The desert is like a campfire in its ability to empty your mind. Gazing out the windows of the bus, the view constantly changing as we leaned and lurched through curve after unforgiving curve, climbing up into the mountains of southern Peru, I had only two thoughts in my head. One, who on this bus was going to throw up first, and two, was that person sitting directly behind me?
As the land plateaued and the road straightened another question came to mind, one whose answer eluded me for years.
What made the town of Arequipa back there so cool?
