UKC

I have just accepted a job in Lima starting in Feb so I guess I'll soon find out what it is like there, but any insight or anecdotes very gratefully received!

In reply to kamon:

Have you visited? You must have?

A beautiful city with very European architecture in some ways (wide avenues, tall buildings with wrought-iron balconies, trees, unexpected open spaces etc.). The slums are not such a good token of the country - and a bit scary after dark.

My overwhelming impression was of colourfulness - the people, the surroundings. Very kind people too...and great food.

Good for you for going for an unusual posting.

J

In reply to Moacs:

Haven't even visited S. America before- I am going for the onsight!

The guidebooks don't make Lima city sound all that inviting so it is great to hear first-hand about it.

Wasn't planning on being in the slums after dark - though not sure I want to live in a gated "community" either!

Food, culture, mountains, surf, jungle etc were the main draws. Did you go climbing over there?

In reply to kamon: Great Chinese food - there's a big Chinese contingent that arrived to build the railways in the 1930s.

And the locals used to live on fish because of the Humbold current, it's all been caught now and ground into fishmeal.

Read about the Incas - they were extraordinary, I didn't appreciate how much before I went.

In reply to kamon:

Hi,

It should be interesting! Miraflores is a great place to live and hangout if you don't want to much culture shock, all amenties available. The inner city is interesting and not as scary as lots of people make out. The immediate surroundings are a bit odd, but apparently the surfing is ok. Not great beaches.

Of course there is amazing stuff to see in terms of mountains, rivers and history within a days journey. Faster if you are willing to fly.

Good luck!

Phil

In reply to kamon:

I spent a summer in Peru in 1986. There was a curfew in Lima and the Huayahuash was "closed" due to insurgency. One of the only two times in my life I've been shot at!

The climbing is fantastic - big, alpine routes in a beautiful and uncrowded wilderness.

Don't know about the surf - though I can't see why it would be any worse than the rest of the western coast of the Americas.

My big regret was not following the tourists down to Cuzco and seeing the Inca relics. It's on the "to do" list though, we are thinking of taking the kids to South America next summer for a couple of months.

If the job is good, and you have a reasonable chance of a sensible "re-entry", then go for it - mostly people regret the things they don;t do, not the ones they do.

J

In reply to Moacs:

I meant to say that the surf is good, but the quality of beaches and pollution around the city isn't that great. Anyway I'm not sure if that is of interest anyway, but you never know!

In reply to newkid: Yeah at some times of year a ghastly smog hangs over the city.

In reply to earlsdonhammer:

Been hearing that Miaflores or La Molina (where my job is) are the places to live. Miraflores: lively, fun. La Molina: posh, safe(r)

Think there maybe good cragging 40 miles away from the city but not sure if crossing town would take hours due to traffic.

In reply to Moacs:

Crikey - I guess you were not hit! I have no plans to be shot at and have heard that it has been safe since the failed Japanese embassy seige. Some jungle areas are lawless with cocaine factories though.

My brother was in Venezuela when the bar owner casusally wandered past them and pulled the metal grill down in front - leaving them confused and in complete darkness. Moments later a gun battle broke out immediately outside. A different type of lock-in!

Did many locals climb or was it just expats and tourists?

In reply to kamon:

Hi

Didn't mean to alarm you - it was 20 years ago and times have changed.

Also, I was there on holiday for a summer - not to work - and you tend to see things differnetly as a holiday than when you need day to day practicalities.

As I said above, if the job feels right, then the experience will be unmissable.

J