Advertisement
Published: December 30th 2010
Edit Blog Post
So getting to Peru was an experience neither one of us want to relive anytime soon, although my first question when buying our bus tickets was 'Can we have seats away from the toliets?' we managed to somehow be stuck behind a group of lads who stank of all sorts...which half way through the night def changed to a worse shade of all sorts...Tom at this stage had bailed on me and found an empty seat, further back and wee free-lucky git!
This awful overnight was followed by our worst and most infruiating border crossing yet. Bleary eyed and shattered from the not so comfy journey we arrived at the border town Huaquillas, exiting Ecuador went smoothly but without asking for it we picked up a new best friend who was overly excited about helping us to our next destination Peru's immigration, so we hopped in a taxi thinking we were going straight to the office which of course turned into stopping short of the border within distance of mithering money changers and snide taxi drivers. They obviously do this all the time and are ready and waiting for tired, disoreintated travellers with what seems like a helping hand but instead
Our hostel
Blatantly looks like a hotel but was a hostel really what we got was a dodgy money exchange and the most infurtiating and overly costly taxi to immigration and Tumbes where we were due to get our bus to the beach. Too much detail to put into a blog but no doubt I will still be livid enough when I get back to reeanct the whole scene for anyone who wants it, needless to say my spanish got alot of practise that day and when the guy kept telling me 'Tranquilla Senorita, no problema' I just kept saying 'Grande Problema' plus calling me amigo when you were in the middle of ripping me off was not a smart move on his part, which of course I told him!! The rest of the day was spent being annoyed and frustrated that we had been duped but Tom's overwhelming annoyance of the day was definatly the dollar tip we gave to the first guy who reckoned he was helping...not so much losing a dollar but tipping him for ripping us off does not sit well (thoughts of ramming it down his throat next time are gently fading away as I tell Tom prison over here would not be much fun!)
We couldn't
Boofle feeling the Christmas Spirit
Dressed him up in a shop much to Tom's embarrasment, love it! have been arriving in a better place after our bitter border crossing as Mancora in north peru was everything we hoped it would be...a week of total relaxation. I know your probably thinking is that not what your doing all of the time but there was no sight seeing, or walking round cities looking at stuff and soaking up culture there was sun, there was food, there was a beach and there was a swimming pool, so 5 days of pure relaxation was well spent. Plus the weather was beautiful the whole week so we managed to top up the tans for Christmas which is always a bonus. There really isn't a whole lot to tell about Mancora as sun bathing was pretty much the highlight, we did however meet a few really great people esp the lovely Riona for Dublin and we randomly bumped into a guy from Greystones who went to my primary school, the random tiny places you bump into people never stops amazing me, maddness! Tom would like to add here that within his week of relaxation he managed to read a book called Shantaram which he highly reccommends (it was about 1,000 pages long and
it never stops amazing me how quick he reads, amazement/annoyance as I'm the worlds slowest reader (stop laughing Lucy its not a disability).
Our bus trip to Lima was alot less traumatic than the last few and we arrived in good spirts ready for a day or two looking around before we embarked on our 5 star Christmas. Lima was a nice city although big and quit crowded heading down to the beach and out of the way made for some great views. We of course threw ourselves quickly into the Christmas spirit by filling the stockings we had bought with overpriced chocolate and goodies for the big day as well as popping into a few Christmasy shops just to get extra excited...if thats possible. I honestly didn't know I was such a Christmas nut until this year.
Checking into our hotel (Thunderbird Principle, hence Tom's not so witty blog title) was a bit surreal. We tried to look the part,dressing up a little and trying not to look too excited when walking into the lobby but the giggles of the porters as they hauled our huge dirty back packs (with wet towels hanging from the sides) out of the
taxi and into the lift brought us quickly back to earth...a far cry from the matching luggage I'm sure they are used to. Our room was incredible, definatly the nicest place either one of us has ever stayed-20th floor looking out over the sea and the whole city with all the little extras you expect from a fancy hotel. I must admit I did a bit of a Ross from friends on the tolitries etc they even had wee sewing kits in the bathroom...easily pleased I guess. Our 5 star luxury continued as we treated ourselves to full body massages which were amazing (Tom thinks its halarious that the poor woman who thought she was winding down for Christmas was probably devastated as she saw walked in and saw a big hairy mass lay on her table, Tom's words not mine). Massages were followed by Kir Royales and shushi tapas at the bar...no more peanuts and beer for us! A guy knocked on our door at around 7, my first instinct was we must be in trouble for something, instead it was just a wee man coming to bring us good night chocolates...this is definatly a different world but one
I'm sure we could get used too. A sauna before dinner and the chance to dry my hair for the first time in 3 months added to the greatness of our Christmas eve.
Christmas day was fantastic, we spent a fair amount of time on skype to friends and family with a few but not crazy amounts of tears, but being able to see and speak to people made a huge difference and even though we are spread all over the world we were still able to share in everyones day which was great. No turkey or pigs in blankets for us but we were definatly well fed, with Tom starting as he meant to go on with a 7 course breakfast. Christmas dinner felt like VIP with noone else in our rooftop restaurant as we drank our Mimosas and ate our steak and chips...not very traditinal but good all the same (yes Rachel this is yet another blow by blow account of what food we ate, hope you like it!). So it wasn't the usual Christmas day and we missed family loads but it was a great alternative and a Christmas not to be forgotten in a hurry, Tom
was fantastic throughout even when there was tears and homesickness creeping in, our stockings full of chocolate and overfull tummies went a way to feeling like home.
5 star had to end at some point and after a yummy breakfast and St Stephens Day/Boxing day football we were ready to get on the road again. Straight to the bus station for our 22 hour journey to Cusco...how the mighty have fallen, from Champagne and goodnight chocolates to queing to check in our bags and paying for toilet roll at the bus station before cramming on a bus for 22 hours of travelling fun. The journey to Cusco although long was beautiful, some of the scenery on the way was incredible and made me wonder what other amazing sites have we driven past on our many hours of bus travel overnight when you cant see a thing. Straight to the hostel for some Coco tea to combat altitude sickness a good nights sleep and we're ready for planning our trip to Machu Pichu and plans for New Year's Eve. So by next time we will hopefully have seen the amazing Machu Pichu with as little trekking as possible if Tom has
his way and welcomed in the New Year which I hope will be a fantastic one for everyone. Wishing you all a brilliant night of celebrations whatever you get up to and a year filled with adventure and fun, family and friends and amazing memories through whatever the year holds for us all. 2010 has been one to remember roll on 2011.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.162s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 7; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0709s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Rae
non-member comment
Tom....LOVE that you read shantaram, such a good book. One of the guys in it is so like Vencat in India Anna, you should read it, even i got through it and your a faster reader than i am! Now i sound like a book nerd!! So glad you had a good christmas, still a bit put out that you cried when mum and dad came on skype but not a tear when i was on!!!! Happy Happy new year. Love you both x