We are packing to leave for Peru tomorrow. We both feel extremely unprepared for this trip. Two apartments were broken into in our complex about a week ago, so we have taken pictures of everything and made a list of "stuff that's expensive to replace" for our insurance company. We are also letting some friends of ours babysit our Wii so that if someone breaks in, they can't take that. Worrying about this sort of thing makes leaving for vacation a lot less fun.
I have not done my usual guidebook reading, so I have no idea what there is to do in the city of Lima. Some friends of ours told us to go to "the Cathedral." I imagine we'll go to it, but that's hardly going to take all day. I guess we'll just wander around town for a while - my least favorite thing to do on vacation, really. It stresses me out when I don't have a destination in mind.
I just re-read this, and I sound really negative. So here's a list of things I'm excited about and things I'm not. I like lists!
Excited: Food. I have no idea what kind of food they eat. I'm hoping to taste something really delicious I've never eaten before.
Not excited: Food poisoning. 3rd world country = contaminated water = sick intestines. Both Jon and I have been immunized for Hepatitis A and B, and we are taking typhoid meds. Also, our friends who were in Peru in October were like, "Oh, you'll get sick. Absolutely. We were sick the whole time." Fun.
Excited: Learning about a different culture and history than my own. While I'm not really interested in learning about the native cultures of my own homeland, I am for some reason very interested in South American native cultures. Maybe because they seem more civilized? Or at least more centralized? I don't know. They had enormous cities and left amazing ruins. I can't wait to see them and learn about their history.
Not excited: Being unable to communicate effectively. I've been spoiled by living in countries where I actually speak the language. And vacationing in them too. It's been like 10 years since I've been somewhere really "foreign." And while I love visiting foreign places, it's a little scary, too!
Excited: Having fun stories to tell about quirky things that happened.
Not excited: Being mugged and/or kidnapped. While I think the likelihood of this happening is pretty low, the State Dept. has me totally freaked out. My advice to anyone travelling to Peru is "Stay Away from the State Department Website." It will make you want to stay home.
Excited: Using my new digital camera and having amazing pictures to show.
Not excited: Strikes in Cuzco may have shut down the train to Macchu Picchu which is the WHOLE reason we are going to Peru in the first place. J and I have already said that if we end up not being able to go to Macchu Picchu, we will just plan on going back to Peru. Our typhoid meds are good for 7 years, so that gives us a time limit. Ha ha.
Anyway, I am sure we'll have a great trip. We nearly always do. One of the reasons our marriage works so well is that we really like each other, and we really like to spend time together. So, at least, if it's crappy, and we're sick, and there are strikes, and our hotels smell bad or whatever, we'll be together having a little adventure. I have nothing bad to say about that!
