This morning I woke up next to the Caribbean sea, in 37 degree sunshine. I've crossed the equator, flown over the Andes, seen the surf of the Pacific and now I'm going to bed under a fleecy blanket in Lima.

My first stop in Peru and so far, so good. I was picked up from the airport by a nice Peruvian man with my name on a sign (I love that, it's so nice to be met with a sign! I really am easily pleased) and watched the sunset along the beach on the way to Miraflores, the historic district of Lima where I'm staying. I saw these really funny little red tuk-tuks on the way, alongside lots of signs for Inca Cola (a bright yellow, radioactive type soft drink which apparently I'll be drinking like there's no tomorrow while I'm here). I'm in a great hostel, Piriwana, and have bumped into Purdy and Tony who I met at carnival in Rio.. we've done it again and booked into an Israeli hostel. Oh dear! Still, its nice here and there's a travel agency in the hostel; within 30 minutes of arriving I had booked my transport all the way to Cuzco, the sandboarding trip in Huacachina, the Nazca lines flight and accomodation along the way. Peru seems to have tourism pretty much nailed! Would be a bit dubious of the day trips to the lines from Lima, getting a bus at 3a.m. is not my idea of fun! I'm going at a slightly more leisurely pace, leaving at lunchtime tomorrow and headed for a hostel with a pool in Ica.

I'm really excited about Peru, there is just so much to see and it's a shame I won't get to do more, but I'm on a tight schedule and I'm going to cram in as much as possible! I've just booked my flight from La Paz to Buenos Aires for the 17th, and before then I have the small matter of the monstrous Inca Trail, and Lake Titicaca to see. By the time I get home I'll need a rest! Admittedly I have just spent the past 3 weeks on the beach, well I had to relax a little ahead of all this adventuring...

My last few days in Colombia were lovely; hanging out in hammocks by the pool, eating delicious food at Casa de Felipe and dancing with no shoes on at Mirador, the breeze blowing in my hair and sand between my toes. I met up with Rosie again and her friend Nik, firstly on a dancefloor in Taganga then again last night in Cartagena. I'd love to go back to Colombia sometime, in fact given the amount of recommendations I've been doling out I think I should get a job for their tourist board. Top tips for anyone headed there: best hostel in Cartagena: Media Luna. Go to Cafe Del Mar to watch sunset, try to street food it is much better than it looks, and of course make sure you buy a Panama hat and some maracas. Yes, of course I bought maracas - once again, a travel essential. In Santa Marta, the Dreamer Hostel is probably my favourite hostel ever, and so sociable. Tayrona national park was just gorgeous and sleeping in a hammock was lovely (for one night). Taganga is the perfect place to chill out and catch some sunshine; if Casa de Felipe is full head to Divanga - there's a pool. Bliss.

Enough waxing lyrical about Colombia, I'm Peruvian now. Joanna kept saying that I was a gypsy, so I suppose I'd best get myself a llama jumper pretty swiftly so I fit in... don't laugh, you are all getting llama presents.

x