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1.
Laying over in Lima Airport (Chavez):
In many cases due to international flight arrivals and
departures, and connecting internal flights within Perú, it may
be necessary to spend many hours at the Lima airport waiting for
your connection. In some travel books you will read that the
Diner's Club, located on the second floor of the airport, will
allow card members to pass the time in their lounge, and for non
card holders, a fee of $6.00 U.S. will get you in. This is only
partly true. The Diner's Club will allow members only. Non
members may not get in at all. This lounge is strictly closed to
card members. So if you are not a card member what do you do? If
you are traveling with all your luggage, there is a luggage
locker at the far left end of the airport that will hold your
luggage for about $3.00 U.S. for 24 hours. But be careful. There
is a room where many bags are held behind the counter in plain
sight. Demand a locker for your bags. Each locker needs 2 keys
to open and they are located in the concourse of the airport
away from prying eyes. The baggage room attendant has one key
and you are given the other. This is still not 100% fail-safe
but is preferable to the back room storage. If you have time to
spend waiting for your connection and are not a Diner's Club
member, there is a pleasant little restaurant/bar located on the
second floor all the way to the left of the Diner's Club (above
the baggage holding area) with couches where you can stay as
long as you want to in relative comfort as long as you eat or
drink something there.
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2.
Money Exchange and Carrying Money:
When you arrive in Perú it is best to do so with U.S. dollars.
While most western currency can be exchanged for Peruvian Soles
rather easily, any shop, restaurant, or business will take U.S.
dollars as payment. This can not be said readily of all other
western currency. Be prepared however to receive your change in
Soles. It is a good idea not to use bills in excess of
$10-$20.00 U.S., as you might find it difficult for the merchant
to change anything larger. There are money changing booths
almost everywhere in every major Peruvian city in the Plaza de
Armas and their hours and rates are usually better than the
local banks. But be aware, regardless of what western currency
you are carrying you will find that when you exchange it, the
money changer will look it over with a fine toothed comb. Not so
much to judge its authenticity, but to examine the condition of
the bill. You will find it difficult if not impossible to
exchange bills, regardless of their authenticity, if they are
not in pristine condition. That means no torn edges, no tape, no
missing pieces, no writing, and/or no stamp marks on them. Do
not take bills to Perú that do not meet these conditions or you
will wind up taking them back home with you. When you exchange
your money for Soles, tell the money changer not to give you
bills larger than 50 Soles as these are sometimes hard to get
change for. 10 Soles bills are the easiest method of payment in
Perú. If you find it necessary to carry travelers checks, be
aware that they are not as easy to exchange and some banks may
require a surcharge to change them. Some money exchange
locations may not even take them with a surcharge. Carry only as
much money as you think you will need for the worst case
scenario of your outing. If necessary, go the Plaza de Armas
more than once a day to change money as you need it.
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3.
Taxis as Transportation:
It is recommended that you have your hotel call a taxi for you
when you plan to leave for several reasons. First, all reputable
hotels, such as The Orquidea, have a working relationship with
at least one radio dispatched taxi company. They know the taxi
company and will set the rate for you before you leave. This
leaves little chance of being overcharged. Secondly, it is not
uncommon, when you just hail a taxi from the street, to have one
rate agreed upon, only to find that the rate has changed when
you reach your destination, or the driver doesn't have enough
change when you get there. Some street taxis may also try to
pick up other fares during your trip which you didn't bargain
for. While this is not the general rule, it does happen, so let
your hotel arrange for your taxi service.
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4.
Medications and Hygiene:
Assuming that you are not going into the Amazon tributaries, the
altitudes experienced in the Andes may have an adverse effect on
you if you are not used to such heights. A visit to your
physician prior to coming to Perú is recommended. Diamox is a
good medication for altitude sickness. You may also want to
discuss with your physician other medications such as
antibiotics to take along with you. One recommendation for
visitors is to drink bottled water only even for things such as
brushing your teeth. One observation regarding Perú is the
unavailability of toilet paper in almost all public places.
Major hotels and most restaurants will have some, but do not be
surprised to go into a public bathroom, such as at Machu Picchu,
and find that toilet paper is either unavailable or available
only for sale. Bring an ample amount of tissues that you can
take around with you on your journeys. If you are going into the
Amazon tributaries, it is recommended that you let your
physician know beforehand. A current yellow fever vaccination,
and anti malarial medications should be discussed. And bring
plenty of D.E.E.T. with you. It is probably best to call your
State Board of Health for recommendations on medications for the
Amazon.
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5.
Passports and Intra National Flights:
It will not be unusual for you to be asked for your passport
when you are flying even within Perú if you are not a Peruvian
national. Even when you check into hotels you will be asked for
your passport number. It is a good idea to make a copy of your
passport before arriving in Perú just in case. Carry your
passport anytime you fly within Perú and of course when you
leave. Whether you have tickets in hand or not, it is necessary
to have all of your flights reconfirmed prior to going to the
airport. The Orquidea, or other reputable hotels will gladly
perform this service at no charge. But do not just show up at a
Peruvian airport thinking that you will get on a flight that you
have a ticket for if it is not reconfirmed in advance. Also be
aware that every flight has to be taxed. You will get your
boarding pass and then go to a tax booth to pay the airport tax,
usually 24 Soles per ticket. Do not try to do this any other way
or you may run into trouble, or at least miss your flight.
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6.
Street Safety:
One of the things that are immediately apparent upon arrival to
Cuzco and other major cities in Perú is the plethora of cabs and
mini buses. They are small by western standards but can still
hurt you if you are not careful. There are some traffic lights
and stop signs, but don't expect everyone to use them. These
little guys have the right of way at all times and sorry will be
the traveler that doesn't recognize it at once. In fact, horns
will blow at you if you are just walking down the street on the
sidewalk for no apparent reason. When strolling around,
especially in the evening, always be very careful at
intersections. Many of the headlights don't work and not very
many drivers have figured out what a turn signal is or how to
use it. It is kind of quirky and adds to the charm of Perú.
While we have never experienced anything even resembling a
troublesome situation, you cannot help but feel for the little
children on the street. When we go to Perú, we bring with us
pencils, writing tablets, and little toys such as bubbles, troll
dolls, and matchbox cars to give to the children. These gifts
are much appreciated and will draw a crowd faster than anything
I have ever seen. There is nothing quite so priceless as the
face of a child with a new toy they have never seen before. This
is preferable to just handing out a few Soles, and will give you
something to remember forever.
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7.
Internet and E-Mail:
Times have really changed in Perú regarding the ability to
communicate with folks back home. 1 year ago, you could find a
few internet places with 28.8 modems that would work but would
seem to take forever to transmit data out of the country. Today,
internet cafes are common and they all seem to have DSL or ADSL
fast connections. Explorer, Netscape, and Hotmail are readily
available at every internet stop. Expect to pay about 2 1/2
Soles for 1/2 hour of internet time, more than enough to keep in
touch with the folks back home on a daily basis if you wish.
First time visitors to Perú will be intoxicated by its beauty
and diversity. I have seen no other place in the world with as
many natural wonders and treasures as I have found in Perú. From
the amazing Amazon and its countless numbers of birds and
natural wildlife, to Andean pre colonial cities like Cuzco and
Arequipa, to the ancient temples of Machu Picchu, to the
pristine waters of Lake Titicaca near Puno, to the largest
canyon in the world, I can think of no other country that
contains as much to see in so small a geographic area. Perú gets
into your blood, and once there, you will go back. The people at
Orquidea
will ensure that your visit to Perú will be customized to your
liking and truly unforgettable.
Until next time!
Peru
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