#28 Try Inca Cola

Check! 

We had our first sip of the infamous Inca Cola at Zara’s house in Lima. I kind of figured I wouldn’t like it, so I asked for just a little bit, but they’d have none of that and filled me up a whole glassful. It’s a very yellow soda pop that really does taste like bubble gum!

The Journey

Thursday Janary 12, 2012

We have been on the bus heading towards Cajamarca for the past 6 hours. Only 10 more hours to go! Hopefully we’ll be able to sleep for eight of those.  It’s been a great day! We got into Lima at about 11:00pm and Zara came and collected us at about 12:30. She has been so wonderful. She speaks quite a bit of English and has been helping us with our Spanish. She is an LDS travel agent and has even served a mission in the Lima North Mission.  Her family was so kind too. She had a maid named Dora who made us delicious food! For breakfast we had tortilla de juevos y jamon. It was like a flat omelet cut like a pizza. We also had Milo or chocolate milk and galletas or saltine crackers too. 

We then showered and got our belongings cleaned up. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch! It was delicious! We had chicken and rice on a potato with a salad of cooked carrots and beats. There was also fresh cheese, avocado and corn with awesome huge kernals! We also tried Inka Cola! We didn’t’ really like it, but we did like el jugo de mango!

After lunch we went to help Sebastian (Zara’s 16 year old nephew) in the garden. He is so nice and speaks great English. He plans on attending BYU next year! We loved him!  We gathered our things and Zara took us to the bus station at a little after four to catch our four thirty bus to Cajamarca. Each passenger is only allowed 50 lbs of baggage. I alone had well over 150 pounds of baggage. The other girls had quite a bit as well.  The whole time we were there I was praying that all would be well and that we’d make our bus and that we’d get to take all our luggage. Zara talked to the administrator and explained that our bags were full of things for poor children. He let us take all of it with us and only pay an extra $20!! I couldn’t believe it. It was so kind! I was so grateful! 

Our bus is super nice with padded reclining seats. A pillow and blanket. A movie in Spanish with English subtitles and we even played Bingo!  Las Tres de nos made bracelets of embroidery floss and Abigail and I read Mosiah 22 in Spanish and translated it with the English BOM. Our Spanish really is improving as we speak! We’ll get to Cajamarca at around 8 am and from there Brother Sandro will take us to El Bichito. We can’t wait!!

Estoy Contenta :)

We are here (Well in Lima) We are safe. We are happy. We are stinky, sweaty and dirty.
10+ hours on an airplane and several hours in an airport will do that to you.

We are stayed the night at a woman name Zara 's house. She is so wonderful and we absolutely love her and her son!

We slept like babies last night, Abigail and I in one bed, Brittany on the top bunk. We woke up to Bruno Mars and Zara's son proclaiming, "Mujeres, DESAYUNO!!!!"

Zara showed us her garden which consists of an apricot tree, a lemon tree, a fig tree and a tree with a spiky fruit that I've never heard of! It's beautiful and sunny outside, but us Rexburg rats are not used to this humidity!

Our bus to Cajamarca doesn't leave til later today, so we will play volleyball in the park, eat lunch and maybe go to the temple before then!

We are in awe that we actually made it to Peru. And guess what. We didn't have a single problem! Our baggae is safe and sound, everything was a breeze in customs and we made a new friend on the flight over (Cristian). Zara gives us Spanish lessons whenever we get the chance and we're helping her with her English.
Brittany, Abigail and I even had our first family prayer in Spanish last night and I only had to use one English word. Note to self: Look up "energy" in Spanish :)

She's making us shower (although we are more than happy to oblige) because we are quite the sight to see and have a 16 hour bus ride ahead of us! We each have about 150 pounds of luggage, but the bus has a strict 50 pounds of luggage only policy... so that will be our next adventure to hurtle.

We are SO happy and can't wait to finally reach our destination.
Thanks so much for your prayers, I promise you that we can feel them and they have helped!

Con Amor, Noelle