After a couple of weeks in Arequipa, I decided that while it was not safe for me to take long bus rides, I could take a chance on a short plane flight. The best possible destination was the provincial capital of Ayacucho. Ayacucho had been the center of the Shining Path resistance and had been off-limits for many years. Back in 2001 when I took this trip, Ayacuchu had only been considered a safe destination for a couple of years, and had a fresh feel to it. Nearby to Ayacucho is the ruins of Wari. The town and civilization of the same name date to a few centuries before the Inca.