We´re not in Kansas anymore...

We have arrived safely in Lima, no major gliches!

Our first stop was a layover in San Salvador for 7 long hours. The time crept by slowly until we met some downhill longboarders from LA who promptly introduced themselves as they were as bored as we were, and happened to be the only other people in the airport. We enterained ourselves by learning odd acrobatic poses, dancing and "learning" to skate.

After another uncomfortable experience on a TACA flight, we landed in Lima, where we were picked up and driven to our hostel, Hostel Kokopelli. We got the lay of the land, grabbed a bite, and met up with Emily.

Since our arrival, we´ve toured the city via walking, biking and running and eaten some incredible, local ceviche, octopus and chicha (juice made from blue corn). We visited Lima´s catacombs in a Franciscan monastery complete with sorted bones (femurs in one section, pelvic bones in another) and skulls. Dead Limeños were buried here a couple hundred years ago so it essentially served as the city´s graveyard, albeit underground. Our friendly tour guide let us take pictures when there were no other tours around so we can share photos of skulls in a mandala-like pattern!

We have decided to include a highlights reel in our blog, so here´s the ¨best of¨so far...

1. Devon bikes into a wall and scrapes paint off with handlebar. Sustains no injuries; the wall doesn´t fare so well.

2. After a lovely run along the Lima coastline, things get moving in the digestive system (finally!) and Devon belines for the bathroom upon returning to the hostel. Unbenounced to her, a hostel worker is in the next stall and is blown away by the powerful stench produced by such a small person. "I´m telling the whole hostel," were his parting words. Devon mortified, Anjali jealous.

3. Best catcall so far: 5 year old boy watches us bike by and says, incredulously, "Wowwwwww."

4. Best food: ceviche with fresh avocado on top, eaten at a local joint we´d never have found on our own.

5. New taste highlight: Pisco sours made by Paulo, an owner of Hostel Kokopelli. This is the national drink of Peru made from egg whites, Pisco (a clear alcohol made from grapes), simple syrup and a dash of bitters. Stroooong. And that´s all we remember.