Next Stop Peru!

We tried our hardest to make it work. We pounded the pavements of Cartagena, wrote emails and made telephone calls, but in the end it was just to hard to get the Work Visa. So, about a week ago we decided to try to get jobs at a school in Peru that the lovely Ria suggested to us. They responded within two days (a new record for South America) and offered us the jobs!

We weighed it up and although we love Cartagena, it's going to be so much easier to work in Peru - and they have nice food there! We made up our minds and booked the flights on Wednesday. Typically, I then got an email on Thursday offering me a job at the University AND a free Work Visa! So annoying. It would have been great to work there but it's all just a bit too little, too late. So we're off to Peru on Wednesday morning.

We're actually pretty excited about it now. We've had an amazing time here and made some great friends, but it'll be good to explore somewhere new. Lots of the people we've met here are leaving in December as well so we had a little leaving party on Saturday. We started at a friends house, then headed to a club and then went drinking 'Colombian style' until 9am. Needless to say, Sunday was mostly spent in bed, with a brief visit to the Hard Rock Cafe for burgers and milkshakes.

One thing I'm not looking forward to is the journey to Peru. We are leving Cartagena on Wednesday morning and flying to Bogota, and then on to Popayan in the south of Colombia. We'll stay overnight there and then leave on a bus in the morning to cross the bus into Ecuador. From there it'll take us two busses to cross the whole of Ecuador and get into Peru, then another bus will take us to our new home in Chiclayo, Peru. A mere 30 hours on freezing cold or sweltering hot busses - I can't wait! We should get to Chiclayo on Friday or Saturday depending on the times of the busses.

Here are a few things we'll miss about Cartagena;

1. Our friends. in particular, Ian and Angela from the Aussie Cafe who been so good to us. The beautiful Angelica who is so much fun and who we'd like to smuggle back to England with us. Latvian Linda who we met at a job interview and who has shared our visa frustrations. One of the funniest people I've EVER met - Norwegian Carolina. And, of course, the lovely Iva.

2. It's beautiful. Probably the most beautiful city we've seen in South America.

3. The people (for the most part) are really friendly, fun and always willing to help (unless it's about a visa).

4. The parties. Everyone is always up for a good here and we've had some great nights out.

5. The beach. Nothing like spending the day sunbathing, taking a dip and drinking fresh juice from a coconut!

And the things we won't miss...

1. The driving. In a car or walking on the pavement you can never be sure you're safe from a lunatic driver.

2. The food. Fresh fish and coconut rice excluded - the food here could be improved.

3. Hsssssssssssssssssssssssss - as previously mentioned, it's annoying!

next blog will be from Peru!