Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!

[JimmySTLOUIS]

Hi again

Thanks again to everyone who has inspired me to make this move.

I am counting down the days until I am in Lima to see mi bebe!
16 days to go. I have already started packing.

As most of you know I am going to see just one girl. I dont have much of a plan B but I have high hopes!

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on things I should pack or anything like that. I plan on getting some Cipro once I get there (thanks to someone who suggested it). I am also bringing some small gifts for her young sister that I talk to on the phone some. I have the passport and some cash ready. I am packing some formal clothes because we are going to a wedding (gee I hope its not mine). I dont know if I should pack a sport jacket or not?

I was planning on taking my girl shopping when I get there but I would like to bring her something else. I have already sent her some Alan Jackson CD's and I am bringing Brooks and Dunn. YE HA!!!

I am starting to think that Lima is kind of a ...hmm....well...an ugly city. Peru itself doesnt look to great overall(the more i read about it anyway). I really have no idea what to expect. I dont think its anything like places I have ever been. We are going to Pisco-Paracus I think for a couple of days. I guess you can swin in the ocean there but is sure is not Poipu Beach. I think I am renting a car to get there, driving in South America really makes me scared.

I am looking forward to meeting this girl but I cant get excited about Peru itself. Cali looks kinda cool - the bat-mansion and all!

Later
Jim

[bigbdm4]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

Excellent that you are going to Peru!  Lima stinks with the stench of genocide, and it has for four hundred years.  Standing in the Plaza of Arms, you can almost feel the slaughter of the Inca, the enslavement, and of an amazingly disgusting part of our human existence.  To look upon the natives, you think that you are looking at a person from China.  And in fact, you are, after about twenty thousand years.  Wow, that's a long walk, from China to Peru.

Going for one girl is also excellent.  I did, and hit the jackpot big time.  Going to Colombia, Thailand, Manila, Ho Chi Min City, or anyplace with Big Dog Tours, is not what I would recommend if you want to find a person you want to mother your children and wake up next to every morning for the all days you have on this earth.  There are agencies, and then there are agencies.  Some agencies are responsible, and some are just sorry excuses for pimping.  We know a good one, responsible, honest, we have known them for many years, and would recommend them.  If you send me a private e-mail, I will let them know that you are coming.  They can do a lot for you if they get our recommendation.  This will bolster your "Plan B", hope you don't need it.  But they can help with other stuff like hotels and restaurants.  

Lima is the worst place in Peru.  Get out of town as soon as possible.  Take the train to Cuzco.  It is an amazing adventure to ride up into the mountains.  Cuzco is the ancient capitol.

"PERU CONNECTIONS" peruconn@hotmail.com

JUAN E. SIFUENTES
DIRECTOR OF PERU CONNECTIONS
AV. LARCO 675-3-D-MIRAFLORES-LIMA, 18-PERU
TEL. +51-1-444-6069  / +51-1-446-9483
TELEFAX:  +51-1-444-5437

Big B

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by bigbdm4 on Nov 12, 2003

Biddybiddy that was a surprisingly perspicacious coming from you. Well done.

[grant5432]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

Hi,
   I visited Peru twice this past summer (had never been there before)
and stayed in Lima / Miraflores the entire time, since my main goal was
to meet women.  I am returning at the end of December.

  Just some thoughts on Peru....

1)  There are some really run down, old/poor areas.  My first night there,
riding in the taxi from the airprot to Miraflores, my initial thoughts
were... my god!  I didn't expect it to be this bad!  and "what the heck am
I doing here!  I can't wait to go back"!   But in the end I felt
comfortable there and enjoyed the friendliness of the people.  You do
need to be cautious but I found I was possibly more paranoid than I
needed to be.  Once you are in Miraflores it's a lot safer.  You don't really
want to be walking around downtown Lima though, since it's much more
dangerous in that area.  In Miraflores, like someone else said, I'd just
take whatever money you need with you.  

2)  The streets are very noisy as every car and taxi is honking their horn
repeatedly!  Plus guys from the combis are yelling out to the people all
the time.    I do not recommend driving  and think it's better to take a
taxi or bus if possible.   There really are very few traffic rules... or if
there are rules, no one really abides by them.  There are near accidents
almost everywhere and I can't believe taxis can drive even 5 blocks
without an accident!  I guess they are just used to driving in that area.

3)  Favorite places to go in Miraflores:  Larco Mar shopping mall, lots of
good discos.  The one they publicize the most, however, "tequilla rocks"
doesn't have a very good reputation down there..  Known for having lots
of sleazy women and "professional" women there.    I guess some would
like it there for that reason, but the Peru locals don't seem to like it
much, at least the ones I talked to.   They seem to like some of the ones
at Larco Mar, or "Traffic".

4)  The weather in Lima is pretty depressing in June, July, August, Sept.  
But it's clearing up now and they usually have sunny days.  I know right
now it's warmer there than it is here in California, so it should be nice by
the time you get there.

 Good luck on your trip!

[pandabear]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

Take the advise of the other guys, putting all your eggs in one basket, isn't a very good idea. Speaking from one
who knows. You should study up on the country and not leave
everything up to your lady. Be cautious, sometimes what you
think are positive hints are nothing at all. Don't get me wrong, I am not bitter and I am still friends with the lady I visited, just be careful.

[CaliAdvisor]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

My advice to you is to cool down a little bit buddy. Don't get so nuts with anticipation and don't let it show that you are a complete fish out of water when you get down there. Yeah, its gonna be different, but don't walk around with your tounge hanging out of your mouth or get all super surprised when you see how crazy the traffic is down there.

