Peru and Bolivia

9–31 May 1998

It was James who asked me if I was interested in a trip to South America. The idea sounded intriguing, as I had never been outside ‘western’ society before. I thought about it. Well, why not?

We had three weeks and intended to ‘do’ Peru and Bolivia. A detailed examination of some maps and guide books soon indicated that we would have to limit the scope of our ambitions a little. The Amazonian Rain Forest would have to be saved for another time, but of course, Machu Picchu was a must.

My travelling companions were three friends from church—James, John, and Jay. Our story begins at Madrid Airport...