Sunday, September 18, 2011
TIPS ON: Some Essential Phrases
I would like .............. Me gustaria...
I need your help ....... Necesito su ayuda
I am from.................. Soy de (e.g. Australia)
I would like a room... Me gustaria una habitacion
Do you have water?... Tienes botella de agua? (bottled water)
No pork please........... Por favor, no chancho
I don't understand.... No entiendo
Do you speak English? .... Habla ingles?
I need your help ....... Necesito su ayuda
I am from.................. Soy de (e.g. Australia)
I would like a room... Me gustaria una habitacion
Do you have water?... Tienes botella de agua? (bottled water)
No pork please........... Por favor, no chancho
I don't understand.... No entiendo
Do you speak English? .... Habla ingles?
TIPS ON: Visiting The Sand Dunes of Huacachina
When you reach Ica, take a short 10 minute taxi ride to the oasis. It is a paved road all the way there. It should cost either 4 or 5 soles.
Bordering right around the oasis, there is a boardwalk, accompanied by restaurants and a few lodgings. Outside of one side of the oasis is a single avenue, bordered by more hotels/hostels and restaurants; mostly hotels/hostels. On that single avenue, you'll find two offices that sell Cruz Del Sur tickets. There is a place that doubles as a internet shop. There they can reserve your bus rides between various regions of Peru, and book tours, such as tours of the Nazca lines. You can also book cheap buggy rides there all times of the day.
The opposite side of the oasis is the entry to the vast sand dunes. To enter the sand dunes, you must pay a small fee: The Desert Tax. Some people climb the sand dunes overlooking the oasis and hang out and have a little picnic. Climbing the sand dunes is not easy, even for young and athletic people. It takes patience and lower body strength.
People don't often swim in the oasis. It may be too shallow and dirty. There are paddle boats you can rent to go around the oasis.
As for the buggies, riding the sand dunes is like riding a roller coaster. It's great fun! First when you book your buggy ride, they'll ask you to sign some waiver forms not to hold them responsible if anything happens. Then they'll pick you up at a specific group meeting point at a certain time. Then they'll drive you to the foot of the sand dune where everyone will hand money over to a woman who takes the Desert Tax. Then you're off!! You'll have a fun ride up and down and over the sides of dunes. Eventually, they'll stop at a few dunes for you to go down the dunes on the sandboard by laying down or standing up. It's your choice if you want to participate. It's not hard! It feels like tobogganing, only a much smoother ride. You dig the toes of your shoes into the sand to slow down. After you've had a chance to go down the dune, they drive the buggy down to the bottom, collect everyone, and then you ride around the dunes again and stop at a few more dunes.
If you don't feel like going down the dunes by sandboard, either laying down or by standing up - don't do it! I have heard stories of people dislocating their arm. If the guide/drive pressures you to try it, just smile and say ''No... No gracias" (Translation: No... No thank you). When I went, the driver kept telling the two other people with me to try the board. The girl said she didn't want to, but wasn't insistent enough that she did not want to go, so she basically slid her way down the long sand dune on her bum.
The smaller buggies may go out alone, while the bigger green El Huacachinero buggies will go out with two buggies (up to 16 people!), hence the long wait lines to sandboard down the dune. Using the smaller buggies, you might wait for 8 people or less before your turn to snowboard down the dune. And don't worry, if you don't wanna go down the dune, that's okay too. They're pretty respectful and don't make you feel foolish for not joining the group. I didn't go sandboarding when I went on the buggy ride for the second time, I just went for the buggy ride.
On almost every buggy ride, someone's camera gets damaged. It is difficult to find a repair person in town. Trust me, they told me there's a person at Kodak who can clean the sand out of the camera. When I went into the town (Ica), they said that person was not working. I went to the next shop about 6 blocks down, and that person's shop was closed for the day. I finally found someone in the galeria who cleaned my camera for about $30.00. After 3 hrs (though he told me it would take 1hour), it was fixed - but a few days later, the camera stopped working. I've had to throw it out.
There are two places with Peruvian food: Restaurant Mayo and at the hotel El Huachinero. You can go in and eat there even if you're not staying at that hotel. All around the oasis, it's Italian and American food. But don't eat anything with milk or don't take milk in your tea. It will give you the runs. You can also take a taxi ride back to Ica for Peruvian dishes. Ica has a high crime rate, so avoid going there at night.