Remember, SHE is the little girl in this relationship, not you. So don't act like a COMPLETE clueless tourist when you are down there, but don't act like a not it all either. Americans have a bad reputation in south america for not knowing anything about countries other than there own. So I would read up if I were you about the history and literature of Peru. Famous ppl etc.. Don't get down there and but yourself in a situation to be completely submissive just because you are in another country. You need to show some decision. That doesnt mean be arrogant, but just remember that latin women like a man who knows what he is doing.

[surfscum]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

I leave 11/21 and can't wait to be with my fiancee!  I'm hoping we can meet Jimmy and while I can't do anything about Lima's climate (yuck!) we could have a good time together.

Wow, first time out of the country and you're going to drive! It's not that bad outside of Lima, but driving in Lima is stressful. I rented and drove from Lima to Paracas, Pisco and Nasca and getting out of Lima was the hardest part. There was a detour and I couldn't get on the PanAmericana, so be prepared with a map.  Once on the PanAmericana, it's a well-paved 2 lane road.  The traffic thins as you get farther away from Lima. Be alert as there is the chance that as you approach a village Juan Valdez will be on the road with his donkey cart and NO lights or blinkers.

Pisco as a town offers very little, but it is the embarkation point for the Islas Ballestas tours. You will have no trouble finding the agencies who sell the tours as you walk near the main plaza, but I don't think they differ much because all you can do is take the boat out to the islands, watch the wildlife and take pictures. It's a good trip and deserves the name Poor Man's Galapagos. It probably cold and windy on the tour, so dress well and be careful not to lose your hat as I did.

If you do rent and drive you don't need to take the guided Paracas park tour. You can drive around and see everything on your own once you have been to the visitor center and gotten a map. The only part that stands out in my memory was when we walked down the cliffs to the beach and entered a cave they call La Catedral. It opens on the other end to the sea and a large arch where the waves come crashing through. Great photo op from above, too. Nearby is a little oasis of Huacachina. It looks like a set from Lawrence of Arabia as it is a little lake surrounded by large sand dunes. You can rent sandboards and ski down the dunes and go on buggy rides, too.

Don't know if you've heard of the Nazca Lines. They are another 3 hours drive south from Pisco. There is a large plain where animal and strange figures were scraped into the desert floor. They can only be seen from the air. No one has been able to say who made them or why, so there is a lot of mystery to them. In the 70's Erik von Daniken said they were used by UFO's as landing strips. For $40 you can go on a plane ride and see them from the air. We flew at around 1000 feet elevation and they were not easy to see from that height, let alone from outer space. (You can fool some of the people....)

Peru has great natural beauty, but you gotta get out of Lima and into the mountains or way up north on the coast. Go to Huaraz and stare at the 20K foot peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. There are lots of day treks available. If you got some cash, you could go to the Manu jungle preserve, which I haven't been to, but have heard great things about it. There's always Machu Picchu and Cuzco. I don't know what you're reading, but Peru is a great place to travel. Poipu and Hanauma? Well, you gotta go waaaaay north to the Ecuador border near Tumbes. I've only been to Pimentel, which was a nice beach even in the off-season, but Tumbes is on the surfing circuit due to its waves. Peru is like California: it has a cold current from the Antarctic so the water gets warm only in summer and more so as you go north.

You don't need dress clothes unless that is how you are used to dressing. My fiancee thinks I'm nuts because I go around in short sleeves and she's in a sweater, but it won't be cold there during the day. Nights get cool, but I'm ok with a long sleeved shirt or just a very light sweater. That reminds me, if you like sweaters, PACK LIGHT! You'll love the stuff you'll see in the markets. Loafers, Dockers and Polo shirts are fine, as are jeans and sneakers. Don't walk around with your wallet: leave it in a pocket in your bag in the hotel and put just the money you need for the day in your pocket and a photocopy of your passport. Downtown Lima has pickpockets and petty thieves, so just be aware. I walked around with my cameras and didn't have a problem, but be careful. If you're feeling lucky, go for a ride with your friend in a "combi."

I could ramble on, but I hope we can hook up in Lima, especially if things don't work out and you need some support. I might be able to hook you up with a few ladies, so keep my email handy. djm12285@hotmail.com

[Cali vet]

... in response to Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by JimmySTLOUIS on Nov 10, 2003

Unless you really have to have it or have money to burn I'd skip renting a car. Car rental is very high and buses go everywhere and are very efficient. On the other hand the driving style is more sedate than in Cali where driving is a hotly contested professional sport. I've only been driving in Cali for three weeks but have already come this close to being nailed by taxis passing me on the left while I'm in the midst of making a left turn well signaled. Lima is probobly cold and dreary so pack accordingly however if head out of the city to the east the sky clears as soon as you gain a little altitude.

[Red Clay]

... in response to Re: Counting Down the Days - Peru !!!!!!, posted by Cali vet on Nov 10, 2003

[This message has been edited by Red Clay]

Agree, not necessary, and maybe not wise, to rent a car. Jimmy will see driving like he's never seen before, and it's not good.

Take or buy some sunscreen before you walk around outdoors much.

I think the weather might be getting good by now in Lima, spring is just starting there.

And you are right jimmy, it will be like nothing you have ever seen, if you have never been to Latin America. You will count your blessings when you see the level/volume of poverty. I admire them though, most people there don't seem to let it get them down, they just keep trudging along.....