I realize now that blogs should be posted immediately or closely following an experience not all in one night under the dim nightlight of a 2-in-1 wireless charger lamp you bought during prime day. Never the less. Here is my memorable ride from the Lima airport.
So after I got my study abroad grant I was bouncing off the walls. The last semester of college was SO frustrating, sitting through exams, 80 minute lectures thinking about how in one week I would dining on the finest cuisine in South America and speaking Spanish on a daily basis. Fast forward a few months and after 2-days of bus travel, a 15 hour plane ride, and a humbling hour standing in customs I arrived at Jorge Chavez International Airport.
Jorge Chavez Int'l Airport
Image by Peru For Less
It was 11pm, I was jet lagged as hell, and had been traveling for a solid 4 days so needless to say I wasn't in the best head space. I called an Uber and stood swaying under the bright lights of the airport terminal with my giant pack strapped to my back.
Before the Uber could get to me, a nice man approached me trying to solicit his taxi services:
Hola amigo! Taxi? Adonde Vas? Where are you staying? Donde te estas quedando señor? Ingles, Español?
After much deliberation he convinced me to cancel my Uber and for a mere 50 soles(~10 USD) offered to take me in his private taxi to my AirBnb, how could I refuse. He instructs me to sit in the car and wait for him to return. Maybe 10-15 minutes pass and I contemplated leaving the car and getting an Uber but exhaustion got the better of me so I stayed, a decision I would later regret. He comes back after about 20 minutes and we begin the drive. IMMEDIATELY, he tries to start conversation asking me where I'm from why I was in Peru, and pointing out the historical/cultural sites as we passed- It felt like I was on an involuntary guided audio tour of a museum. To every question he asked me the default prelude to my answer was like "I am REALLY tired but..." nonetheless conversation continued, in Spanish I might add. He took me on a drive along the base of the beautiful Malecón pointing out the architecture and neighborhood delineations as we pass through them. I could tell by the passion in his voice he would make a great tour guide but hey profit over passion and profit he did.
Malecón de Miraflores
Photo by Dasha, a good friend of mine
About 3/4 of the journey in he pulls out this small card and slyly says "Amigo, precios aca". Amigo what "prices" you said 50 soles to go to my Airbnb the same prices as the Uber, 5-0. And he responds "No this is a special private company, 300 soles to Miraflores" while pointing to the sheet emphatically. Just to be clear that is a jump from $10 USD to $80. and what bothered me even more was that I had only brought $100 USD thinking there was no way I would burn through that in a day. We go back and forth, I tell him straight up he's ripping me off...although I didn't know how to say scam so I just kept repeating that it was unfair and he knew that. Refusing to be taken, I talk him down $10- I know impressive right- and pay the man his money. I walk up to my new apartment defeated, angry, but eternally thankful for sleep.
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