It's fair to say we were nervous in the taxi from the airport (not one, but 2, airport security guys in Miami wished us a sarcastic "good luck" when we said we were transferring to Lima) and we had heard so many horror stories about how dangerous it is there. But we needn't have worried, we had a fab 2 days in Peru's capital city.
We stayed in the MiraFlores district at The Flying Dog Hostel, which is a great spot. We felt comfortable walking around and everything you need is close by. Obviously nobody is invincible and you need to stay alert and safe, but don't let it's reputation put you off visiting.
We were still pretty exhausted from all of the travelling and the time difference, so we opted for a city tour bus to see the sights. It's amazing how life differs from one district to another. In one area most of the apartments don't even have windows and we could see people sitting in their homes and offices, and no matter where you look people were packed into tiny busses like sardines. It's a whole other world when you tour around MiraFlores with gorgeous apartments right on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, outdoor gyms and parks, and of course the beach with hundreds of surfers catching the waves.
*Sidenote: El Parque del Amor is also THE place to get the shift, apparently.
We found an incredible spot for lunch in the gardens of the Larco Museum, would definitely recommend it for a sunny day. (Confession: we didn't look at a single thing in the museum, but just look at this place!)
Other bits and pieces:
The currency is Peruvian Sol, you can use dollars in most places but you will get change back in Sol. The XE currency app is really handy to have.
Bring earplugs. Drivers in Lima are cray-cray and beep at each other from one end of the day to another. You will need ear plugs at night time. Seriously... loco.
Get your hands on some Inca Corn, you will thank me later.
Most places have wifi. I'm currently on a Cruz Del Sur bus to Paracas and there is wifi on board too.
And finally, here's a biggy: learn Spanish! Learn as much as you can because very few people speak English here, even the basics. So at the very least have a phrase book or translation app handy. Luckily I have Señorita Karen with me to do the talking, otherwise I would have been hambriento y perdido!
Next stop: Paracas
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