TIPS:
1. Ensure you find out the Desert Tax at your hotel and carry that exact amount if possible on the buggy ride
2. If you want to take your camera, keep it in a ziploc bag and make sure you dust your hands off really well before ever taking it out to snap pictures.
3. Use the smaller buggies, it's cheaper and a better experience
4. Wear loose clothes that will be easier to walk on the dunes and go down the dunes in, like cargo pants or sweat pants.
5. Ensure you keep your elbows and knees on the board, otherwise you can skin yourself over the sand going down. It happens.
6. If you have long pants, tuck your pants in your socks or shoes when you sandboard down the dune, otherwise your pants will be like sandbags once you reach the bottom (speaking from experience)
7. Try and get a front seat in the buggy. The back seats are really hard to board, especially if you're older or overweight or have joint problems. You have to step up on the huge wheel and over the bars...
8. Try and get a buggy ride around sunset so you can catch the sunset over the dunes.
Bordering right around the oasis, there is a boardwalk, accompanied by restaurants and a few lodgings. Outside of one side of the oasis is a single avenue, bordered by more hotels/hostels and restaurants; mostly hotels/hostels. On that single avenue, you'll find two offices that sell Cruz Del Sur tickets. There is a place that doubles as a internet shop. There they can reserve your bus rides between various regions of Peru, and book tours, such as tours of the Nazca lines. You can also book cheap buggy rides there all times of the day.
The opposite side of the oasis is the entry to the vast sand dunes. To enter the sand dunes, you must pay a small fee: The Desert Tax. Some people climb the sand dunes overlooking the oasis and hang out and have a little picnic. Climbing the sand dunes is not easy, even for young and athletic people. It takes patience and lower body strength.
People don't often swim in the oasis. It may be too shallow and dirty. There are paddle boats you can rent to go around the oasis.
As for the buggies, riding the sand dunes is like riding a roller coaster. It's great fun! First when you book your buggy ride, they'll ask you to sign some waiver forms not to hold them responsible if anything happens. Then they'll pick you up at a specific group meeting point at a certain time. Then they'll drive you to the foot of the sand dune where everyone will hand money over to a woman who takes the Desert Tax. Then you're off!! You'll have a fun ride up and down and over the sides of dunes. Eventually, they'll stop at a few dunes for you to go down the dunes on the sandboard by laying down or standing up. It's your choice if you want to participate. It's not hard! It feels like tobogganing, only a much smoother ride. You dig the toes of your shoes into the sand to slow down. After you've had a chance to go down the dune, they drive the buggy down to the bottom, collect everyone, and then you ride around the dunes again and stop at a few more dunes.
If you don't feel like going down the dunes by sandboard, either laying down or by standing up - don't do it! I have heard stories of people dislocating their arm. If the guide/drive pressures you to try it, just smile and say ''No... No gracias" (Translation: No... No thank you). When I went, the driver kept telling the two other people with me to try the board. The girl said she didn't want to, but wasn't insistent enough that she did not want to go, so she basically slid her way down the long sand dune on her bum.
The smaller buggies may go out alone, while the bigger green El Huacachinero buggies will go out with two buggies (up to 16 people!), hence the long wait lines to sandboard down the dune. Using the smaller buggies, you might wait for 8 people or less before your turn to snowboard down the dune. And don't worry, if you don't wanna go down the dune, that's okay too. They're pretty respectful and don't make you feel foolish for not joining the group. I didn't go sandboarding when I went on the buggy ride for the second time, I just went for the buggy ride.
On almost every buggy ride, someone's camera gets damaged. It is difficult to find a repair person in town. Trust me, they told me there's a person at Kodak who can clean the sand out of the camera. When I went into the town (Ica), they said that person was not working. I went to the next shop about 6 blocks down, and that person's shop was closed for the day. I finally found someone in the galeria who cleaned my camera for about $30.00. After 3 hrs (though he told me it would take 1hour), it was fixed - but a few days later, the camera stopped working. I've had to throw it out.
There are two places with Peruvian food: Restaurant Mayo and at the hotel El Huachinero. You can go in and eat there even if you're not staying at that hotel. All around the oasis, it's Italian and American food. But don't eat anything with milk or don't take milk in your tea. It will give you the runs. You can also take a taxi ride back to Ica for Peruvian dishes. Ica has a high crime rate, so avoid going there at night.
TIPS:
1. Ensure you find out the Desert Tax at your hotel and carry that exact amount if possible on the buggy ride
2. If you want to take your camera, keep it in a ziploc bag and make sure you dust your hands off really well before ever taking it out to snap pictures.
