Just chilling

16th-20th Nov

Miraflores is a town not far away from Lima. We had heard good things about it from other travellers so we decided to stay there instead of the city of Lima, somewhere new makes you feel like you‘re on holiday. Whilst in Miraflores we had time for recuperation. Pete ended up coming down with some kind of flu like bug and was down for the count for a couple of days with body aches, a fever and chills. I was having some mild bowel problems myself (we’ve been waiting for this!) so decided that home cooking and loads of vegies was probably the best thing. So apart from updating the blog (too much stuff from the Amazon) and getting washing done we have been pretty quiet, watching movies and having cuddles with the hostel’s cat. Every place we’ve been to has had some kind of pet. Its great! And, I did happen to find a pretty decent coffee finally!!! Halleluiah!! I think the secret it that they used real milk. The small joys.
Breakfast has also been a little different too. Every time we have had toast it comes out like its been toasted ages ago and then put in a microwave, or toasted in a jaffle iron, yet its always consistently cold? We had breakfast here and the toast was cooked on a hot plate, with real butter and it was warm and crispy and so it finally lived up to its name. Moi Bien.

Some excitement though- Thursday morning we did find ourselves at the Immigration Office as there was a small piece of paper that we were given at the airport arriving to Peru that I thought was only needed there and then. Turns out you need it to actually leave the county and big fines apply if you don’t have it on your person. It cost us sixteen soles to get both of ours replaced (about $6) and two hours in total waiting in the place. We did about twenty different things to get the renewal and spend half that time wondering if we were doing the right thing- we just didn’t know what was going on. It could’ve been worse though. We’re happy that it was the hostel’s clerk had asked us for our papers in Miraflores and not some gun toting border security guard. I’m not throwing out any papers again.

Miraflores is next to the ocean. People go there for the surfing apparently, although we didn’t see any waves exactly. It’s not really an ocean town though. The beach has a highway next to it followed by big cliffs. What was interesting was that they had a big shopping centre cut into the cliffs. This place had about four layers with clothes, food, a cinema, and even a games arcade with the best shooting game ever. It was set in the jungle, you were playing a couple of tourists who had to kill these radioactive spiders, butterflies leeches, that came out at you real fast. It was great!! We died pretty quickly, but the game also gave you a compatibility rating between the two of you that came up in a heart container showing the skills you have together. We got about 75%, so we don’t have to break up yet. The couple playing prior to us only got 35%…sucks to be them.

We really enjoyed the town. It’s defiantly the most metropolitan place we have been to in Peru. More people can speak basic English here which helped us out a lot, and everyone was really friendly. There were casinos and lots and lots of shops too, apparently it is the capital for handmade wares- we could see why. Markets and touristy shops sold clothes made from baby alpaca wool that were the softest things we have ever felt. Also handmade jewellery and clothing. We did well to not buy too much- the size of our backpacks dictate! Pete fell in love with these ornaments that were open boxes with different scenes cut into them. But sending things home is so expensive from here, so its restricted to the little and the light.

We had a good couple of days taking in the scenery, trying the ice cream which they were mad for there and looking at all the cats! It’s been stray dogs at every place that has been a bit sad to see, Mirafloras had cats. There was a big gated yard of a beautiful building next to our hostel where all the cats hung out and people would come and feed them. We’re In Cusco now, getting used to the altitude. Next time you look up think of us and pray we make the four day journey to Machupicchu ! Until then take care! xx

Lima, Peru