feted up our truck. The idea was that he would help us with the paperwork needed to make the trucks legal. Again, he never showed, so OP tackled the job himself. Wherever we appear at the hotel steps there is a staircase of small Indian boys who want to slice olives or polish the trucks or carry a bag or whatever will earn a tip. OP has a running battle with them, but I can't manage much. They are a bunch of sharp cookies, and one attempt at fraud (which worked with me) was to say "I helped you with your suitcase yesterday." Since there had been confusion at our arrival, I thought it was true & urged OP to tip him, but it turns out that is merely another ploy -- while they tried subsequently to work on OP. March 19, 1974 on Tratarani dept. Arequipa Peru Tuesday We left Tacna about 10 this morning, after a hasty shopping trip to the old mercado to get produce. There was one man for sale, and I got a piece (she said it was churascas). 50 soles/kilo. We also have aboard a watermelon, mangoes, papaya, avocados, and bananas, cantaloupe & pears. Picked up a Indian woman about my age and her granddaughter and gave them a ride into Iroceguia. Stopped at the postoffice, but it was closed for siesta, so drove on towards