Last Days in Peru

After so long in the group the end of the tour suddenly loomed large. Linda, one of the Canadians said that "life is like a roll of toilet paper - as you get near the end it runs out very quickly". Everyone take heed.  With that in mind we spent our last full day in Cusco white water rafting and and zip wiring across the river. New experiences for both of us and we can't wait to go again.

We then headed off to Lima and immediately felt the oxygen fizzing in our veins (sats readings went from 91% oxygen to 99% once off the plane). Our guide Arturo took us on a whirlwind tour of Lima, his own city and we visited the main down town squares and took in the new park where a lights and fountain show is on every night- definitely worth a visit. Near our hotel was Parque Kennedy where hundreds of cats live. Verity got her feline fix.

We had a good farewell dinner and a drink afterwards. I got in from the club (apparently) at 2am. 

Next day we headed off to Goddaughter's Jo and Dave's for welcome cups of Earl Grey tea and Gin and tonics and laundry facilities - bliss.

They live near the cliffs and we could run in the mornings and watch the Paragliders and the surfers dodging the Pelicans. We arrived with nice sunshine but it soon reverted to the overcast and dull and smoggy sky that they live with year round. 

Highlights were a visit to Rafael's - a lovely restaurant, a lunchtime ceviche session and a visit to Museo Larco - by far the best museum we found in the whole of South America.  The erotic ceramics section was particularly striking. 

And now we've flown North to Guaquil in Ecuador for the ante penultimate stage of our odyssey. Tomorrow we follow in Darwin's wake and fly out to the Galapagos. Looking forward to seeing birds and all kinds of wildlife, snorkelling and making friends with another set of people. 

Hasta Luego