A whole bunch, and not a lot…

Pet Peeve:

Line Jumpers:

What is it with people that they have to get ahead of the line?  Whether it is at airport boarding gates, bank queues, bus stops or in my most recent bothersome incident at the government office.   

This is the place where I got my government permissions last year.  I had already paid the fee (see last post) and so knew I had only one office to report to, and it was on the third floor.  The guards at the stairs directed me to a set of seats, second in line.  When there was a group of 8 or so we were all directed up to the third floor and put in a row, in order, and asked to wait.  Ten minutes later another group of 8 arrived and sat down.  A few moments later a security guard came to take us in to the office, and proceeded to take the people who had just arrived.  When we objected, the (insert favourite expletive) inconsiderate, lowlife line jumpers just smiled and rushed away. 

Added another hour to my morning.

Part of the morning consisted of waiting across the street at a café for an hour while my papers were “processed”.  Coffee was decent, and it gave me an opportunity to people watch. 

And of course coffee is a great, well, “facilitator”, if you catch my drift.  Off I went to find the biff, which brought back to reality the expectations of cleanliness and equipment in most establishments. 

No toilet seat

No toilet paper

No latch on the door.

(if you are squeamish jump a paragraph or two…)

But I really, really had to go.  What to do?  Extract from my purse the emergency stash, wipe bowl lid, cover bowl lid and (ick) sit.  A very short time later I was done, wiped, stashed the used goods in the garbage can (at least it was not in a pile on the floor) and flushed.  No water to flush.  Really?  What now?  Can’t say I have ever been faced with needing to fish and dispose. 

Ewwwwwww.  Sorry.  Not gonna do it.  Uh unh, no way, you can’t make me.  So I gently laid the last small piece of emergency TP over the evidence and did a very hasty exit. 

Ah the joys of travel. 

After finishing up with my paperwork, the next target was the National Museum.  All these trips and I had never been.  Of particular interest was the exhibit done in honour of the victims of the civil war of 1980 -2000. 

People here do not speak of it.  It is considered the height of indiscretion to bring it up unless someone happens to mention it.  None of my acquaintances has yet. 

The exhibit was testament to the horrors inflicted by both the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru Guerrilla forces and the Government Anti-terrorist forces.  So much terror, so much death.  Family member against family member, villagers against villagers. 

Done chronologically it depicted death and despair, and towards the end of the exhibit it had rooms dedicated to the orphans, women, and the “disappeared” (those who were taken and have never been heard of again. 

I came away disturbed, not only as a decent human would about the inhumanity and loss, but also with the certainty that many of the people I know were likely forced to take sides and pick up weapons. 

It also explains Jose’s very quick approval that the people ambushing the busses from Tarapoto last year had been summarily executed.  Shiver.

Next up, a rant about the drivers!

Get up and go day.

Today was a get up and go day.  Glad I could get out of bed.

Having extended my stay in Lima thanks to so many down days, I had put off a few “must do’s” that had to happen on a weekday.  .

I need to go to the DIGEMIN office to get “permission to sign contracts” from the government.  Last years experience taught me pay the fee at the bank before heading downtown.

So first up was a visit to the Banco del La Nacion.  There was a huge snaking line of people waiting to get into the bank.  I tried looking at all the signs posted on the tall black iron gate outside, but saw no clue as to whether I needed to join these other 100 or so souls, shifting from foot to foot and fanning themselves with their paperwork. 

I spy a security guard controlling traffic into the building and bravely wormed my way over to his post, showed him my paperwork, and in halting bastardised Spanish asked him if I needed to join the line.  A few false interpretive starts, and then to my delight he put me in an alternate line that had a mere dozen people in front of me.  Sweet. 

A very nice (and patient) teller eventually understood what I wanted to do, and poof!, money exchanged, receipt issued and I was sneaking out a side gate to avoid passing all those people still shuffling and fanning outside.

A hot humid few blocks down the road (the one that was choked with gas emitting, honking, wacko driven cars) was the office of Taca Airlines (Ahhh… air conditioning!), where I booked a flight to Trujillo for Sunday… for about the same cost of a bus ticket.  Why spend 10 hours in a bus when in an hour you can be there?)

A desperate need for a pee had me entering a Starbucks along my return route.  I dutifully bought a drink and snack, which satisfied the security person guarding access to the washroom.  They take their “patrons only” policy very seriously here.  And why wouldn’t they?  Their washrooms are what the Ritz is to a backpackers youth hostal.  Modern, clean, toilet seats and paper, soap and paper towel, and the toilets flush!  No doubt they have to hold back the hoards.

That was the end of the only spurt of energy I have had since arrival, so I weaved my way back to the hostal and crashed.  Woo-hoo the excitement of the day.

Thursday was a no go, walking in circles, confused and had not bounced back from yesterdays successful missions. 

That Leaves only Friday to complete my business before the offices closed for the weekend.

It will be an interesting day.

Still sleeping

Ah, exotic travel… The sun.  The culture.  The freedom.

I am still waiting.

Even when I don't start out at "exhausted", past years have shown me that me, myself and I are gifted with a few down days before the fun starts.  So far we are on schedule. 

Ah, desperately needed down time and sleep. 

Thank goodness for the Hostel “El Patio”, my oasis in the centre of this crowded, noisy city of 9 million Limeños.  I can look out the window into the fountain and plant filled courtyard.    Not much else is happening.

Snoozed through my ferry ride to Vancouver, had a lovely visit with my friend Martha and her daughter Rose.  My flights were uneventful and I mostly slept my way through them. 

I will say that the Toronto Pearson Airport showed signs of the recent ice storms and bad weather the city has experienced.  Thick sheets of ice sat between the runways, and it looked like they had not managed to clear all the tarmac.  Thankfully the weather was good and there were no flight delays. 

Sure is quite the trek between domestic and international gates though.  Luckily the flight from Vancouver was on time so there was no huge stressing about missing the connecting flight… minor stressing yes, but what is travel without it? 

Airline food and bathrooms.  Need I say more?

Immigration and customs were a breeze this year, airport pickup waiting, as were the front desk staff.  Nice room, little kitchenette, hot showers.  Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Must remember:  keep mouth closed while showering, use bottled water to brush my teeth, and used toilet paper goes in the waste basket beside the toilet.

So no great blogging still.

Now I am taking myself and my crazy swollen ankles back to bed for... wait for it… a good nights sleep!

Not really a post

Can't get any more tired than complete exhaustion, which has been my state of being for several weeks now.  My first exciting day in Lima was spent sleeping.   I managed to surface long enough to eat dinner and take a stroll.  Now it is back to sleep for me.  Tomorrow might include a proper blog entry.  

Here's hoping.

ta.