Chapter I
Discovering the AndesArriving at the Jorge Chavez International Airport in
Lima, Peru, at seven in the morning was an experience I
had gone through many times. The familiar rituals of
going past immigration and customs, as well as renting a
car, went smoothly. It felt good being back again; the
easy-going pace in South America was always a welcome
contrast to the rush of big American cities.
After checking into the Lima Sheraton Hotel I went
out, had some breakfast, and reported to our Peruvian
office for my assignments. As I had anticipated, my stay
was set for a few weeks. I looked forward to a round of
pleasant, relaxed work which would give me the feeling
of productiveness I felt I needed.
As I was leaving the office that afternoon, I saw a
notice posted on the bulletin board. A four-day weekend
wa s coming up, and I would have the opportunity to be a
tourist for a few days and perhaps venture outside of
Lima. Traveling on business makes one a traveler. Doing
it for pleasure, one becomes a tourist. On my previous
trips to Peru I had visited some nearby towns and cities,
but had not ventured further due to lack of time.
Peru is a nation about three times the size of the State
of California, with three contrasting climates. It has a lot
to offer in the tourism department, and in this modern
jet era, one can get to and from the many interesting
places in no more than two hours.
The subject of the long weekend came up in a
conversation with Nancy, the secretary at our Lima
office. Since she had no plans for the long weekend
either, we decided to take a trip together to a city called
Huancayo, located high in the Andes Mountains. Nancy
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