Off to Lima

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So next Adventure starts now. Peru bound. I'm going to be spending 30 days in Peru. Only Peru. No Bolivia, No Ecuador. Feedback regarding that Is I'm weird to just do Peru. Why do that when you can tick off so many other countries at the same time. As much as it does appear I am country counting – with Peru #43 I like to see a country properly and take in as much as I can. So here is goes. No regrets.



My work exams ended up only occurring just before my annual leave so all attempts to brush up on Spanish ended up straight out the window. My little brain can not take in Study for EP exams and the Spanish Language all at the same time and considering I wanted to keep my job the work study took priority yawn. But lets be honest. Even if I spent weeks attempting to teach myself Spanish I will still freeze when anyone talks to me and stare at them blankly. I can say please, thank you and order wine. That may just get me through.



I bit the bullet and flew with the competition again this time. I love staff travel but I also love knowing I'm going to get on the flight. I'm also terrible at packing light so not having to carry around boots and business class clothing I wont wear again all trip turned out to be an added bonus.



Michelle packed me up 830 to drive me to the airport for my 12:30 flight. Unlike last time when I went to Africa Qantas check in was dead so I waited a little before I went to to counter so I wasn't that super early over eager person.



The guy checking me in was extremely friendly and had a bit of a chat about South America. Just like everyone else he assumed I would be going to Bolivia also and warned me about all the various mugging and scams around South America.



Note to self : Don't get mugged. Don't trust little old ladies, children, men. Ok just hate everyone. I have resting bitch face so I think I can manage that.



After check in I spoiled myself with a coffee club breakfast (McDonalds is usually my standard breakfast in the international terminal) before going through security.



I'm pretty sure I was only in Fiji with work a few weeks ago so I have no idea how or when security had a make over but my face was not excited seeing that the Border agents were now all replaced by machines. I know from the past experience machines don't like my face and refuse to let me back into the county. Luckily for me they didn't care so much about letting me out.



I was seated at back of aircraft in the 2-2 seats on a window. The seats are in away from the window so you can't lean on the wall so that's a downside however it did mean I had heaps of leg room to the side and also was able to move bags to the side of seat in the window space after take off.



The lady next to me decided it would be a nice idea to use my space to store her bags. Bitch please.! Not today. She also informed the crew she has gastro (yay lucky me) they found a spare seat for her to lie down but she decided last minute she would stay next to me all flight (double yay).



Based on my seat buddy me restin bitch face became serious bitch face. My immunity is terrible so I was hoping she had food posionig and not some contagious strain of gastro to bring with me as a gift to South America. The flight itself wasn't too bad.12 hour 40. I watched a few movies. I probably only slept an hour but despite this felt pretty good and it didn't feel like it dragged on at all.



Flying into Santiago is really pretty. Lots of snow capped mountains. They are in very close vicinity to the terminal however so is smog which takes away the views. My iphone lied to me about the time it was in Santiago and it was a mission and a half to find a clock in the airport. I thought I needed to panic about connection time but ended up with an extra hour to what my phone said.



The LAN flight to Lima was 3 1/2 hours but felt a lot longer than the flight to Santiago. The plane air con was not working and I was in the last row stuck next to two, how should we say it, larger gentlemen. LAN gave us food which was a pretty yuk sandwich but the cheap skate I am I ate it all anyway then had a little nap.



Lima airport was easy enough to clear customs and immigration. AKA Lots of signs in English. I withdrew some cash before I exited the terminal and Found my G adventures transfer easily. There were 3 names so I was the first there then waited a little bit then the other couple arrived. They were from also from Australia up in the Hunter Valley so only a few hours from myself.



We drove to the hotel. Traffic was insane it took over an hour. It reminded me of Egypt driving. No one really cared much for lanes and just pushed each other out of way. People were driving up wrong way of road or on paths etc to get through. Times like this you feel extra grateful you are in one of the larger vehicles on the road.



When checked into hotel was told they only had 1 night reservation for me and second night cancelled. I said I was sharing /on tour but they could not find the details. I figured it was because of the tour and sharing with someone else but they said I needed to follow up. Back in the room I called the local number and the lady was really helpful and had a look into it and phoned me back saying what I thought. They just hadn't sent through the final room names of who was sharing with whom so hotel wasn't sure.



Lima has some amazing food options..... Or so I have heard. It being dark outside and the hotel menu cheap and yummy looking I decided I would eat dinner at the hotel. I waited ages to be seated as waiters kept walking past. Susan and Warren the Hunter Valley couple I met earlier waved me over to their table so I joined them for dinner. Ordered Pork which was really nice. After that it was shower and bed.

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