I start this weblog at the end of my trip to Peru. In fact I should have been home by now, sorting through my photos and dirty laundry, calling my friends and family to let them know what a fabulous time I had on my vacation. But I am not at home, I am still in Lima. I have no passport so I am unable to leave the country until I can visit the US Embassy- which of course is not open on weekend.
It is very odd not having a passport, credit cards or much money. Possibly the closest I will ever be to invisible; I can´t leave the country, with a credit cards my movement can´t be traced, I can´t go shopping or sightseeing. I am staying in a neighborhood of Lima called Bellavista, where I don´t exactly blend in, nor do I attract an inordinate amount of attention. It’s not an area that tourists frequent. My meager spanish skills allow me to get by in the local shops and restaurants.
The hostel where I am now staying costs 25 soles a night, (approximately $9). For that I have a clean bed, a towel and private bathroom. I share the room with at least one cockroach (the window is broken so insects are free to come and go). I don´t have hot water–it seems to be a luxury here in Peru as my last last hot shower was over a week ago. I ran out of shampoo in Cuzco and have been washing my hair with bar soap.
On the bright side, Peru is a cheap country- a blessing for someone who has $50 to live on for 3 days. A bottle of water at the corner tienda costs only 50 cents, and my lunch of empanadas and coca-cola in the local cafe was just under $3 US.
This experience has made the thankful for so many things that we take for granted every day in the US- from hot water, to bathrooms with soap and toilet paper, to grocery stores packed with food, to public transportation. It will be good to get home.
