Well, I made it to where I was supposed to be without any problem! Here's how my first couple of days went.

I arrived at the Lima Airport at night and then was immediately ripped off. I needed to get a taxi to a hostel in the middle of the city, so I talked to this taxi driver and he said it was 18 to get there. I tried to talk him down to 15, but he was firm, so I said okay, assuming he meant 18 nuevo soles (or $6). But then when we got to the hostel, I tried to pay him and he said it was 18 dollars. So I got upset and even had him call the other guy I had talked to, but he said it was 18 dollars because it was a service of the airport. So I paid him, close to tears (mainly just for sympathy). All I was thinking was Why would they quote me in US dollars? We're in Peru!

The hostel turned out to be fine; I shared a room with this Japanese guy who talked my ear off. The next morning I took a cab back to the airport (I only paid $5 this time, so I sort of felt justified) and then took a plane to Juliaca. From there, I jumped in a colectivo headed for Puno. A colectivo is a big van, but it works kind of like a shared taxi. The driver calls out where he's headed, and then when it's full, we take off. Puno was where I was supposed to meet Moises, the guy I've been corresponding with the last few weeks. It took a little while, and some help from a local guy, but I found him at the bus terminal. Then we took a colectivo to Chucuito, the town I'm staying in for this first month. So it took awhile, but I finally made it here!

Here I am in the colectivo.

I live in a hostel, but they don't get many guests, so right now (and most likely the entire time), it's just me and Señor Santiago, the owner. I have a tiny double room, with a bathroom outside around the corner. My mattress is super hard and my pillow is so heavy it feels like a rock. But it's fine for me. Right outside my door is a big flowering plant, which is nice, except that it attracts a ton of bees so I have to hurry and shut my door when I leave so they don't come in my room. There's also a small field right outside my room where three alpacas live. Yes, I have alpacas for pets, can you believe it!?!

The door to my room (with the bee plant!)

Inside my roomThe bathroom sink made of stoneThe yard outside my room

I'll write more later; right now I want some lunch!