Peru -- Travel

Holly took loads of photos. I've been challenged on how to record them; it's her experience, and I'm just a casual observer through what she's shared. I'm sure I'll leave out important parts.

The group of 12 from our church drove up to DC a day before flying out. There was a disproportionate number of females; they were given the Presidential Suite, albeit a tight fit. They had pizza for dinner, and a local Calvary Chapel pastor from Reston visited and spoke to the group.



They met up with the rest of the groups at the airport before their morning flight.


They flew from Dulles, changed planes in Panama City, and spent the night in Lima at the dorms at Calvary Chapel Bible College. This is where they met up with their group of eleven translators, Bible college students who traveled with them through the remainder of their trip.


In one of those small-world-church things, Robert and I met this Bible college pastor a few years ago when he taught one evening at our Roanoke church.

The group flew the last, and thankfully shorter, leg of their trip the following afternoon to Arequipa.

First view of Arequipa

They checked into Hostal Santa Marta, where they stayed for the rest of their trip.



(No, they did not sleep on the roof!)


The rooms slept anywhere from three to a lot (!) of people, each room with a private bath. Holly's room had three girls total.


They mostly traveled around the city in these tiny little taxis. Since their team consisted of 41 people, they'd smash 3-4 people in each taxi and take a string of them.

Arequipa, at the base of El Misti volcano, is the second largest city in Peru. El Misti provides a dramatic backdrop from everywhere in the city.


They spent seven days in Arequipa before flying back to Lima.


Part of their flight was along the coastline.


Lima from above.

They landed in Lima in the afternoon, returning to the Bible College.



They spent their last day playing tourists at the famous Iglesia de San Francisco, known for its architecture and catacombs (no cameras allowed). They also drove along the coast, shopped in the city, and visited city's beautiful Rainbow Fountains at night.


Spending their last night in Lima,

they headed toward home,

stopping in Panama City, and heading back to Dulles.


Landing around midnight, they cleared customs, broke up into smaller groups, with our group heading back to Lynchburg. We met up with Holly at 5 a.m. As expected, she had an amazing time, more pics and stories to follow.