20 Nuevo Soles for 2 New Soles*

* The title is a play on words: The currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol.

I have a pair of sandals that I have had about 10 years and I love them! At home, it is just about impossible to find a shoe repair shop, and even when you do, the repairs are sometimes as much as a new pair of shoes. 

Sandals that needed Repair

I just about threw them away in October when I left Hawaii, and again in January when I left home. But instead, I wore them on the plane to Peru. Those of you who know me, know how hard it is for me to throw things away.

Now, as luck would have it, just a few blocks away from my guesthouse in Arequipa, there must be 20 shoe repair shops—some no larger than a closet. I decided I did not have much to lose, so I entrusted my very special sandals to Charle. He very generously let me watch and take photographs.

The cost? 20 soles—about $7.

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Cathy Fulton

I am Cathy Fulton and I became a world nomad in 2014. Traveling has become a way of life for me. Except for the fact that I am a citizen of the United States, I don’t have a residence. I am retired and I like to travel solo and independently. I don’t know how many times I have heard, “You are living my dream.” My reply is, “It doesn’t have to be a dream. It can be a reality!"

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