Into Peru

We left Cuenca early, taking a long bus trip South into Peru. The passport controls were surprisingly easy, no more than a twenty minute wait at each, while the border was a trickle of a river, over which passed a wide bridge, packed with traders flogging everything from livestock to clothing and electronics.

Once over the border, we met our new tour leader, Sylvana (26, Lima) and said goodbye to Belen who had taken us through Ecuador.

We arrived at our hotel in Mancora at about 5.30pm and we were all delighted by our first sights of Peru. The town was a small, typically touristy beach town, and the hotel was complete with bar and an eternity swimming pool - although the ensuite bathrooms were outdoor, without hot water. Another thing that we noticed about Peru though, was the fact that everywhere you looked there were Tuk-Tuks. In Ecuador, we didn´t see a single one, but as soon as you´re over the border they´re everywhere!

That evening we went to Sylvana´s usual restaurant, where I had a massive dinner of medium-rare peppered beef sirloin kebabs, with garlic prawns and salad. We found that Peru is a fair bit more expensive than Ecuador however, as dinner cost me 50 Soles (US$15), including cocktails - still hardly something to complain about!

After dinner, we went next door to a lively cocktail bar, complete with giant jenga, kareoke, and complimentary Pisco shots for whoever lost at jenga.