Peru - Day 1 & 2

Friday, May 16 - LAX

So this trip snuck up on me – I didn’t really get as much done as I wanted to before I left. So today, the day of departure, I *think* everything has gone way too smoothly…. I am now relaxing at the gate at LAX with my Snickers bar :)

**** Lima, Peru. Costa del Sol Ramada

Okay, so get this – they speak Spanish NOT English here… My first clue, when I got on the plane and the stewardesses, err flight attendants, said “a la derecha” – holy mackerel! So apparently 4 years of high school Spanish and two years of College Spanish WERE going to come in handy (Calculus has yet to prove useful…). So far everyone automatically assumes I am a native-speaker and approaches me in Spanish, and then I open my mouth and butcher the language - but I appear to get points for trying and smiling!

Granted, I feel ill prepared for this trip – I got bogged down trying to get ahead at work and that took priority so I just didn’t do as much pre-trip legwork. I didn't read as many books about the country as I normally do. I didn’t even know the exchange rate (or the name of the Peruvian currency – Nuevo Sol) until I was AT the airport - that is so NOT like me. At the very least. I should have brought my Spanish/English Dictionary!

So I get to Lima, the flight was 9 hours and I read books and I practiced my Spanish on the nice gentleman sitting next to me, who was very accommodating. And then the best part - my seat turned into a bed and I had a nice, down blanket to snuggle with – I loved it! So I slept a few hours of the flight as well. Gotta love American Airlines and frequent flyer miles which got me the business class ticket – it was amazing and I have now decided it is the only way to fly.

So the adventure has begun – and it has been fun so far. I am in the hotel in Lima. Thankfully, under pressure, 6 years of Spanish came back to me and I was able to navigate immigration, get my bag (yup, bag is singular – I only packed 1 bag for 13 days!), clear customs and get to the hotel with NO drama. But, in the interest of full disclosure, the airport and the hotel… right across the street from each other. I walked out the terminal, took about 40 steps and was at the front desk of the hotel.

Tomorrow, I’ll get to sleep in a bit, hit the gym, find breakfast, and then walk 40 steps back across the street and catch a flight to Arequipa.

Saturday, May 17, 2008 – Lima to Arequipa

I woke up ahead of my wake-up call to an overcast and dreary day. I threw on my running stuff and went in search of the gym – no luck, but I did meet a bunch of guys in the hallway from Northern California carrying a surf board. Apparently Peru is well known for surfing? Who knew? Anyway, it has only been 24 hours, but it was fun to hear “dude” in conversation – it made me smile.

Then it was off to the airport for Arequipa – 40 steps back across the street. NO problem getting checked in and figuring out how to pay my airport departure tax. But when I tried to clear security… apparently they weren’t happy I had prescription antibiotics. I was pulled aside and asked a lot of personal questions – thankfully, by someone who spoke English! But after about 30 minutes they decided I wasn’t a drug trafficker? Honestly, there were maybe 6 pills left in the bottle. Do I look like a bad guy?

Anyway, so finally made it on the plane. It was a beautiful, clear day so my first exposure to the Andes Mountain Range was spectacular. It didn’t seem as though we were flying very high at all because it appeared we were barely skimming the tops of the mountains, but I think that just proves how HIGH the mountains are. The views were honestly breathtaking. The flight was only about an hour and I looked out the window the entire time!

**** Arequipa, Peru – Liberatador Cuidad Blanca Hotel

I met my guide, Jorge, at the airport in Arequipa. He is going to be with me the next few days while we explore Colca Valley/Canyon. But today, he picked me up at the airport and brought me to the hotel, which is very, very, very nice.

Before he left, he gave me advice on how to best acclimatize. We are at 7,000ft here in Arequipa and over the next few days will get to 16,000ft. Then we’ll end up back in Arequipa, then I am off to Cuzco (11,000ft) then to Machu Picchu (8,500ft) and then to Lake Titicaca (14,000ft). So coming from sea level, I listened very carefully and took his advice! Basically, he wanted me to rest up for the remainder of the afternoon, drink lots of water and enjoy the local “coca tea” which is supposed to help with the flow of oxygen. He also recommended no alcohol and a light dinner. I did as I was told!

I didn’t really seem to have an issue with the altitude today here at 8K, but it is a bit depressing to walk a flight of stairs and have your heart pounding at the top! I walked the grounds of the hotel – there are llamas on the property – and then forced myself to sit still and do nothing, which takes Herculean effort on my part!

The next few days should be pretty amazing. Jorge is a professor at the local university and really seems to enjoy showing off his country. He is very smart and very animated so it is fun to listen to him speak. We will leave bright and early and drive through the Aguada Blanca National Reserve and visit a few local towns with a focus on the history, the animals and the culture. We’ll do a little hiking and we’ll also get to see Colca Canyon with is over 9,800 feet deep! The last day we are going to end up at “Condors’ Cross” where we will hopefully get to see Condors with an impressive wing span of 10 feet! The next few days should be pretty amazing. Then we’ll end up back in Arequipa where I’ll get to see a bit of the city before heading out the Cuzco.

I posted a few pictures (click on the word bubble for captions), but there really hasn't been much to see so far and when there was, as we were flying over the Andes, my camera was stowed away (Grrrrr...) So… stay tuned for more. I think the next few days will be amazing. Not sure that I’ll have much internet or cell access in the remote parts of Peru we’ll be in, but I’ll check back in when I can!

Love,
Kathleen