Made it to Lima in one piece!

Wow, what can I say. Firstly local date & time 3 April 1pm.

Going through customs & stepping in to the arrival lounge here in Lima blew my mind! There were so many people making lots of noise & every second person offering me a ride/taxi, all in Spanish of course so I didn't understand a word! It didn't take me long to find the sign with my name on it & a lovely man called Mireno, who spoke very little English, drove me through Lima to the Olimpus hostel in Miraflores. I still cant get over the amount of people or the number of cars that were at the airport, not to mention the noise! I think the airport itself is either been refurbished or a new ones been build cause it was pretty much a tin shed, not quite what I expected.

The hostel I'm staying at is really nice, the people are lovely but don't speak much English. I'm picking up more Spanish than I thought I would already. It makes it hard when no one understands what you're saying or what you want, i.e a day tour of Lima - note to self need to buy a more comprehensive English-Spanish dictionary. I've got a single room, which I was very thankful for last night. I basically got changed, washed my face & crashed out at about 1am local time. I woke up at 6.30am so only 6.5 hours sleep but its all good, just means Ill sleep well tonight.

Marino, the guy who picked me up at the airport, was going to the beach today with a few other guys form the hostel & offered for me to go with them. I was tempted just to see the beaches (I didn't realize that I'm staying 2 blocks form the beach anyway) but decided that unless I did a day tour Id miss out on most of lima cause I'm only here for 1 day. I've booked into a 4 hour tour for $20us that picks me up this afternoon. This morning I Went for a bit of a walk about to explore Miraflores. I love the feeling of knowing you're not going to bump into anyone you know & everything been completely new. The hardest thing to get used to though - looking the right way when crossing the road i.e right then left not the other way round like at home. I just about got myself killed (just joking!).

Firstly I walked down to the tourist area where you can look out over the beach & ocean from the cliffs. Its cool, quite different to the landscapes that I've seen before. After that I just went for a walk up the main street, stopped in at the bank & changed some traveler's cheques to soles. I'm not confidant with the money yet. I don't have anything to compare prices to so don't know if I'm been ripped off or not so I haven't brought anything - not that I need to but the urge is always there ;o) I sat in the park for a bit then went in to a church. It was beautiful, the stained glass windows the high arches & statues at the front, once again quite different.

Umm better hurry up cause my times running out. Things I've noticed about Lima thus far:

-There are a huge number of beggars or people trying to sell you something. On the way form the airport the car was approached twice & I noticed so many more waiting by the side of the road for the lights to change. I was also approached today by a little boy selling lollies, then a old lady & I was like no, no, no & kept walking away. The little boy then came up to me a second time so I gave him a small coin to get rid of him. Then when I was sitting in the park & guy who spoke some English started shining my shoes & he's like for free, for free - whatever. I knew he was going to charge me but it was cool to have a conversation with someone who spoke English. At the end I asked him how much & he's like 20 soles - I said its to much & gave him 10. Cause I don't know the money I haven't worked out how much I've been ripped off by yet :o)

-This area is very very clean, every where I look there's a Gardner or street cleaner.

-There are police men everywhere. I saw one with what looked like a machine gun earlier. I thought it would either make me feel safer or freaked me out - but it did neither really...

Well better go, need to eat before my tour plus I want to check out the exchange form Australian dollars to Peruvian Soles.

I'm so happy to be here!!!!!