Day 2: April 30

Change of plans

It turns out the virus the kids have isn't a flu, but the chicken pox.
So we'll be staying in Lima for a little while yet. The plan had been
to leave for Arequipa tonight, but now we'll have to skip that part.

But all is not lost. For one thing, we have two great rooms in a
decent inn, with a private courtyard. So we have access to the
outdoors (sunny and 24C for the past two days, and the forecast is the
same for the foreseeable future). Not a bad way to spend a quarantine.

The kids are in surprisingly good spirits. Solanne has only four
blisters; Maïa has many, many more. But both are happy and playing
more peacefully together than they have in months.

We'll spend our days relaxing and recuperating, which, it turns out,
is a welcome relief to both Derek and me. We were so busy planning and
booking in the weeks leading up to our vacation, and our itinerary was
looking so busy, this break may actually be what WE need, too.

So we'll bide our time in Lima, enjoying our courtyard and some decent
take out food, and even taking a few well-deserved siestas.

Day 1: April 29

Lima

The kids felt much better today, even after waking up at 8:00 with
just six hours of sleep in them. They bounce back amazingly well. I
wish I could say the same for me. Though I must admit that for the
first time in my life, I experienced the miracle of coffee (I usually
just get a headache).

We took it easy this morning, letting the kids set the pace. They
played a little in our courtyard, which we share between our adjoining
rooms. Then we set out to explore a very busy and loud city.

We're staying in Miraflores, a well to do and touristy part of the
city, so walking around is not only safe, but very pleasant. We spent
a few hours in a playground, where the kids managed to make some
friends, and Maïa even learned a couple of phrases in Spanish.

Derek and I eventually got hungry, though the kids were still running
on a mostly full tank from our very generous "continental" breakfast
at the hotel. We headed out to Punto Azul, a resto recommended by our
trusty Lonely Planet guide.

We were not disappointed. Derek and I had ceviche, a Liman dish of
seafood piled high and seasoned with lime juice and cilantro. The
dishes were gorgeous, and it was only when we were halfway through
that I realized I should have taken a picture of the amazing
creations. I guess we were hungry! The kids split a seafood soup, and
could barely finish it; the servings here are massive. What they
enjoyed most was Inca Cola, a yellow pop that has a taste I am hard
pressed to describe. All that food cost us about $30.

By the time we were done, it was late afternoon. We spent the rest of
daylight walking near the water (Pacific ocean), though high above the
beach. The views were beautiful, and the walkway, bustling.

As the sun set, the city became even busier - very different from life
in Ottawa! We walked back to the hotel, through the park we'd played
in earlier, which was now set up with vendors selling typical Peruvian
items: silver jewelry, textiles, handmade kids' toys, and the
omnipresent Peruvian toques. There were no purchases tonight, but I
must say that I'm looking forward to the last leg of our trip when we
can buy a few items to bring home; everything is so beautiful.

So far, we've quite enjoyed Lima, which most people have told us is
the least interesting part of the country. I can't wait to see what
the rest of Peru has in store for us.

Day 0: April 28

Travel day

We encountered our first challenge early, before even getting to our
destination. Travelling for 12 hours with kids is hard enough, but add
to that the first few hours of a flu, and you've got yourself an
uphill battle against fatigue, frustration, and freak outs.

Solanne is mostly over hers; she's just got a remnant runny nose.
Derek is severely stuffed up and dealing with a sinus headache. I've
got a scratchy throat and some mild nausea. And Maïa - poor Maïa -
has a temperature and some vomiting.

And we're still just in Bogotà, waiting for our plane to leave for
Lima.

Tomorrow is another day, hopefully full of rest and relaxation. Now,
if we could just magically transport to our hotel in Lima...

Ready or not

...here we go!

We are about 14 hours away from embarking on our next family adventure. After one sleep and a few hours of last minute preparation tomorrow morning, we will be on a plane.

Destination: Peru.

And this time, we are backpacking. I mean real backpacking. Last year, when we went to Italy, we had everything in backpacks, but they were big, awkward, and heavy. This time, we are going lightweight. Our packs are small and carry-on. We are each carrying our own stuff, the kids included. We each have about three outfits (including what we're wearing), plus layers to keep us warm in the cold Andean nights. One pair of shoes, one pair of flip flops, two pairs of socks, three underwear... all of it lightweight and quick-dry.

I know that for many, this is somewhat unthinkable, and even more alien when kids are added to the mix. Derek has been keen for some time to try something like this. Peru seemed the right place to try, since we'll be doing a lot of hiking and trekking, and even some camping. We don't need fancy clothes or nice shoes, and since we'll be on the go a fair bit and won't be meeting people we already know, wearing the same thing over and over again isn't much of an issue.

The kids are excited to go hiking, to see Inka ruins, to explore glaciers, and to find out how kids on another continent live. I'm excited for the very same things.

Stay tuned as we travel through the southern half of Peru. I hope to be able to upload entries more often than I could in Italy, with its strange wi-fi rules.

The talk

We had the talk. Not the one about where babies come from; they
already have a vague notion about eggs and sperm and pregnancy.

We had the talk about what happens to a girl's body as she becomes a
woman. Maia had some questions about those little diapers she saw in
the cupboard. Frankly, I was wondering when one of them would notice
so they could ask. I promised to tell her all about it this evening
when we had more time.

I imagined some Family Ties moment with the kids scrunching up their
noses or getting really worried. I pictured awkwardness, embarassment,
or a stilted conversation.

But that's not what happened. They we fascinated. I started at the
beginning, so it wasn't long before Solanne asked what all this had to
do with the little diapers. But she was patient, as was Maia. Their
eyes were wide and interested, not at all weirded out. And, oddly,
neither was I.

So now they know what those products are for and what will happen to
their bodies in the next few years. And they aren't worried; they may
in fact be excited.

Phew.

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