Trujillo

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Hoorah!!! We finally made it to Peru!

We left Vilcabamba on Friday intending to catch the bus to Peru that night. However, after the first stage of the trip, a twisty, hour long journey through the mountains to Loja, Amy was feeling less than travel worthy. So another delay and another night in Loja.

A bit of good fortune Saturday night, we got the last 2 seats on the bus! And what a fine bus it was. Proper reclining seats, a toilet, movies. Best bus we´ve been on in Ecuador.

We arrived at the border around 3.30am but had to wait around for an hour because the computers were down. After all the horror stories we´d heard about the Tumbes border crossing (further west) we were a little anxious. All went smoothly however. I was a slightly concerned when a drunk policeman, still holding a glass of beer, called us over and asked for our passports. Seems he just needed someone to talk to for a while and offered us a drink.

Reached Piura, Peru around 8am. The down side of bus travel in Peru is the lack of a central bus station. Each company has its own terminal but limited routes. This means hopping between terminals in a taxi. Luckily the taxi drivers seem to know which companies run which routes.

New country, new currency, of which we had none. Our cab driver was happy to accept a dollar for the ride and sold us enough sols to buy the bus ticket for the next leg of the journey. We had heard that dollars might be accepted but didn´t want to risk it. I don´t fully understand the currency situation here. For some reason the cash machines issue both sols and dollars!

From Piura we went to Chiclayo, changed busses again and arrived in Trujillo around 4pm.

Stayed at hostal Casa de Clara which appeared to be run by a hyperactive 7 year old boy. Slightly pricy at 25 sols each. Good points: communal area with cable TV, outside patio, use of kitchen. Bad points: the chorus of barking dogs between 2am and 5am, the construction of a 3rd floor at 8am, the non-permanent floor stain that colours wet feet bright red.

Didn´t do much the first day in Trujillo. Bumped into a couple of people we´d met a month ago in Ecuador. This keeps happening!

Day 2 was more eventful. Had lunch with a couple of friendly Peruvians who we´d met briefly the day before. We were suspicious of them (for being so friendly) but tried to overcome our cynicism that everyone is out to rip us off. You can guess what happened... they ripped us off!

They pulled the infamous 100 sols note swap that we´d read about. To be fair, it was executed with style. We were chatting about fake currency and they asked if we had a 100 sol note (about 20 quid) so they could demonstrate how to spot a fake. I handed one over, watching very carefully what was happening. The guy I handed it to briefly put the note under his jacket while cracking a joke "oh is that for me" haha. I swear I never took the note out of my sight. Anyway, this must have been the point the swap took place. Then then explained, using the now fake note, the various security measures!

We left the cafe not quite sure if we´d been scammed or not. We even compared the fake 100 sol note to a real one and were unable to tell. Only later, when we tried to buy our bus tickets, did the cashier point out the various flaws. At least the scammers payed for their own lunch!

That afternoon we took a cab to the ruins at Chan Chan. Our guide explained the significance of the sea to the people of Chan Chan, evident in the diamond shaped walls (fish nets) and fish and pelican motifs. At the end of the tour he played his flute in the deserted main square. For me this was the highlight as the sound echoed round the ancient walls.

Left the hostal at 8pm to catch the night bus to Huaraz.

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Photos

Piura to Chiclayo
Nothing much to see for 2 hours

One Real, One Fake
Guess which is the fake note

Inside Chan Chan
The diamond patterned walls represent fishing nets

Amy and Chan Chan Guide
Carrying his flute

Comments

[Iain]

Catching up on Blog news
Hiya, Glad to see you are enjoying the trip........And getting in with the locals... W family x