I couldn't just leave it there. I didn't intend to drag it out for another two weeks either but there's less time for blogging in real life. People keep asking me if I miss it (Peru, not the blogging). I do but it was only ever going to be as long as it was so it's like missing the time time that you were on holiday, or a short course you went on. I do miss having my washing done, and dried and folded the same day for about £2, and getting taxis everywhere (and arguing over the price when the difference is only about 20p).
Some of us were thinking about the cultural differences and how it would go if you were to take some behaviours home.
In a clothes shop:
So, back to Lima:
On the one hand, it was a shame that I didn't get much time in Lima but, on the other hand, it is a city with a lot in common with most other big cities. It is right on the coast with impressive views on the front but, generally, unless you're living there, a day is probably as good as a week to get a flavour of the place.
I did make the mistake of getting too little sleep on the last night, which was spent with some 2 for 1 Pisco Sours, braving some unbearably hot clubs and then giving up to go and find reasonably priced water and enjoy the night air on the cliff tops. After sitting there for a while, some guinea pigs emerged from the undergrowth, presumably escaped from wherever it was they were being reared for oven roasting whole.
So on my last day, my three tour guides: Nico, Nico's Peruvian friend William + Michael, an ex-SKIP volunteer, also of Mancora trip fame, fuelled me with coffee and dragged me off to see the sights. These included the impressive catacombes and, after my enthusiasm for the Natural History Museum in Cusco (which turned out to be a musty collection of a few stuffed birds, some pickled mutated animals in grubby jars, and a large collection of plastic fruit and vegetables), got the proper natural history experience in Lima, complete with dinosaurs and even live snakes.
We had a final lunch in a smokey Chinese place, brief nap, a supermarket sweep for treats to take home and then hugs on the pavement before paying far too much for a taxi to the airport because I'd only left myself with a 20 dollar note.
When you haven't really been alone for much more than a second in 6 weeks, the taxi felt very quiet. It was a bit like getting home and not sharing a bedroom with someone for the first time since I went away. Having been surrounded by people since arriving in Trujillo, I'd sort of forgotten that I went there by myself. Luckily though, I did bump in to someone from our trek group at the airport. It's amazing how you cross paths with people at Lima airport and/or on the Inca trail. I think we had 6 such coincidences in 1 week.
That was it really, apart from finishing off some SKIP work back home. I should add that you can subscribe to the SKIP newsletter here (recent edition includes articles from me...):
http://www.skipperu.org/en/you-can-help
You can buy products made by SKIP mothers, and contribute to the economic development project.
http://www.skipperu.org/en/skipshop
And of course you can 'like' them on Facebook.
My photos available on request (or on Facebook). I may continue my marmalade musings along a different theme, but I'm taking at least a short break for a slightly dull, chilly and rather uneventful April.
Here's a couple of pics from the last week in Peru.
Some of us were thinking about the cultural differences and how it would go if you were to take some behaviours home.
In a clothes shop:
-How much is this jumper?
-That’s £32.00.
-That’s £32.00.
-What? I’m not paying that.
-Um, ok...
-I’ll give you £20.00 for it.
-I’m sorry but that’s the price, it’s £32.00
Start walking away, looking furtively back for them to change their mind.
-Um, ok...
-I’ll give you £20.00 for it.
-I’m sorry but that’s the price, it’s £32.00
Start walking away, looking furtively back for them to change their mind.
Cafe 1:
-Can I get an orange juice to take away?
-I’m sorry, we don’t do take-aways here.
-Can’t I just take it out though?
-We don’t have any take-away cups.
-That’s ok, just put it in a plastic bag with a straw in the top...
Cafe 2:
-I’m sorry, we don’t do take-aways here.
-Can’t I just take it out though?
-We don’t have any take-away cups.
-That’s ok, just put it in a plastic bag with a straw in the top...
Cafe 2:
Go in with two plates and a glass and ask for a take away on those plates and demand to be charged less for it.
Cafe 3:
Cafe 3:
Spend an entire day in one cafe, only order 1, or maybe 2 drinks in that time,
do some work, have a nap stretched out across a bench, go for a swim in the sea
and come back in swimwear and a towel back to finish the one, half-full drink.
On a bus:
At any point on the journey you like, stand up and shout
“I’m getting off!”
Call a taxi over:
-I’m going to the shopping mall, will you take me for 45p?
-No, I’ll put it on the meter, it will be about £6.00
-Okay then, 65p.
-No, it will be a minimum of £3.
-Look, if I gather some more people...there are 10 of us: 2 in the front seat, 5 in the back and 3 in the boot. Can we pay 20p each?
-No, I’ll put it on the meter, it will be about £6.00
-Okay then, 65p.
-No, it will be a minimum of £3.
-Look, if I gather some more people...there are 10 of us: 2 in the front seat, 5 in the back and 3 in the boot. Can we pay 20p each?
So, back to Lima:
On the one hand, it was a shame that I didn't get much time in Lima but, on the other hand, it is a city with a lot in common with most other big cities. It is right on the coast with impressive views on the front but, generally, unless you're living there, a day is probably as good as a week to get a flavour of the place.
I did make the mistake of getting too little sleep on the last night, which was spent with some 2 for 1 Pisco Sours, braving some unbearably hot clubs and then giving up to go and find reasonably priced water and enjoy the night air on the cliff tops. After sitting there for a while, some guinea pigs emerged from the undergrowth, presumably escaped from wherever it was they were being reared for oven roasting whole.
So on my last day, my three tour guides: Nico, Nico's Peruvian friend William + Michael, an ex-SKIP volunteer, also of Mancora trip fame, fuelled me with coffee and dragged me off to see the sights. These included the impressive catacombes and, after my enthusiasm for the Natural History Museum in Cusco (which turned out to be a musty collection of a few stuffed birds, some pickled mutated animals in grubby jars, and a large collection of plastic fruit and vegetables), got the proper natural history experience in Lima, complete with dinosaurs and even live snakes.
We had a final lunch in a smokey Chinese place, brief nap, a supermarket sweep for treats to take home and then hugs on the pavement before paying far too much for a taxi to the airport because I'd only left myself with a 20 dollar note.
When you haven't really been alone for much more than a second in 6 weeks, the taxi felt very quiet. It was a bit like getting home and not sharing a bedroom with someone for the first time since I went away. Having been surrounded by people since arriving in Trujillo, I'd sort of forgotten that I went there by myself. Luckily though, I did bump in to someone from our trek group at the airport. It's amazing how you cross paths with people at Lima airport and/or on the Inca trail. I think we had 6 such coincidences in 1 week.
That was it really, apart from finishing off some SKIP work back home. I should add that you can subscribe to the SKIP newsletter here (recent edition includes articles from me...):
http://www.skipperu.org/en/you-can-help
You can buy products made by SKIP mothers, and contribute to the economic development project.
http://www.skipperu.org/en/skipshop
And of course you can 'like' them on Facebook.
My photos available on request (or on Facebook). I may continue my marmalade musings along a different theme, but I'm taking at least a short break for a slightly dull, chilly and rather uneventful April.
Here's a couple of pics from the last week in Peru.
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