I've arrived in Lima!
The guy at the check-in counter in Toronto was kind enough to seat me in an empty middle row and I slept pretty much all of the flight very comfortably. Maybe a little too comfortably because I missed breakfast. :(
The taxi ride took nearly an hour to reach the hostel with all the morning traffic but at least I got to see quite a bit of Lima.
My hostel is located in the bohemian and artistic district of Barranco. It's a quaint but pretty side of town close to the beach. I'm glad I chose to stay here for the night. Even amidst the thick fog that lurked around the city for most of the day, I could see Barranco's beauty with its colourful colonial buildings, gardens and relaxed atmosphere. Now that the fog has cleared, this lovely suburb really shines in the setting sun.
I was initially apprehensive to walk around given all I've heard and read about Lima's shady reputation. On my first walk to change money, I unknowingly walked out of the area covered by my hand drawn map from the hostel. Fortunately, I did not walk into any characters and only met lovely ladies who lead me to where I needed to be :)
Tomorrow, I'll be heading to the white city of Arequipa. In the meantime, I probably should brush up my Spanish!