3. Use the smaller buggies, it's cheaper and a better experience
4. Wear loose clothes that will be easier to walk on the dunes and go down the dunes in, like cargo pants or sweat pants.
5. Ensure you keep your elbows and knees on the board, otherwise you can skin yourself over the sand going down. It happens.
6. If you have long pants, tuck your pants in your socks or shoes when you sandboard down the dune, otherwise your pants will be like sandbags once you reach the bottom (speaking from experience)
7. Try and get a front seat in the buggy. The back seats are really hard to board, especially if you're older or overweight or have joint problems. You have to step up on the huge wheel and over the bars...
8. Try and get a buggy ride around sunset so you can catch the sunset over the dunes.
Monday, July 4, 2011
TIPS ON: What The Weather Feels Like During High-Season
Oddly enough, your summer vacation is actually winter in Cusco. So you're wondering what it feels like. Well everyone says it's cold. What kind of cold?
I'm from Ontario, Canada. For those of you who think that means my standard is super cold and we live in igloos.... we don't. Our winters feels similar to the winters in New York.
I can tell you June/July in Cusco feels like October-November. It is cold enough for a padded jacket. What I mean by that is not a winter jacket, but a thinner winterish jacket. Not a spring or fall jacket or wind breaker, but a little bit thicker.
You'll feel pretty cold walking around, but it's not like your cheeks or hands get cold.
Your hotel blankets at night will be cold to the touch, so it is better to have socks and maybe a hoodie and sweat pants to sleep in.
It is best to book a hotel that has a heater if you want to get good sleep. Add to the altitude sickness symptom of sleeplessness of being cold at night - its not a fun mix. Most hotels in Cusco and the Sacred Valley don't have heated rooms, but they may have portable plug-in heaters they may give you for free or rent to you for about 10 soles. So definitely check that out.
Hope that gives you an idea of what to pack and what to wear!
TIPS:
-pack a Fall season jacket
-pack socks
-pack sweat pants to sleep in
-pack a hoodie
-before booking in June/July, ask you hotel if they have portable heaters
I'm from Ontario, Canada. For those of you who think that means my standard is super cold and we live in igloos.... we don't. Our winters feels similar to the winters in New York.
I can tell you June/July in Cusco feels like October-November. It is cold enough for a padded jacket. What I mean by that is not a winter jacket, but a thinner winterish jacket. Not a spring or fall jacket or wind breaker, but a little bit thicker.
You'll feel pretty cold walking around, but it's not like your cheeks or hands get cold.
Your hotel blankets at night will be cold to the touch, so it is better to have socks and maybe a hoodie and sweat pants to sleep in.
It is best to book a hotel that has a heater if you want to get good sleep. Add to the altitude sickness symptom of sleeplessness of being cold at night - its not a fun mix. Most hotels in Cusco and the Sacred Valley don't have heated rooms, but they may have portable plug-in heaters they may give you for free or rent to you for about 10 soles. So definitely check that out.
Hope that gives you an idea of what to pack and what to wear!
TIPS:
-pack a Fall season jacket
-pack socks
-pack sweat pants to sleep in
-pack a hoodie
-before booking in June/July, ask you hotel if they have portable heaters
Friday, July 1, 2011
TIPS ON: What To Do If You're Lost
Sometimes you might go out for the night and forget how to get back to your hotel or you may get off the bus or plane and not know where your hotel is, nor does the taxi driver.
Here are some tips that will help you in such situations:
1.Before you leave for your trip write down the name of all your hotels, the address, phone number and website address.
e.g.:
Ccapac Inka Ollanta
Los Eucaliptos street n/n Ollantaytambo
+51 84 204 186 reservas@hotelinkaollanta.com
http://www.hotelinkaollanta.com/en/hotel-ollantaytambo
This way, if you land and don't know the address nor does the staff at the airport or bus station, they can look up the website. If the taxi driver doesn't know where the street is, he can use his cell or a public phone to call and get directions. Keep two copies, 1. in your purse or backpack and 2. in your suitcase in case you lose the first one2. Once you get to your hotel, get two copies of their business card. When you go out, make sure you have this card in your pocket, purse or backpack. Again, if you're coming back to the hotel later and the taxi driver doesn't know the location of your hotel, he can check the address clearly written on the card.
