First Days in Peru

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I can finally check off South America on my list as a visited continent!
I only had 2 weeks of paid vacation and it was a blitzkrieg trip to Peru and Bolivia. Look out for my entries and enjoy!

(Pre-)DAY 1 Arrived at 8pm on a Thursday night in Lima airport and had to get to my first couchsurfing host's house. Made my first mistake in the country of paying for the most expensive cab (but certified) service right in the airport. But at least I felt safe enough - I arrived at my host, Marco's apartment in Surco and we talked for hours!

DAY 1 Marco was one of the nicest Peruvian I have met and he really does care for everyone who travel abroad to learn his culture. He is proud to represent his country especially the food! The short time I was there (decided last minute to stay 1 night), he took me to nearby towns of Miraflores and Barranco. Miraflores was pretty and reminded me a lot like back home and very touristy. Barranco was my favorite; it had that fluidity of colorful buildings and simple life away from the fast paced city. If only I could have stayed longer till night time to experience the full on nightlife that most backpackers come and enjoy authentic salsa dancing and gastronomy.

It was time for me to take the very long 21 hour bus ride to Cusco; have I only known to take the fly there instead to cut time, but what's not an experience without riding Tour de Sur bus company and see the land up into the Andes? For $75 and being on a tight budget backpacker there are just times where you need to splurge on certain circumstances - the leather reclining seats including a pillow and blanket and meal and endless subtitled movies, it was not all that bad! So, off I depart at 5pm.

Of all movies that were played, it was kind of ironic that the one I remembered watching was called Taken - about 2 teenage girls visit Europe to only be taken away by human traffickers - here I was in a bus, in a foreign country, heading up into the Andes. And prior to my trip, I heard a story from a friend who's friend was taking the same bus route and was hijacked and robbed. I thank God for keeping me safe.






Check out my next entry: Partying, Getting Lost, and Pick-Pocketed...never boring!

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Photos

Surco
From the rooftop of my host's apartment building.

Marketplace
Looking for food.