Lima to Mexico City

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Just a couple of things I forgot to mention about Peru before we move onto Mexico City. Hopefully will not bore you but I want it in the dairy for my future reference.
1stly I didn’t succumb to the to one of the national dishes “The Guinea Pig” saw it on many menus but didn’t fancy trying it ,this was confirmed by Jason the Canadian who did and said it tasted a bit like Rabbit in a strange sought of way but would not repeat the experience.
2ndly as I have mentioned before the Peruvians have the tourist market stitched drum tight, when you leave the country they relieve you of $35 U.S. departure tax, even when you fly an internal flight I.E. Cuzco to Lima they extract departure tax!!
Not much but it’s an irritation. (They must have learnt from Gordon Brown on how to screw everybody)

Well before I left Lima I decided that I had accumulated too much baggage ,case now at 24kgs ,time to ship some home ,down to the post office to get the standard airmail box ,however this is South America the size of the box the offered was about the size of a typical Christmas Jacobs biscuit allsorts box and that was it! Fortunately after trudging back to Miraflores House Francis came to the rescue and came up with a suitable box, okay we had to tape it up liberally. I also for got it was Santa Samna, so everything would be closed on Friday ,it meant Saturday morning before I left for Mexico City ,it was going to be a close run thing, get to Post office complete all the necessary docs and be at the airport by 1030am ,airport 1/2hour away. one thing you cannot do in Peru is seal the box beforehand it has to be vetted at the P.O.(transferring of drugs ).get to P.O. at 900am ,going through the rigmarole of getting it checked and filling all the docs out 8 copies!. the lady at the counter most enthusiastic in sealing the box uses 100metres of tape to make sure it is secure finally clear P.O 1010am ,need to be at airport by 1030am ,30mins to airport so it a rush and getting anxious, when I arrive can’t see flight listed so make enquiries yes go to the domestic check out desk ,strange as international flight but who’s to argue. all goes well sent to gate 19 ,amazing opposite gate 19 there’s a smoking lounge so have last puff before
5-1/2 hour flight to M.C.
All goes well on the flight apart from poor service the 1st time so far. Land at M.C. wait 15mins on the runway, then the bureaucracy starts check double check and again then security and it goes on and on,2hours to clear !!Leave airport to try and get taxis ,the bedlam of M.C. starts, plagued by taxis sharks punting for fares adding their $5 .00 for the privilege of getting you a taxis, finally get reasonable chap direct who speeds me through the crazy traffic to Hotel Virreys downtown historical M.C. More like falling down M.C.
Hotel some what different to what was expected from the blurb on the internet, turns out full of students more like a hall of residence of a university ,no fellow travelers , room Spartan but okay but no real chance to swap ideas with fellow travellers .Maybe a wrongun here.

Phileas

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