3. If for any reason the taxi driver doesn't know where your hotel is or you dont have a card, address or number of the hostel, drop in to the nearest hotel you can find. At this point, you can do two things, ask them to search the address of your hotel and write it down, or you can ask to use their public computers to search it yourself.
4. If you have the number of the hotel on you, and the taxi driver doesn't want to call for directions, then drop in at the first hotel or hostel you can find, ask the hotel or hostel to call your hostel and have your hotel or hostel send a taxi to the place you're at.
5. Ask the hotel to call your next hotel and write down directions from the bus station or airport to the next hotel.
From my experience, taxi drivers often don't know the hotels. We can't expect them to know every hotel and hostel in town or every district. A number of times I've been at one hotel and have asked them to write down the directions to the next hotel, and they respond with "Every taxi driver knows this place, it's okay". I end up getting in the taxi and the driver has to stop every two minutes to ask a pedestrian, "I have a question, do you know the hotel __________?" Its a waste of time and a huge risk, so make sure you have the number and address and get the directions if you can.
I once went for a walk at night to get a bite to eat, and I knew my hostel was two blocks from the Plaza De Armas, but was it two blocks from the Northern side of the Plaza? From the South-Eastern corner? I walked in the direction I thought I came from, but ended up down a dark dead-end street. I went back to the Plaza De Armas and asked about 5 taxi drivers to take me to my hostel and none knew where it was. I stopped in at a few hostels and asked them to call my hostel (I happened to memorize the number because I had to call a few times before). The hostel I stopped in at called my hostel and someone came to pick me up.
The last thing you want to do is walk around asking locals. You don't want to appear lost, because that makes you vulnerable to being jumped/robbed.
Primary tip: Ensure you have the address and number on you.
Secondary tip: if you don't have it or lost it, stop in at your nearest hostel to have them search the address or ask to use one of their public computers to search the address yourself. Say: "No puedo encontrar mi hotel. Puedes busque la dirección con su computador? Se llama _______" (I can't find my hotel. Can you please search the address with your computer?) or "Me gustaria usar su computadora. No se la direccion de mi hotel" (I would like to use your computer. I dont know the address of my hotel).DO NOT walk around asking locals. You don't want to appear lost and confused. That makes you an ideal target for getting robbed.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
TIPS ON: Using Taxi's in Peru
The taxi drivers throughout Peru are quite friendly. From the time you step in each cab, you are almost guaranteed to get a pretty regular script that will go like this (but in Spanish):
Taxi: Where are you from?
You: ___________
Taxi: How many days in Peru?
You:____
Taxi: Where are you travelling in Peru?
You: ________
Taxi: Have you been to Cusco already? It's very beautiful.
You:____________
Taxi: Do you like the Peruvian food? Cebiche? Chicharrones?
You:___________
Taxi: Did you go to the clubs/discotech?
You:______________
Taxi: Do you like the salsa, merengue and cumbia?
You: ____________
They are very very friendly.
Here are some phrases you must know for the cab:
I would like to go to ___________________ in (town).
Cuantos?
How much?
Caro! Menos por favor.
That's expensive. Charge a little less please.
Cuantos minutos a ____(destination)____?
How many minutes until ____(destination)____?
Tienes telefono? Tengo numero de telefono de mi hospedaje/hotel.
Do you have a phone? I have the number of my hostel/hotel.
*I recommend always having the number of your hostel or hotel in case the taxi driver can't find the place or the locals don't know it either. If you have already been to the hostel/hotel, pick up their card and take it with you in case you or the taxi driver gets lost when you're coming back home.
DANGER
Here are a few basic tips to stick to:
1. Only take taxi's that have that lit up taxi sign on top
1. Only take taxi's that have that lit up taxi sign on top
2. Take a taxi with the sign on top that just let someone out, so you know it's safe
3. Leave your suitcase or luggage in the trunk, so if you get stuck up by a civilian at a stop sign or something, they can't get access to whatever you might have had in your suitcase
4. If you have a purse or bag, leave it on the ground so people can't quickly open your door and grab it off the seat or your lap
5. Stand beside police or security guards when flagging down a taxi. Once when I was beside a policeman and was flagging down a taxi, the taxi driver stopped but seemed in a hurry to get me in and kept looking at the police man, like he wanted to me to get in before the police saw, so I told the taxi driver "No it's okay"
6. Do not rely on taxi's that have an oval taxi sticker on the windshield, like in the photo below. It's a fake. They are not safe and valid taxi's. The drivers pull off the sticker once you jump in, or around security and police.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
TIPS ON: Using Cruz Del Sur
Here is a walkthrough so you know exactly where to go and what to expect.
