Oops. We're in Peru -- Part 2

Note: This was supposed to have posted yesterday with part 1.

Part 2 - Sunday 3:11pm

We have been traveling for 26 hours. Our electronics are dead and you've missed a lot. We got to Piura around 10pm on Saturday and it was an absolute dump. The difference when we crossed the border was astonishing. We left the beautiful landscapes and amazing atmosphere of Ecuador and landed in what felt like Mogadishu. The only place in our Hemisphere that could even compare to Peru was El Salvadore.

 

Even though it was very late, we decided to catch a bus farther south to Trujillo. We got tickets on the upper level (second class) of a double decker bus and went to look for some grub. When we had first gotten to Piura, we had seen all these people grilling meat on the streets. It looked and smelled good, but by the time we had gotten our tickets, most of the grills had packed up. I finally found one and we were so excited, until I realized that we could identify the facial expressions of the chickens on the grill. Off to the gas station we went. We grabbed hot dogs and headed back to the terminal.

 

When we got on the bus, I went through the usual routine of establishing how far the seat in front of me could recline. The only difference was that this time the guy had reached behind the seat and felt that it was my knee before he repeatedly smashed it. In fact, I awoke in the night from a dead sleep to the guy making one last attempt to fully complain where I promptly placed his seat in the full and upright position.

 

After 10 whole minutes of driving we got stopped for 45 mins for our driver apparently hit a cone. I wasn't out there, but I'm pretty sure the police were just looking for a bribe. We eventually got back on the road only for the bus to break down 10 mins later. The lady in the row ahead of me was repeatedly banging on the glass telling the bus driver "let's go!".  I guess he thought we were sitting there taking a break after 20 mins of driving.  We sat for over an hour waiting for a replacement bus.  There really wasn't any kind of instruction so I decided to go to the luggage compartment and I was in a foul enough mood that I bear hugged both my bag and Cory's and walked to the new bus. I was pretty determined that our bags were going with us. It was a good thing.

 

Let me paint a picture for you. The bus was parked on the very edge of the road with MAYBE 1 foot of sand between the bus and a 100 foot drop (steep hill, not a cliff). I made the treacherous trip, but our bus driver didn't. Well, he did, but he was carrying luggage from the other bus. In losing his footing, he decided (wisely) to drop the passenger's bag which I watched roll all the way down the hill. We looked at each other. He shrugged and went about his business, leaving the bag.

 

We got to Trujillo, Peru at around 8am, and found that it was only slightly better than the previous 3 towns in Peru that we had been in, so we bought tickets for Lima on a 9:30 bus. Thus began another food search which after a few of the worst street vendors and restaurants that I've personally seen, led us to another gas station. We also bought something that was a cross between a Jamaican beef patty and an empenada.

 

Our bus left 30 mins late, but this time we were in first class. Since Cory and I had stayed up till 5:30am talking, I slept a good bit on this bus. We awoke at the nicest restaurant that we had seen in Peru (that's not saying much). Jordan tried to order the guinea pig (it's called puy), but they didn't have time because they have to kill it fresh and we were on a tight schedule. Cory had Chinese rice (with hot dogs in it) and the rest of us had steak and rice and fries. It was our first real food in 48 or so hours.

 

The culture here is so different. It's one thing for people to jump in line, but here people will literally push you out of the way. When I was fully loaded with my backpack waiting to order food, you had a 16 old girl actually use 2 hands to push me out of the way to order at the register. That's been happening the whole time we've been in this area. I'm a good foot taller and a lot bigger than almost everyone here, so that's pretty bold. After watching 4 people jump the line and no one seeming to get upset, I literally went from the back of the line to the register, ordered my drink (while the girl was already looking in the fridge from someone else), plopped my 2 soles (Peruvian $) on the counter and walked away. It's a different world here.

 

As we have gotten outside of the northern cities, the scenery has turned breathtaking. We have spent hundreds of miles driving along the Panamerican Highway with sandy dunes on the left as far as they eye can see and the teal waters of the pacific to our right. This is the Peru I have been hearing about. I love it.

 

We don't have any intentions of spending the night in Lima. We will catch another bus (that's 4 if you're keeping track) for the 90 min ride from Lima to Pisco. Pisco is the jumping off point to what they call the poor man's Galapagos. It's supposed to be a wildlife wonderland with penguins and all sorts of exotic animals.

 

I don't know if there's gonna be a 3rd part of this blog, today, but I hope so. Our electronics all have low batteries from the long trip. The Phillies game ended 18 hours ago and I still have no idea what happened. Hopefully I can get the internet somewhere and send this. Our bellies are full and the scenery is breathtaking, so don't worry about us.

Update: We are safe and sound and rested in Pisco.