The Voyages of Nathan: Random observations

Today is my last day in Peru. I thought this would be a good opportunity to reflect on some of my observations of my time in the country.

I’m still used to thinking of motorcycles as primarily for personal transportation. Here, though, it’s not uncommon to see motorcycles carrying entire families, with 3, 4, even 5 people huddled together, the mother holding a baby in one arm while holding on with another, or sitting side-saddle for the sake of propriety. No one here wears helmets.

Many people are under the misimpression that roosters only crow at dawn. This is untrue. Roosters crow every 8 seconds, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Also, roosters are insane.

One of the joys of living with ecologists: it’s your best chance to actually learn how many ways there are of skinning a cat:

(Found dead along a highway, collected as a museum specimen).

Things that are cheap in Peru: ground travel (2 hour van ride: $6), food (full meal, including appetizers and drinks: $2.50), lodging (overnight stay at hostel: $6)

(Pictured: street food, pigeon eggs).

Things that are expensive in Peru: postcard stamps to the US ($2.50), anything from a pharmacy (probably because the process is so convoluted, requiring stops at three separate stations just to purchase some shampoo or sunscreen).

Things that are hard to find in Peru: microwaves, multiple menus per table, hand towels, cans of soup, peanut butter, most groceries from the U.S. It's not that supermarkets don't exist here - just that their selection is very limited.