It was nearly a year ago now since I went on my travels, and for the first time in a while, I was reading through my blogs today, and I had realised although I had religiously kept up to date and edited them thoroughly on my trip, I had never technically signed off and closed the story so to speak.

I will write this blog which will consist of my last few days in lima, and then a short summary of my travels. You then will not hear from me again for another year or two. (Unless I go on some short breaks now and again).

Lima was an interesting city, and to be honest after 9 months of travelling I was ready to go home. I had no bank card and therefore was borrowing off others. I still had time and resources for one last night out and posh eateries. I didn't see the downtime Lima, as like I said, I had enough of doing the sightseeing stuff by then. I stayed in Miriflores, which was quite a posh area of the city. It had some posh shops, and an outdoor shopping centre overlooking the sea and the new york style yellow cabs queuing alongside the huge water fountains with guards outside the casinos.

I went down to the shopping centre everyday and debated whether to go to fish restaurant which looked all out at sea in the distance. I didn't bother and settled for Chinese takeaway food every night instead. Everyday during my shopping visit, I was deciding whether to buy a chessboard which had Inca chess pieces, but the price tag of 300quid put me off. I'm sure I could buy a chessboard out of a Christmas cracker or something.

The night out in Lima was fantastic. We were the only English in the club and just like always, "we were only going to have a few". It was a good end to a great trip, but as usual, what goes on tour stays on tour.

Sooo.....my first city in South America was Santiago with all the fog, and it ended in Lima, with all the cloud. Originally, I was nervous and apprehensive to what South America would offer when I arrived, but when I departed, I was sad and to this day, I hope I go back one day and visit the great friendly and generally lovely Latin Americans that I had met throughout my travels. When I booked my flights to SA, I had visions of me getting on the plane in lima and saying "Yes, I've survived". That was not the case at all, I wanted to stay longer, and one day I will be back. One of my friends is going very soon, and jealous is not the word. His reply was "you've had your time, now it's mine".

One word of advice I would give to anyone going would be not to pay much attention to guide books that exercise scare mongering to tourists going to SA. The locals are the best thing about this great continent. Don't ignore them, talk to them, I have made many great South American friends. I want to go to other places one day, as the world is a big place, but one day I do hope I'm strutting down the streets of Buenos Aires and going to the steak houses again (preferably with a bank card and a wallet next time).

Ciao for now. (that was shamefully as far as my Spanish had evolved from my 2 and halfs months there).