1. It is completely safe to book your ticket online or through an agency. If you choose to buy your ticket at the station that is okay too. Be advised that earlier departures may fill up.
2. Take a taxi to the Cruz Del Sur Station:
(The Lima station)
(The Ica station)
3. Go to the check-in to convert your online voucher to a real ticket with an assigned seat, or to purchase your ticket:
(Lima check-in)
(Ica check-in and baggage drop off)
4. Drop off your baggage at the baggage check. Lima has a separate area for this. Some smaller stations have the baggage drop off right where your redeem your online voucher or buy your ticket:![]()
4. Drop off your baggage at the baggage check. Lima has a separate area for this. Some smaller stations have the baggage drop off right where your redeem your online voucher or buy your ticket:
(Lima baggage drop off)
5. Ensure when you check your baggage that you keep your baggage ticket they give you, otherwise you may not be able to get your luggage back from them. At one point, I couldn’t find my baggage ticket and they said they couldn’t give me my luggage. I had to prove to them it was my bag by the address listed on my license and the address listed on my baggage tag.
6. Wait at the assigned gate about 5 minutes before your departure. Smaller stations only have one bus at a time coming in or one gate so you’ll know that it’s your bus. Additionally it says the destination in big letters.
7. They will check your passport and your ticket before your board
8. Some stations will check your baggage for weapons.
6. Wait at the assigned gate about 5 minutes before your departure. Smaller stations only have one bus at a time coming in or one gate so you’ll know that it’s your bus. Additionally it says the destination in big letters.
7. They will check your passport and your ticket before your board
8. Some stations will check your baggage for weapons.
9. V.I.P. is on the lower level, and the regular section is above
10. Check your ticket to see which seat you’re in. In this photo, you will see where it says the seat number, which in this case is number 07:
11. After your ride, you can wait outside the bus to get your bags or they will bring it into the station. Again, make sure you have your baggage ticket ready:
(People retrieving their bags after the bus ride)
END OF WALKTHOUGH
V.I.P vs Regular Seating
VIP has wider seats. They are covered in a leather-like material. There is more leg/foot space. The chairs recline much more further, so when your recline it all the way, you are almost laying straight. There are single seats available in VIP.
Both levels include t.v’s where they play movies or musical performances.
As you can see, regular seats don’t recline as much, are not as wide and have seats side by side. There are no single seats.
TIPS:
1. They say to arrive 1hour before departure, but don’t fret if you are late and arrive just 20 mins before.
2. Be aware the buses are often late. Remember when these buses pick you up, your pick-up point is also a stop-over from many other beginning locations. For example, if you’re at the bus station in Nazca, the bus may have started in Lima, stopped off in Paracas, then again in Ica and then at your point. When travelling for over 9 hours, you can’t expect the bus to be on time.
3. I would recommend VIP for longer journeys.
4. Take some food and water with you, especially when travelling to higher altitudes like Arequipa, Puno or Cusco. Take altitude tablets and coca leaves if you can buy some, because even though Cruz Del Sur normally offers coca tea, they did not offer any during my bus ride, so it’s better to be safe than in pain. Carbs and water help counter the symptoms of altitude sickness.
5. The washrooms can get nasty and sometimes it’s hard to keep the seat down with a covering of toilet paper on top, so use the washroom elsewhere before boarding or use the washroom at stop off points.
1. They say to arrive 1hour before departure, but don’t fret if you are late and arrive just 20 mins before.
2. Be aware the buses are often late. Remember when these buses pick you up, your pick-up point is also a stop-over from many other beginning locations. For example, if you’re at the bus station in Nazca, the bus may have started in Lima, stopped off in Paracas, then again in Ica and then at your point. When travelling for over 9 hours, you can’t expect the bus to be on time.
3. I would recommend VIP for longer journeys.
4. Take some food and water with you, especially when travelling to higher altitudes like Arequipa, Puno or Cusco. Take altitude tablets and coca leaves if you can buy some, because even though Cruz Del Sur normally offers coca tea, they did not offer any during my bus ride, so it’s better to be safe than in pain. Carbs and water help counter the symptoms of altitude sickness.
5. The washrooms can get nasty and sometimes it’s hard to keep the seat down with a covering of toilet paper on top, so use the washroom elsewhere before boarding or use the washroom at stop off points.
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