This is the first flight i have ever taken when someone has actually attempted to light up in the toilets half way through a rather mediocre 12 hour flight. This KLM flight landed without going up in smoke, and I walked through customs to man with a sign saying Richardlee. I dont think any other sign could have made me feel instantly more relaxed seeing my name in full as it should be. Although if Chris and Michelle had made it to Peru to welcome me as threatened that might also have calmed the nerves somewhat. Signing along to U2 with my taxi driver continued to ease my nerves as we whizzed through the backstreets of Lima to the first hostel. I spent my checking in hour chatting to the college student who was very keen to practice his english, as i spluttered back in pigeon Spanish.
I spent the first night via the local Vivandi supermarket (selling a lovely brand of Fanny Tuna) for a very local beef stir fry and beers. Crashed out on my first night still fully dressed impressed my new roommate, who i met in the morning. Helen it seems used to live in Manchester, worked at Grinch, and grew up 2mins from me in my dark days in Birmingham. Ridic. After a v kind invitation to join her and two Kiwis (Helen and James) we tried to catch numerous chicken buses into the centro, to no avail. A taxi was hailed, and we spent the day seeing a rather slow side stepping changing of the guard, visiting a fransican monastery with 70,000 people buried below in in catacombes with the bones on display (not freaky at all), and then drinking beers and the local pisco sours. We drank with some english guys who we then decided to crash their night out, and headed to Baranco down the coast, ending up in a char grill restaurant that specialises in beef hearts, oh, and chicken ones too. I duly tried a platter of every kind of meat, delic.
Leaving lima was pretty easy, and flying up to Cusco today in the Andes was a definite good move. Going from Limas constant grey skies and chilly days, to Cuscos high and bright sunny days! Lets see what the andes have to offer!
