopping and then head back to Cotahuasi. |