May 10, 2000
Day 201 Flight to Lima
We get up at five, expect to have breakfast at 5:15, but can’t find anyone awake in the hotel. All doors are locked and it even seems we can’t get out for awhile. Finally, the kid that manages the front desk at night shows us, sleepily, and unlocks the security gate. A taxi is waiting at the door, a small toyota, but it has a roof rack that can hold both our plastic wrapped bikes. The rest of the gear goes in the trunk.
We get to the airport at six, ready for our 7:40 flight to Lima. But it’s not on the board, and when the Lan Peru employees finally open up the check-in counters, we find that the flight was changed to 8:55! No explanations. We end up paying US$62 to take our bikes and excess luggage, but by that time we are happy to be getting to Lima today. The plane leaves on time, we have beautiful views of the mountains on the first part of the flight. It’s only an hour to Lima. On our descent we drop into the layer of gray fog that covers this part of the Peruvian coast from May to November. Pretty depressing. Lima is a city of 9 million people, very extensive slums but also modern high rise in the suburbs.
We put our bikes and duffel bag in storage, and follow a “taxi” driver to his unmarked car in the parking lot. It’s about 25 minutes to Miraflores. Because of security we chose not to stay in the old town center. We chose a hotel from our guidebook, but the driver has better advise. He takes us to a hotel where we get a decent room with bathroom and TV for $25USD.
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