South America at last!

Finally made it 37 years after I first thought I might and Lima is well worth the wait.

Spent my final day in the US battling with American Airlines who managed to rip off the buckle and strap to close my pack and who then tell me they 'don´t deal with my type of luggage'! So had to shrink wrap at the airport because the stories DFAT tells you about Sth America make you think it´ll be 'open sesame on your exposed contents'. But this place is lovely, and everyone I meet, whether they've been in Bolivia or anywhere else in this region, has only good stories to tell.

Anyway, I have a lovely place nearby making a fancy leather repair for me - here is the owner posing for a photo. He thought I wanted the baby croc skin when really I wanted the whole shop, so obviously my Spanish still has a long way to go.

Well hope it improves soon, there´s a lot of travel ahead. Met a lovely young German woman who had heard of Bhopal although she was born in 1984. Shé's convinced me to go to Arequipa and meet her there for some canyon adventures. Managed to get the last seat on tomorrow night's bus right in front of the bano (bathroom) - the one place the guide books say not to sit! This will test me, an all-night bus ride.

Oh and Andrea ..just met more Canadians from Toronto!