Friday 17th October

Off to Lima today 9 hr bus trip, up 6am depart 7.40am, we catch taxis to bus depot having to show our passport id as we board haven't had to do this before. We are all very impressed with the bus very luxurious the best yet. We have seats upstairs with lots of room to spread out which long legged Julia enjoys. Breakfast is served at 9am, ham roll, small croissant , sweet biscuit and coffee. I settle back and relax watching the movie "Perez The Hairy Tooth Fairy" an animated film. In Peru the tooth fairy is a mouse yes quite a strange concept but I enjoy the movie. I end up watching 4 movies before lunch is served, chicken, rice, vege salad and some strange jelly dessert which looks like congealed blood and didn't taste too good. Interesting drive through desert and very barren coastline Carla tells us that it never rains here in some places. Arrive Lima 5.30pm a large sprawling city of 9 million people which takes us approx, 2 hrs to transverse to bus depot. Arrive at our hotel by taxis 1/2 hour to freshen up and then do a walking tour, the city centre and the main square is very beautiful lit up at night with lots of European buildings lovely architecture and colours. My first impression of Lima was not as good as the outskirts is like a shanty town and very dirty and no greenery but no rain no green. This place must be a real quagmire when it does rain . We meet for dinner at 8pm travel by taxis once again to a very nice restaurant by the waterfront. Julia, Rebecca, Sang and I get the first taxi Carla telling the driver where to let us off, when we arrive we realise the other taxi is nowhere in sight and not being sure of the restaurant name have no idea where to go yeah good one we all agree, Julia being the only one of us who is fairly conversant in Spanish asks for directions to what she believes to be the restaurant without success, so we wander and lo and behold we happen across the others whose taxi let them off in a different place. Anyway this is our last night together as Julia and I fly to Cusco tomorrow and we have a beautiful meal, I share tapas with Rebecca and share a jug of sangria with Louise (meal and drinks 41 soles). I also indulged in dessert of strawberry cheesecake which I shouldn't have as I was very full. Carla also leaves the tour here and introduces the new tour guide Jo for the others that are continuing on. Julia, Sang, Rebecca and I leave around 10am and the others party on, Julia has a 9am flight tomorrow and must leave at 7am.