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Published: September 19th 2006
I really have no idea where to start from, there's so much I want to write....but before I begin, I want to thank all of you for your concern and messages and comments on the blog.... I really appreciate them...
So, finally, after a very very long journey... I made it to Lima ... even though at one point I really did think that I was never going to get here....
My Peruvian friend Vladi was at the aiport waiting for me, as promised, and I set off to the hostel (Inka Lodge, Miraflores... well-recommended) to settle down a bit and get used to my new surroundings...
In total I was in Lima for 4 days, and although I spent alot of time chasing British Airways here in Lima about my return flight and sitting for hours at the American embassy for a transit VISA for my return (which I managed to obtain, yippie), here is what struck me about Lima:
1) They drive like CRAZY... i had read about this before, and thought, oh well, so do the Maltese, but this is totally a different story... i really thought we would crash every time i took
the bus or a taxi... but the cool thing is.... they are actually quite agile...I've haven't seen one car crash since I've been here...
2) The bus system is hilarious.... basically it consists of little minivans called combis, that drive around the city with a person at the door yelling at the top of his or her voice the streets through which the combi will drive and trying to 'convince' people to get on.... later I realised why ... the combis are privately owned and each combi is in competition with one another!!! Also very interesting to note is that bus stops don't really exist, you can wait at any corner and the combi will stop to pick u up... now that is what I call customised service... hehe
3) Everyone seems to be trying to sell something... and not just people on the streets.... even restaurants, discos and shops have staff stationed outside their place trying to lure people in... they just say 'tell me what you need, whatever it is, I have it'! One guy even tried to sell me a tattoo or a piercing! 😊
4) What I found really really sad was watching
young mothers sit at zebra crossings and traffic lights with VERY young kids, hoping to sell something (sweets, books, anything) to the stationary cars ... at times they would even send the kids to do the selling...
5) The people are very friendly and curious to get to know you, where you are from, what languages you speak, where you have travelled.... while waiting at the American embassy I was lucky enough to be one of the few foreigners waiting there, so I attracted the attention of the officers who helped pass the time by asking me tons of questions... one even wanted me to teach him some Maltese!!!! I was told however that the most important question is when a guy asks your age because it means he is interested! hehe In fact, the question that follows is always... 'do you have a boyfriend'...
Unfortunately, I didn't get much time to visit much in Lima because I was busy trying to get things sorted out for my return trip, but I will be back at the end of my trip and I'll do some sightseeing then. I did enjoy walking around Miraflores though... one of Lima's best
and most touristic districts.
At the moment, I am in Huancayo, doing voluntary work with kids, but I'll write about that in my next blog... 😊
Besos de Peru XXX
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Joe Meilak
non-member comment
U see, you r there - Hurrah
Hi there and welcome to South America. I have fond memories of the scenes you described plus all the odd smells and hullaballo of a jolly South American city. Wish you all the success and am sure you going to put a lot of happiness with the people you meet, pity its a short stay. Enjoy and see you around. mejores consideraciones joe