The sea is beautiful at Paracas. Please come and visit.
Sorry for the long introduction. Nice to meet you. I’m Shoko Yamamoto. I’m a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) currently working as an event coordinator at the Museo de Sitio Julio C. Tello de Paracas (the Julio C. Tello On-site Museum, Paracas), a museum in Paracas, Ica Province, Peru. The Paracas museum displays artifacts (pottery, textiles, mummies, etc.) unearthed in Paracas Bay, providing a whole lot of opportunities to learn about Paracas culture, the culture preceding Nazca culture. I will tell you all about the museum in another article.
This is my first event. It gives you an idea of what my work is like.
I guess the first things that pop into your head when you hear the word “Peru” are of course Machu Picchu and the Nazca lines, right? (They were for me.) I have only been in Peru for 150 days, but I have come to understand gradually that it definitely looks as though those are not the only fascinating things about Peru. So I intend to bring to you all the interesting and fun things I have experienced in Peru, and I will do my best in these articles to ensure you think “Even though Peru’s a bit far, maybe I should go and have a look” and consider Peru as a choice for your next trip. First I will give you some basic information about Peru (“What’s Peru like?”), bit by bit. I keep on saying it, but I really hope lots of people come and enjoy Peru, so I will start with how to get here.
There are no direct flights from Japan to Peru. You usually get to Peru via America (a city like Houston, Atlanta, or New York). You enter the country at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, the capital, which they say is one of the most important airports in South America.
And as I write this, I remember that the flight I was scheduled to take on Delta Air Lines (transfer in Atlanta) was canceled and at the last minute I got to Peru on Air France flights (transfer in Paris), which were very long.
I have been a fan of the film Gone with the Wind since my childhood and have been secretly looking forward to setting foot in Atlanta, so I was disappointed about the change of flights for that reason too.
Here are the flights I took to get to Peru.
(1) From Haneda Airport, Japan to Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in Paris, France (about 15 hours)
5-hour stopover in Paris
(2) Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, Paris, France to Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima (about 13 hours)
I was honestly amazed that despite being on airplanes for about 28 hours, the date of my arrival in Peru was still the same as the date of my departure from Japan.
The time difference is an amazing 14 hours!!
I’ve arrived in Peru
So, I had an incredibly precious experience, traversing the 3 continents of Asia, Europe, and South America in 1 day (unbelievable!), but my behind hurt a bit, so my personal recommendation is to go via America.
Except, for the first time in my life I entered the country on a green official passport and didn’t need to wait in a long snaking line for immigration inspection but sailed through a lane with no one in it.
There are one or two other things I’d like to write about Peru here, but the article will get too long, so I’ll say “Adios!” This has been Shoko Yamamoto from Paracas, Peru.
