Canada to Patagonia at a Worrying Age

After the fun of Iquitos it’s been a pleasure to be in a place where one can be anonymous and see normal goings on amongst Westerners and locals alike.

Not much to say about Lima except that the old part is much like this marvellous hotel – seen better days. Nice churches and Spanish colonial buildings though. Of the rest, Miraflores is like Kensington (‘nuff said) with only Barranco being the area I could consider for New Year’s Eve. That’s out of the question, however, as there’s no (appropriate) room at the inn. As such I’ve booked to go to the place where John Peel breathed his last. I’m sure it’s renowned for other reasons, but if there’s no shrine there, I’ll set one up.

So it’s Cusco I’m bound, but not without a little drama at the last. On the search for a suitable lodging in Barranco it had slipped my mind to get anything to eat. Remembering this after dithering about in the hotel, I went out for a late supper at a nearby German bar (everything else was closed or closing) at 10pm and ordered a beer and some food. By the time the food arrived, I was on my second pint and within 10 minutes was about to keel over. Naturally, I assumed I had been drugged (what else could possibly be wrong?) and called for the bill while hanging onto the table for dear life. Unusually for Lima, I was able to pay quickly and stumble back to the hotel.

Of course, I was fine within half an hour. Just a little paranoia to fuel the next stage of the journey, not helped by the fact that I could only book a room for one night in Cusco. It appears that many people go there for New Year…

You know Goodbye Girl by Franz Ferdinand? Do you think The B52s want their tune back?

In Cusco – First Impressions…

Being 3000m above see level, I’m feeling rather light-headed. It’s not exactly unpleasant, but rather weird. Like that buzz you get when you have a cigarette after a long flight.

My hotel is gorgeous and they’ve given me coca leaf tea to drink, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that I’m only allowed to stay here one night. Oh well, off to search for tomorrow’s bed.

Tags: Travel

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