My Arequipa Itinerary
- Arnold Plotnick
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
One of the great pleasures of retirement is that I no longer have to cram vacations into tiny windows of time. Every day is basically a Saturday. So rather than fly to Peru and hit the ground running, I decided to arrive a few days early and ease into things. If you've been following The Everyday Frame, you'll know that these Mission Rabies trips always generate some of my favorite stories. Consider this a preview of the adventure.
Flights to Peru leave New York around midnight, and I absolutely cannot sleep on airplanes. At least not in economy. So after buying my ticket, I used some long-neglected frequent flyer miles to upgrade to business class. It's something I almost never do, but those miles had been sitting there for years, quietly begging to be used. I'm still fairly certain I won't sleep, but at least I'll be one of the more comfortable insomniacs on board.
The flight to Lima is about eight hours. I understand they actually serve a full dinner despite the midnight departure, so I'll enjoy a meal, pretend I'm going to sleep for four or five hours, and then land in Lima sometime Friday morning. After clearing customs, I'll catch a short domestic flight to Arequipa, where I'm scheduled to arrive at 10:50 a.m. If all goes according to plan, I'll be checking into my hotel around noon. Or, if my room isn't ready, I plan to introduce myself to the lobby furniture and become good friends for a couple of hours.
I'll be staying at the Casa Andina Premium Arequipa, a gorgeous hotel housed in a beautifully restored colonial building right in the heart of the historic district.
Friday will be devoted to the three enemies of international travel: jet lag, altitude, and over-ambition. I'll take a few carefully timed naps, stroll around the Plaza de Armas, admire a few buildings from the outside, and resist the temptation to see everything on Day One. If all goes well, I'll be in bed early, my internal clock reset, and ready to explore in earnest over the weekend.
I've spent the past few weeks watching YouTube videos, reading travel sites, and shamelessly borrowing ideas from other travelers. The Plaza de Armas is said to be one of the most beautiful squares in Peru, so naturally that's where I'll begin. I'll wander a few pedestrian streets, get my bearings, and hopefully start filling my iPhone camera roll with the first of many photographs.
Saturday is architecture day. The Cathedral, Santa Catalina Monastery, the Iglesia de la Compañía and its beautiful cloisters, and Casa Tristán del Pozo are all on the itinerary. If my knees are feeling cooperative, I'll even tackle the cathedral's bell tower.
At some point I'll also do what any sensible visitor to Peru should do: order a pisco sour on a rooftop overlooking the Plaza de Armas and congratulate myself on my excellent planning.
Later I'll head to Yanahuara for views of El Misti and, if all goes according to plan, my first taste of queso helado ("cheese ice cream"), which, despite its alarming name, contains absolutely no cheese. Visions of vanilla-cheddar had left me slightly disturbed.
Sunday will be my wandering day. I'll explore the narrow lanes and little plazas of the San Lázaro neighborhood...
...visit Mundo Alpaca to watch traditional weaving demonstrations, play with alpacas, and almost certainly spend more money than I intended...
... and then lose myself in the mega-massive San Camilo Market with camera in one hand and tasty local snacks in the other.
If the shopping bug bites again, I'll stop by Fundo El Fierro to peruse the crafts before letting my camera determine the rest of the afternoon's wanderings.
Before long it'll be Monday, and time to check out of the Casa Andina and wander over to the Arequipa Inn, headquarters for the Mission Rabies project. Most volunteers will be sharing rooms. I opted for the single supplement. Since I wake up whenever someone in the Southern Hemisphere coughs, it seemed like money well spent.
There's always something special about that first afternoon. Old friends reunite, strangers quickly become teammates, and everyone begins wondering what the coming week has in store. Depending on when people arrive and how much energy everyone has left, there may even be time for a little more exploring before dinner.
Mission Rabies trips have a habit of becoming the highlight of my year. They combine nearly everything I enjoy: exotic travel, photography, veterinary medicine, dogs, and spending time with people who also care about all of those things. This campaign lasts only a week instead of the usual two, and Arequipa is a sophisticated city rather than an exotic, remote village like those I've worked in before, but it still checks every box.
Tuesday morning brings the familiar Mission Rabies orientation, followed by a free afternoon to explore a little more, get to know the team, and enjoy what will probably be our last leisurely day before the campaign begins.
Wednesday, the work begins.
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