Lima

Ah, time to bid farewell to Ecuador and greet Peru for a challenging 4 week trip around the great sights this country has to offer. We had an uneventful journey which is just as well as Ari tried his best to pick a fight with the security at the hand luggage check point as they decided his skipping rope (brought along for impromptu cardio workouts to counteract months of hotel buffet dining- see, makes sense..) posed a security risk and duly confiscated it. I wanted to query why laptop cables and such liked were deemed safe as could also be used for mass strangulation, but didn't want to risk losing those too so kept sch tum, alas Ari went into a bit of a rage and wanted to see in writing where skipping ropes were seemed a hazard. Obviously this battle with South American security officials was not one we were going to win so in the end had walk off in a huff and to my relief, that was that.
We had a late arrival in Lima, which meant we crashed out at the hotel as soon as we feasibly could.
Our hotel was located in San Isidro, a swanky residential and financial area which didn't fit my vision of Lima at all. Methinks this is not Lima per se. We took a short taxi to the happening area of Lima, Miraflores, which dropped us off at oh dear, another shopping centre. As they go, this one was quite lovely actually, built into the cliff face, with sea views of the Pacific from most aspects. And as we were 'relaxing' before a LONG bus journey the next day, we didn't mind the comforts. So we didn't get to see anything of old, colonial Lima at all, just a few modern districts and a shopping mall. But never fear, we'll be back on our way out of the country for the cultural stuff.
What I can say is that the strange mist that descends Lima for 8 months a year is WEIRD. It just makes the place look spooky.
A 5 o'clock start the next morning (oh yes) was necessary to make the 7.30am 7 hour bus for our next leg of the journey, a few days in Nazca. I know this sounds dreadful but the bus was actually quite nice, with almost fully reclining seats in business class like luxury. And really, our plan was just to sleep. Leo was wonderful, sleeping for good chunks and a gem for the rest of the time. So, after so many hours, miles upon miles of sand (is this country made of anything else?), a few crap films and my first taste of Inca cola (fizzy drink-tastes like Iron Bru only is bright yellow) we arrived in Nazca.