Reflections and Final Days in Lima

While waiting for our flight to Lima, we took one last stroll through Arequipa’s historic district to soak up the dry, warm climate before returning to Lima, where the weather would be less pleasant.

When evening came, a friend of Howard’s stopped by to pick us up with all our luggage. His VW Combi van, Sonia, had a hard time climbing certain streets because of the heavy load. At times, we were convinced we’d have to get out to help her make it up the hill.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally arrived at the airport. The goodbyes were heartbreaking; tears flowed, and promises to return were made. It was with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to Erika’s aunt, who had spent the whole day with us (she had put us up two years ago), as well as Howard’s father, in front of the airport’s sliding doors.

In less than two hours, we landed in Lima; this time, our ticket cost us much more than on previous trips (Latam Airlines, one of the best for domestic flights).

We took a minibus to our accommodations in the Miraflores district—a super-spacious four-bedroom apartment with all the necessary amenities.

The next day was shopping day in Gamarra, the largest textile shopping center. This industry began in the late 19th century thanks to the modernization of fabric-making machinery, but those days are long gone for one reason: the Chinese market has crushed Peru’s textile industry. That said, despite this, Gamarra remains the main hub for clothing sales in Lima and throughout Peru. The place was noisy and stressful. It spans several districts, each with its own theme (sportswear, children’s clothing, bags, etc.). In each section, the buildings rise several stories high and are veritable labyrinths. In fact, each building is a shopping center in and of itself! A truly chaotic and stressful mess. I didn’t feel comfortable there, and it really wasn’t the place for me.

In the evening, we headed to the Larcomar shopping center, a luxurious open-air mall that’s, by definition, much quieter. It’s located on the edge of a cliff along the Miraflores coast, where we went to enjoy a special pisco sour.

This morning, we get up early to have breakfast and, most importantly, to wait for the nurse who will administer our pre-departure test. (Here, a test actually includes both a PCR test and a saliva test for $50.)

Once that pleasant moment was over, we headed to Lima’s Plaza de Armas to meet up with Erika’s family for one last moment together.

We stayed in Lima for three nights before flying back to old Europe. On our last day, we went to the Bridge of Sighs to have a coffee and visit Barranco, which I’d already mentioned in an article from two years ago ( article: “Lima, the Eclectic City,”here)

In the end, we walked nearly 8 km between Barranco and Larcomar along the coast, which really worked up our appetite! We capped off our walk with a meal at the highly recommended restaurant, El Popular.

The return trip went smoothly, although, as usual when coming back from Peru, the bag checks at the Amsterdam airport were quite thorough.

The takeaway from this trip:

This trip changed my outlook on life as well as the judgment I had about myself. As I mentioned in my first travel post here, it certainly came at just the right time—though not quite as I’d imagined. Through conversations with the people I met, the family stories I heard, the love I saw in some couples, and my own self-criticism, I realized that I could truly let go in my life—that I love adventure but without risking my life or my health. Yes! I can let myself go—but with a safety harness—and when I know I can have absolute trust because someone shows me that I can rely on them. Without that, I’d have to rely only on myself, just as I always have. Even in the midst of my doubts and fears, whenever I decide to take a new turn, whatever it may be!

Rereading this paragraph, I realize that certain journeys I’ve taken in my life have not only been beneficial to my spiritual life but have also strengthened my sense of self. Often on the verge of a major decision, these experiences have allowed me to realize just how proud I can be of myself and my decisions.

When I hear people say that I’m a great adventurer, I smile right away. But when I think about it, it feels contradictory to how I actually feel—perhaps because, not so long ago, someone told me the exact opposite. That person had criticized me for never taking risks in my life when I was anxious about my fear of heights. That I wasn’t an adventurer if I wasn’t capable of standing a centimeter from the edge of a 2,000-meter-high ravine. Or simply for being afraid of losing someone dear to me while that person was standing on the edge of the precipice. But I know myself well enough to understand how my body and soul react!

I’m not crazy enough to risk my life and all my dreams for something stupid. I’ve realized that I’m more than that. I take risks in my life, but they’re calculated risks. I took the risk of changing paths when I wanted to switch careers. I took the risk of traveling to a country I didn’t know. I took the risk of living with a partner even though I had a good balance living on my own. And that’s just a few examples!

I’ve taken quite a few “risks” in my life. But in the end, these risks have sometimes led to something better, and other times, they’ve taught me a valuable life lesson in return.

And that’s just fine. Since I never close a book, the chapters of my life build upon one another so that I can remember where I came from and where I’m going. That’s how we can accept ourselves and learn from life’s lessons.

So see you soon for a new story and new adventures!

Your devoted Ninve

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