New Year - New countries

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Arriving in Lima, to be greeted with low, flat topped, colourful houses, men playing frantic football games in run down basketball courts on the side of roads, old, colourful and dilapidated cars confirmed mental images of "South America"! There is also of course the beautiful tree lined boulevards we also drove down which provide a quiet balance and elegance to Lima.
Of course, it wasn't as if our flight had gone completely smoothly, not only was the flight overbooked and they tried to persuade us to take one the next day but they had completely deleted us from the flight records. Thank God it was resolved with minimum effort [even, yet again landing sweet seats at the window and aisle], as after the unmitigated disaster in Sydney and literally having to jump customs queues and run to board our plane, I don't think we would have been able for another battle!
After we got to the correct hostel, not being ripped off and meeting Teresa we went for lunch with Javier at Tan'ta, a traditional Peruvian restaurant. Javier picked and ordered us the most delicious dishes.....was such a fantastic lunch! We then drove along the coastal road out by the beach to Larcomar shopping centre. There are the most fantastic ocean views along this road, the ocean stretches for infinity before it is stopped by the horizon. As we had our ice-cream [Peruvian flavors] and drinks we had hang gliders sailing past heartily waving at us as they flew by!
After some DVD, sunnies and fruit shopping we ended our Lima day with Javier with a cup of coca tea ... .surprisingly addictive.

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