Lima

Got here to Lima a couple days ago. Not sure how I feel about being in another big city. Suppose there's lot to do and see but I tend to like the more quiet environments these days.

Transportation in the city is mostly done by cabs. Small buses exist but are apparently not really very useful...or maybe they're just too hard to figure out so foreigners don't bother. The cabs are pretty cheap though...my 45 minute ride to my hostel from the airport only ran me $7. There are no meters in the taxis so you have to bargain for every ride, which is something I enjoy. The first cabbie at the airport wanted $20 for my ride...what a negotiator I am!...well, at least I think I'm getting roughly the same rates the locals do. Gives me an opportunity to practice my spanish if nothing else...though it does get expensive having to cab it everywhere...miss the subway system in BA. Noticed a lot of the cabs here have the turn signal on the right side of the wheel...I haven't driven in awhile but I think it goes on the left. Can't figure that one out as the cars are all manual so their right hands are busy enough. Reckon the Japanese just didn't bother to change it for this country.

One thing I like is the expenses. Things are indeed cheaper here. I'm paying $15 a night to stay in a really nice place, with AC, internet, phone, and breakfast. Although, when a place/country is really cheap you have to ask why...and the why is probably because it's some kind of undeveloped or underdeveloped nation. Which can mean lots of things you might want to be aware of like more crime, etc. but for me so far has meant I'm accompanied by a little stomachache (that's a strange word to type and seems misspelled) many hours of the day. Haven't figured out what's giving it to me yet but I reckon it'll go away sooner or later...or else I'll have to change to a diet of bananas and soda. The stomach issues began the day I crossed into Peru and I'm only drinking bottled water. Thankfully, it's not that bad.