Lima

The plush bus carries us some 10hours south and into Lima, by far the largest city we've seen and by far the best bus we've seen, although the journey was interrupted by the man in front choking: several passengers eventually managing to remove the obstruction by repeatedly heaving and whacking him on the back.

It's a shock to leave the bus and it's massive, reclining seats for bright sunshine and cramped taxi: we're yet to find one that knows where the hotel is, but we are good at knowing when we're heading in the wrong direction. No meters running so getting lost is not costly, just amusing.

Lima is best described by its contrasts; hemmed in by the sea and the desert the latter ceasing to prevent increasing numbers of migrants from building their mud and tin shacks up the hillsides and out into the barren sands, rubbish and plastic bags acrobatically circling in the smog. Some 2million live like this

From the historic centre which is colourful and tidy, complete with the obligatory cathedrals and countless, intricate, gold lined churches that I've now seen enough of (I'm just amazed Catholicism wasn't thrown out with the Spanish). 

To the purpose built shopping areas perched on the tourist cliffs of Miraflores, filled with the highstreet brands we know from home - and at the same prices? It's nice enough for what it is, we'd have it in Reading and it's walkable from the hotel

There are more familiar sights too; expensive petrol, a pier, an expensive and under used train line and how is this here?

It's surprising to read that out of the 42districts in Lima, only 2 are considered safe for tourists to walk around at night. It doesn't feel like a dangerous place but then we are staying in those two areas.

The food is good, beef heart being the new dish, it's exceptionally lean good steak but somewhere I've picked up a bug and need to replenish the Imodium supply, thankfully that name is recognised by the chemist and I can avoid miming the symptoms.

Lima is a change point for our tour, a new group convenes for the three week trek which takes us to Machu Pichu and beyond Christmas; exciting times but tinged with a little sadness as we wave off Gaby, the excellent, fun guide we've grown to love along with Ben (who do I watch football with now?) and Caitlin. 

We're missing them all especially as the new guide is already grating with his overly frequent use of 'chicos' as a collective. Chico-time seems never to have reached this continent and the jokes are lost.