I woke up with a bad stomach ache. Serves me right for having McDonalds I suppose, but I thought it pretty ironic that I've been fine in Cuba, Bolivia and Peru and have only had stomach upsets in Argentina (well, hardly surprising with all the red meat) and Chile.

I pottered around until I felt OK to go out and walked to the Pacific Ocean, past El Morro, the nice Aduana building which was designed by Eiffel (yes, the same one as the Paris Eiffel Tower). Arica is set against brown mountains which look like giant dunes, which contrasts with the blue of the sea.

There's lots of palm trees and I am wearing shorts for the first time in weeks. It feels like I'm on holiday again, rather than 'travelling', which is somehow more tiring and more serious.

I saw a lizzard, and the pavement has big concrete slabs with Nazca-like figures on it. I had a nice lunch (Caesar salad) and read my book, then had to get to the hotel for some medication... In the evening I finished my book (Marrying the Mistress by Joanna Trollope) and watched some TV. Habla Con Ella was on, a Pedro Almodovar film I can recommend, it's fantastic.

I got a huge sunburn, which fits in with the holiday feeling, and didn't sleep too well as a consequence...