Boondock Puffins

Day 1:

Leave from the mountains. 3 hour drive to Lyon.

Get to the check-in desk and be told that we need an ESTA. Eliza had checked about this previously and the airline didn’t mention it, but it turns out that even if you don’t leave the airport in America and just transit through, you will need an ESTA. Following a very stressful and silent 2 hours wait, our ESTAs came through by some miracle and we were able to check our bags and run through security. You know when there are people who arrive 5 minutes before their flight and they’re always smug that everything turns out fine? Well we aren’t like that, we are the uncool people who arrive with practically 4 hours to spare and for once it was shown to be for a reason.

Flight 1: Lyon to Amsterdam: 1 hr 40 mins

Flight 2: Amsterdam to Atlanta: 9 hrs 10 mins

Day 2:

Flight 3: Atlanta to Lima: 6 hrs 45 mins

Flight 4: Lima to Cusco: 1 hr 25 mins

Each step had its own small stress – at Amsterdam we had a run through the airport, at Atlanta we were told that our bags would go straight through to Lima and then also that we needed to pick up our bags and recheck them in (this turned out to be true).

Our friend is a guide and had sent many recommendations which turned out to be incredible! Breakfast at the airport has never been so great (which is impressive given that in the space of the 24 hours we were travelling we must have eaten at least 9 different meals). If you are in Lima airport, Tanta is an awesome place to eat.

Upon arrival into Cusco, we discovered that despite all the advice and information we had been given, we are truly useless at haggling – a taxi driver held his ground for approximately 10 seconds before we gave in. Part of the trouble is that most things in Peru are very cheap compared to our home, and it felt somewhat silly to be haggling over the equivalent of 50p which made little difference to us but a big difference to our taxi driver.

Our next discovery in Peru was that all Peruvian drivers are maniacs, but that somehow this works as everyone knows that no one will have respect for anyone else, and therefore makes allowances. Similarly, a horn can be used for absolutely any reason – I’m coming through, you’re in my way, feel free to cross, don’t cross, the light is red, the light is green – you name it, you can beep away and add to the atonal chorus of the background noise of Cusco.

We got to our hostel – Selina – (not because we have returned to 18 year old backpackers, but because lots of hotels in Cusco are called hostels, or they are hostels that also offer private or family rooms) to find that our room wouldn’t be ready for several hours. Resigning ourselves to continue stinking for a bit longer, we both put on shorts and headed out to explore. Exploring only took us so far before we gave into the next food recommendation: Green Point. Go here! You will not regret it – it’s technically a vegan and vegetarian restaurant but even Tom enjoyed his food!

On the walk back home, some signs of altitude sickness kicked in – we were recommended Coca Cola, coca tea (this is super common all over Peru) and if absolutely needed, a trip to the pharmacy to ask for some Acetazolamide. After living at 2100m for the last few months, it seems our time at home for our visas had made us soft! With full stomachs from lunch, a bottle of Coca Cola and a pack of Inca Corn (a delicious Peruvian snack that is giant corn, crunchy and salty), we headed back along the characterful streets towards our hotel.

An observation: most Peruvian ladies are quite traditional, and locals don’t seem to wear shorts at all, even including the men. That doesn’t mean that you can’t wear shorts, however we both felt a lot more comfortable and respectful with legs covered, either in trousers (Tom) or leggings/long skirts (Eliza).

Finally giving into jet lag, we enjoyed what may have been the best showers of our lives, and collapsed in a sleepy heap. First impression of Cusco: very cool, chaotic and welcoming.