Other notes ...

One more for the bathroom list:

11. If you touch the water knob of an electric shower AND the running water at the same time, it makes a complete circut and you get shocked. Turn the knob, take your hand off, THEN test the water. Repeat as necessary.

Other things that are a priviledge not a right:

12. Free glasses of water at resturants. Actually, really, this is a pipe dream in Peru. In Argentina if you know just how to ask, though, you can accomplish it. Sometimes.

13. Microphones in internet cafes.

14. Microphones that work in internet cafes.

14. Computers that work in internet cafes (I tried out at least 5 computers today before I got to this one).

Some travel-related things that are especially wonderful (because I realized that in being so amused by everything else, I forgot to tell you!!)!!!:

1. Hotels and hostels that let you leave things for days on end for free if you want to take off for a few days without your million pound backpacking backpack. This, wonderfully, has been every hostel Ive been to so far.

2. Coca tea. Because if youre me and caffine doesnt work you should absolutely turn to the origin of cocaine. Works like a cha-cha-charm.

3. The food, Oh-My-God, the food. I have been sick so many times now my stomach is made of iron and I can eat most street food with relatively little fear. Highlights: Lucma ice cream, fried plaintains (banana relative), unusual fruits- LOVE fresh passion fruit, FRESH CHEAP ORANGE/PAPAYA/PASSION/BANANA/ECT JUICE, picarrones (these are like fried sweet potato doughnuts and are AMAZING and I will make them when I get home), cerviche (raw seafood cured in lime juice), the freshly-caught grilled kingfish and trout from lake Titicaca, fried squeaky cheese made by Titicaca islanders, quinoa (its a grain), dulce de leche, corn/cheese/tuna empanadas, breaded eggplant, and apparently there is some kind of bug-grub street food here in Puerto that I will have to try now that Ive decided officially that my vegetarianism does not include bugs. I am an ovo-lacto-pesca-insectatarian.

4. Other travellers. Are. So. Wonderful. Last night I dropped into a pizza place for dinner alone and got adopted by a group of about 20 Americans working on a project to build an orphanage. They wouldnt let me pay for my own dinner. They were SO SO SO sweet!!!! The woman running it invited me to go horseback riding with her to ruins in the jungle ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope she was serious because I really really really want to go.

5. Friendly Peruvians. With how friendly Carla is I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ... theyre especially wonderful here in Puerto with the small-towny feel. I stick out like a sore thumb and everybody Ive met has been so open and truly kind. In three days I have recieved one invitation to dinner and one to lunch, one to coffee and picarrones, one of acompaniment to visit a nearby town (so I would be safer and I wouldnt have to go alone). One elderly man told me repeatedly that I was welcome to stay at his house for the rest of my stay in Puerto. Another guy who took me from ATM to ATM all over town until I could find one that would take my debit card. ... And not to mention all of the people that not only give me directions but personally walk me to wherever Im going so that I dont get lost. Even if its blocks away. They are protective over me when they find out that I am alone.

6. The animals. Are. Everywhere. I was almost too distracted petting the kitty in my lap to eat breakfast this morning. There are chicks (like the baby chicken) everywhere! I went out boating from the port of a nearby mining town yesterday to a jungle town up the river and they had a town parrot that they loaned me to play with while I wandered around. Im going to monkey island today, too, which is exactly what it sounds like.


.... ahhh no more time I have to go to lunch before I meet the woman who will take me to the port to go into the jungle!!!! Im staying at a jungle lake lodge (for $20 US a night!) for three nights (all food included) ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (BY THE WAY add her to the list of wonderful people ... shes letting me use her husbands name so that I wont have to pay too much to get into the national park!!)!!!!!!!!!!!