Good evening!
So today was pretty uneventful, like I imagined. The bus didn't get us into Lima until about 12:30ish so that took up about half my day. But I still got a chance to get to SAE, check my email, bank accounts and of course - facebook. Also booked the hostel I'm staying at now and booked my flight for Cuzco tomorrow morning! I'm leaving tomorrow at 10:10 AM and won't be returning to Lima until Nov 30. Current plan is to do Cuzco for a day or 2 to get acclimatized to the altitude which is at around 11000 feet above sea level, and then head to Puno which is at about 12500 feet above sea level (to give you an idea; Philly is right at sea level, Denver aka Mile High City is at about 5000 feet above sea level. Fun elevation facts of the day!). One of the things that supposedly helps people adjust is coca tea or chewing on coca leaves! Its one of the first things they offer you when you land in Cuzco...or so I think. I guess we'll find out tomorrow! So, Cuzco for a day or two, and then a bus trip over to Puno where Lake Titicaca is!!! Then over to Arequipa - a nearby town that is supposed to be really nice. Then back on over to Cuzco for my 4-day hike to Machu Picchu on the 21st. Anything after that, is still up in the air. I have been hearing about some place where you can go sandboarding...hehehehe.
So today. I'm currently staying at Barranco's Backpackers Inn located at Malecon Castilla 260. The number here is (511) 247 3709. I chose a room with a view of the Pacific however its just not as good as my bungalow in Mancora! The Lima skies are grey all year round except for 3 short months from December through February. Pretty lame. However the borough of Barranco is sooo cute. Equivalent to NYC's Greenwich Village/Philly's Olde City. Really really cute old colonial homes, cobblestone streets, tons of cute restaurants and a little cleaner than Miraflores. My friend Andreas lives here so I met up with him for dinner at this place called Anticucheria. I tried beef hearts!! And PURPLE corn juice!! And fried sweet potato doughnuts and bananas!! All for just 17 soles. It was yummy.
K. Off to bed. First I'm going to see if I can try and find exactly where this sandboarding takes place!!
I love you!! Aileen :)
PS
Pic attached is view from tonights hostel. Not too fun. I forgot to take pics when I was walking around town. Sorry!! Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
