My 'Round the World' travels!: Lima

I'm now at present in Lima - a city covered by low fog all day long. I'm in an area of the city called Miraflores which is right by the coast. Went for a run along a bit of the coastal route yesterday and the sea/coastline is stunning. The city, even though I was here last year for a few days, is a far cry from Cusco. Miraflores is a wealthy area of Lima with high rise buildings, hotels, casinos, fancy cars, people running, skateboarding and surfing etc. It's hard to believe that Cusco and Lima are two cities in the same country. Completely opposite ends of the scale and it's easier to breathe here as I'm now back at sea level and my lungs are thanking me for it.

I graduated from Spanish school last week and received an intermediate certificate (go me!) and now I'm ready to use my new found knowledge as I travel bits of South America. Here's hoping I'll become a bit better as I move onwards. I would love to be fluent in another language - I'm so jealous of those people who can speak two, three or more languages. In my last week at school, I had to dress up in local traditional dress with a few other students and model or in my case prance down a home-made catwalk (between a handful of plastic white chairs onto a tiny blanket with a chico on my other arm). Was really good fun.

Myself and Grainne were also coerced into setting up a stall in one of the plazas in Cusco and talk about Ireland to let the locals know about our country and culture. Initially, the school was asked for two American students, but Mayke, the director of the school said that she knew of 'dos chicas locas de Irlanda' (two crazy girls from Ireland) that would be be able to help out (even though there were loads of American students in the school). 'Chica loca' (crazy girl) has replaced my Christian name - no idea why, as I'm just being my usual self. I suppose it's the Spanish version of my nickname 'Maddog'/'Mad' at home.

Well, we set up our stall in the plaza and you can guess what was probably on it - yes, empty cans of Guinness, a couple of flags, a huge Guinness money pot, two leprechaun hats - really sells Ireland as a serious country (not) - more like a country that likes to drink alcohol and party all the time! Grainne dressed up as a leprechaun; I painted my face and legs and wore my St Nicholas' school Gaelic jersey - and yes, we both looked like complete tits standing there tying to explain in Spanish about Ireland to the locals. We felt a bit famous for the day as there were loads of randomers coming up to us asking for a photo.

Our stall, even though it would have looked ridiculous at home, was better than the rest. Beside us was Ecuador - on this stall hung an Ecuadorian flag and on the table they were selling 'perro kaka' (translated literally as 'dog poo')in little bags (but they were some sort of chocolates). The guy looked bored as hell and spent most of the day reading his book, with hardly anyone coming to his stall. Mexico was there too and they had a tiny table selling nachos and then there was Argentina - they nearly killed us all with the smoke from their barbeque, selling sausages, meat and what looked like intestines. Someone must have complained about the smoke, as the Police turned up and told them to move their BBQ elsewhere.

Was looking forward to Inti Raymi in Cusco - a huge festival here that I described in my last blog. But alas, I only got to see the crowd leaving the plaza after it had all finished. The reason? Well, we all decided to go out the night before and didn't get home until 7am the next day. Was a great wee night. We had Sandra, one of the Directors of all of the language schools in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador staying in our residence for the week. A really lovely lady, who we decided to ask if she wanted to come out with us for a drink (her first taste of Guinness) along with Mayke, another Director. Mayke left after one drink and Sandra continued on til the wee small hours of the morning.

The next day there was no sign of Sandra from her room (now this woman works like 10 hours a day or more, nearly everyday, and is normally up early in the morning to work). We thought that we'd maybe killed the woman and had to knock on her door to see if she was ok. Thankfully, she was alive and well - but I don't think she'll be accepting offers from us Irish again.

I love Cusco and somehow I think I'll end up back there again someday for my fourth time. I have no idea what it is; it is like a magnet that keeps pulling me back. I have met many locals and some of the ones who work in the school invited myself and Grainne round to their house for dinner before we left. There's a little Cusquenan family there in my second home - it's great.

Tomorrow, myself and Grainne will be catching a bus at 11.30pm to Trujillo (after a baby-shower here with some friends of a host family that Grainne stayed with in Cusco last year), a city north of Lima, which is 9 hours away. I will be staying here until Wednesday and after that, we'll be off on our separate ways. I want to go northwards up through Peru and into Ecuador; Grainne is going to go down to Arequipa - a city I've already visited last year, before she heads on home.

I will make my way up the north of Peru, along the west coast, where there are lots of beaches and sun and will make my way near Mancora, which is a massive surfing spot here in Peru. I will be staying in a place called Lobitos, which is a surfing camp near the sea, and where there is some HelpX work (yep, I'll be starting that up again). They've kept me a spot working for them - not sure exactly, but probably bar work, cleaning dorms, helping in the kitchen etc. Have said I'll stay for 2 weeks, or more, depending on how I get on and if I don't get bored. My visa for Peru, still lasts for another 2 months as I got 120 days instead of 90 - still have no idea how this has happened. As long as I don't get arrested for a mistake that the immigration officer may have made on my passport when I entered the country.

After this, my sketchy plan is to go into Ecuador - I may decide to go back to Spanish school in Quito for a couple of weeks there or volunteer...who knows - I have no clue! It's hard to believe that I finished teaching, exactly this time last year - the year has flown by.