12th November

It's a free day today. A chance to rest the aching calves and do some shopping. I have a second parcel to send back to Inglaterra. Mostly papers, presents, my rucksack liner and other odds and sods. Started the day at Jack's cafe with Jane and Peter. The Canadians were already there. Ted still has his hat permanently glued to his head. I went for el desayuno gordo which literally translates as "fat breakfast". A huge pile of steaming cholesterol including sausage which you don't really see in South America.

Bought sellotape, presents for the aunt and sister, still tried to find pulsera for me and also bought a t-shirt. Packed all the above with several strips of duct tape and managed to blag a cardboard box from an old fella in a shop. Getting something for free never seems to happen over here but today was my lucky day.

Found the post office on Avenida El Sol. Very efficient service and at a mere 127 soles the parcel is now bound for Solihull. My Quito parcel has already arrived 10 days early which is a bonus.

Went back to Jack's for a cappuccino and a minted lemonade and returned to hotel to get socks to try on shoes (my walking boots are now held together by sweat following the Inca Trail). Didn't find any shoes or boots I liked (wasn't going to spend 40 quid on a pair of Hi-tec trainers!).

We went out for dinner at a restaurant called 2 Nations which is owned by an Aussie so he menu is either burgers or Peruvian food. Most of the gang went for fillet steak. I stuck to soup, still full after el gordo. Also tried my first Pisco Sour. Nearly a pint in a Bordeaux glass. It tastes like a less hash Tequila and is made from Pisco Brandy, lime juice and has a layer of whisked egg white on top with a dusing of cinnamon. Very tasty and only 5 soles (about 80p). I think I'll be having more over the next 10 days.

Something weird happened when the bill arrived, there was confusion over whether our tour guide had to pay the restaurant (normally they get the meal for free but this was a new restaurant) and the owner began to relate a sob story about how he didn't like the Peruvian way of doing business (remember Paul our guide is from Arequipa) and he could have the meal free next time. All very strange. Jane (a bottle of wine to the good) went to give him a piece of her mind while some of us made our excuses and left.

Bryce and Bernadette's last night so I said farewell to them both and went off to bed. A few of the other went back to Paddy O'Flaherty's and stumbled in at 1.30am having rung the bell continuously - but I didn't care, tonight is my first night in a room by myself and as Bryce has gone I should have my own room for the rest of the Peru trip which means no more ear-plugs and arse cracks.