Postcards From: Peru

I travelled to Arequipa, Peru for one month to work in a hospital and learn more about the healthcare service there and the role of the pharmacist. Living in this country gave the opportunity to witness and participate in so much - one of my favourite trips to date.

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The journey to South America stole my breath many times. Half awake, 40,000 ft above the Amazon. A blanket of stars on a thick night sky, a meteor burns across trailing white light. And in the sky below me a flash of light rips and illuminates clouds below in a white-orange. Just for one dazzling moment and then it's over, until the next electric claw.

For the next month Arequipa became my home. In the mornings I would rise with the sun and walk to the hospital. I observed how healthcare professionals used the resources available to them. How they interacted with their patients and all the efficiencies and inefficiencies of the system. Later in the day I would wander the streets of Arequipa, some buzzing with life - car horns, street stalls; others quiet - corners of the city where nature felt safe enough to intrude.

My favourite spot in Arequipa was the Santa Catalina monastery, a small village of terracotta walls, loft arches and courtyards. The stroll through its quiet, cobbled streets inspires a mood I can't quite put my finger on.

Arequipa has a lot to offer in terms of food too - the area around the monastery is full of good places to eat, boasting both local and global. My favourite was a vegan sushi place called El Buda Profano, which I visited more times than I care to admit.

On the weekends I strayed from home. A friend and I took a bus in the middle of the night to Huacachina and saw the sunrise over the oasis. A lake nestled in towering sand dunes, golden sand stretching for miles. It felt fake, almost like a movie set.* Later we rowed around the lake and drove in buggies. Luckily for us these buggies came fully equipped with some toys - more specifically sand boards. Between diving and sliding down sand dunes I held on to small moments appreciating the vastness of the desert and its curves, undulating under the weight of a thick soft peach sky.

A few weekends later I went north to Cusco. Traces of Incan and Spanish culture run though the city streets - lofty gilded doors, local women with baby llamas under one arm, the smell of street food stalls in the evening. Cusco was a whole host of wonders for me. Alien yet somehow familiar, it left its mark on me.

During my weekend in Cusco I ventured to the famous Machu Picchu. To this day I struggle to describe it. Nestled in the tops of Andean hills, this ancient citadel is stunning. The Incas fled in the 16th century but you can still feel their presence as you walk. For my first hour or so at the sight I hired an English speaking guide who explained the history of Machu Picchu - everything from Incan engineering to society, religion. By the end of the tour I was in awe not only of the place but of the people who lived here hundreds of years ago and worshiped the sun.

After the guided tour I had a little chance to wander around alone. I was lucky as there were not too many visitors so I had more space. My curiosity got me a little lost (I don't recommend following the llamas). Just before I was ready to leave the late afternoon sun shone through the mist and I was able to take this photo.

Machu Picchu is definitely worthy of your bucket list, and even as much as I tried the photos don't quite do it justice.

The day after Machu Picchu I spent on horseback. A company called Cusco For You organises tours of Peru's Sacred Valley on paso horses - known internationally as the horse breed with the smoothest gait. That day was pure magic. We rode through the countryside - sandy earth, tufts of aloe vera, brown cows on pastures. We passed rivers and climbed hills where we could see nothing but fields and mountains for miles. We rode fast, then slow, and fast again. Stopping to take in the scenery.

We stopped at Salinas de Maras - a spot where salt is mined from small pools and has been mined since pre-Incan times. There are thousands of pools all in varying shades of beige, all owned by members of the community.

Peru was a beautiful experience. There was so much I loved - the food, the culture the landscape. Travel isn't always easy though. I laughed when I left my shoes in Huacachina. I cried when I missed my flight. There are times when you long for home, or when you make a wrong turn. But when you're out of your comfort zone you grow the most and you find that on your return, you're a little different. Hopefully stronger.

Big Love xx

* Weeks later I found out that Huacachina, although once natural, is now pumped with water to prevent it from drying out.

#travel #globalhealth