Things I never expected about Peru

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Cusco is fast becoming the next Bankok.
I really thought that Cuzco would be awesome, but it seems so touristy. There are hawkers everwhere and prices are similar to back home. In all honesty, apart from the ruins, I didn´t really enjoy the city all that much.

Toilets vary in quality.
Didn´t realise that toilets would vary between type we get back home, sitters which flush, through to squatters that don´t. But there is plenty in the middle. Toilets with no lid, toilets which need manual flushing, squatters which are awesomely clean.

All toilets have one charm, very Thailand: Paper goes in the bin....

Food is nothing what I expected
Another food entry, but whatcha going to do.

The food here is 90%!a(MISSING)wesome and 10%!o(MISSING)f the mistakes I made when learning to cook. I´ve really got to learn the names for food, because being the good kiwi boy that I am, I am hating the beef over here. It´s gotten to the point that I try and avoid the beef. Some people tell me that they substitute Alpaca and call it beef. I wish they would advertise that, since I would eat Alpaca any day, but the beef here is dry and overcooked? (even in soups)
They cook chicken perfectly in comparison, so I´m loving the chicken.

The keyboards are slightly different
Not as bad as Japan, but the keys are in slightly different places.

In order to get the @ symbol you´ve got to hit either the right Alt button and the number 2 or hit the left alt and then the numeric keyboard´s 6 & 4... That took a bit of getting used to. (they had to make room for the ¿¡ key.

Shit 9 gives the ) instead of the ( I´m used to. I don´t know how to get the real ´, instead I´m using the one that´s meant to give the vowels the éá etc. It´s in the same place but doesn´t apperar until I´ve hit the next letter.

Bartering is pointless
I haven´t bought anything of real value, but when I´m getting things for 10 soles (about 5.50 NZD) I don´t see the point in bartering that last $1 off the price. In Cuzco it might be a different story, but away from the touristy places (and Taxis), what they say the price is is typically the price. So different to bartering in Thailand where they´ll inflate the price 400%!a(MISSING)nd you´ll barter to 250%!a(MISSING)nd think you got a good deal.

I would never be able to drive on a Peruvian road
Left indicator means several things:

• You´re turning left
  
• You´ve recently turned left
  
• You are going straight
  
• You are turning right
  
• You are stopping
  

The same rules can be applied to right indicators, and alos hazard lights. For a real understanding as to what the car is doing, you´ve got to decipher the morse code constant honking.

Lanes are simply a guideline, in a three lane road you can fit four so lets have four.

If there is a gap, take it. No-one lets people through unless you´re forced to hit the other person, then you honk until they move.

Peru doesn´t know what winter is
Seriously, I have a pair of Togs, they´re my only shorts. I´ve got 4 sets of thermals. I don´t need the warmth, it´s currently the middle of winter in Peru and I´ll put a balmy 25 degrees outside. (granted nights get cold, but I´d say thats one layer (shoes are needed too)).

I´m hoping that Argentina is cold, just so that I can make use of all the clothes I´ve got. Think I may be donating a few to charities at this rate, we´ll see how Boliva goes.

Anyhow, I´m off to have a beer and sit by the pool in the middle of winter and get me some rays.

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