back in Peru - but on my way to where?

it's nice coming back to something familiar; and being back in the chaos and noise of peru is somehow comforting, and yet not quite where I want to be. i've forgotten just how loud south america is - wherever there's a tv it's blaring, music is always turned up, cell ringtones are loud, the sound of horns and sirens are everywhere in the cities, and even people tend to talk quite loudly.

walking up to the market area in Arequipa this afternoon, it was as if the last stroll I'd done 2 months ago was yesterday. people chatting going about their business, dogs hunting for scraps on the streets, kids
jostling on the median strip vying to sell their herbs to passing cars, men congregating around a newsstand to catch up on current disputes and people pushing laden up strollers of their food to sell.

thanks also to this morning's dentist appointment, I have the taste of clavo (clove) from the temporary filling in my mouth completing the sensory experience. but it's with happy tidings, the infection that I had seems to have cleared up, and all that should be needed is one more appointment tomorrow to close it up, and then I'll be on my merry way.

but way to where? I guess that's the big question... firstly I need to sell my bike - hopefully in Arica but perhaps further south in Santiago. If it's down south it means giving up Ecuador / Colombia and the rest of
Peru on this travel. I guess it means we can hike down in Patagonia to conquer that cross Andes route I had penned out, but I'm torn because of course, I want to complete the travels northwards. it seems the natural
course and end to the south america (minus brazil+others...) loop.

But money is running out, and I have to weigh up what I want to do... more time here in South America, or tackle that slow burning desire to return to Nepal? south america sort of already feels familiar, so not that I could, but I sort of think I can project what it will be like, and i know not doing it now means I'll never be able to, but I'm here now, so why not? but Nepal. oh Nepal. your mountains, your valleys, your people, your food. you gave me a taste and now I want more!

I think i'll go meditate. i missed out last night and this morning (it was a 17.5hr ride) as it was sort of hard doing it on the bus with movies blaring (i started but fell asleep about 30mins in) and although I have cars, motorbikes and trucks rolling outside my window, at least I can let that that just waft into white noise.

then it's soup for dinner as my incredibly capable molars and jaws love wearing themselves down with hard, crunchy, chewy foods and today I'm not up for it!. I'll treat myself tomorrow to the normal fare as Alex is
taking me to her and her son Jaime's favourite seafood restaurant (Alex runs the Casa de los Pinguinos, where I stay in Arequipa). Actually seeing her again and being here is one of the nicest things being back
so far!

right. now it seems like I'm putting it off. but no. I am signing off and going off to just breathe and observe.