My favorite State Department comments (in no particular order) about
travel in Peru…and this is a country not on the restricted list:
1. Drivers
should not travel alone on rural roads, even in daylight.
2. Inter-city
bus travel is dangerous. Armed robbers force passengers off buses and steal
their belongings.
3. The Shining Path terrorist group remains
active in Peru and has previously expressed an intention to target U.S.
interests. Sporadic incidents of Shining Path violence have occurred in the
recent past in rural provinces within the Regions of Ayacucho, Cusco,
Huancavelica, Huánuco, and Junín. Hey what a coincidence, these are the providences
I plan on being in!
4. Emergency Zones designated by the Government
of Peru and areas where terrorist groups or narcotics traffickers are known to
operate or have recently resorted to violent actions. Overland travel in or
near these areas, particularly at night, is risky. The following list contains
the current restricted zones: Parts of the Apurimac, Ayacucho, and Cusco. Well dang! This is the first river leg of my
adventure! C’mon on Peru, what gives!
Bummer, because the list goes on for the
entire desired route!
5. Violent Crime: Violent crime, including carjacking, assault,
sexual assault, and armed robbery is common in Lima and other large cities. The
Embassy is aware of reports of women being sexually assaulted in their place of
lodging, or after their drinks were drugged while visiting bars or nightclubs. I
better watch my drinks…oops did I say that with a lisp!
6. "Express kidnappings," in which
criminals kidnap victims and seek to obtain funds from their bank accounts via
automatic teller machines, occur frequently.
7. Taxis and Road
Crime: Passengers who hail
taxis on the street have been assaulted and robbed. Street taxis are not well
regulated and are often used as a front by criminals to rob unsuspecting
victims. Do not hail taxis on the street.
For a minute there I thought I
was in NY.
8. Theft: Travelers should guard against the theft of
luggage and other belongings, particularly U.S. passports, at the Lima airport.
At
the airport…I know some really good airport managers!
9. Street Crime: Thieves often smash car windows at traffic
lights to grab jewelry, purses, backpacks, or other visible items from a car.
This type of assault is very common on main roads leading to and from Lima's
International Airport. Street crime is
also prevalent in cities in Peru's interior, including Cusco, Arequipa, Puno,
and Juliaca. U.S. citizens traveling alone or in unescorted groups are more
vulnerable to street crime. Snap, I was hoping Lima was the only
problem area.
10. Tourists should be particularly cautious when
visiting the Sacsayhuaman ruins outside Cusco. They should not travel alone,
but rather in as large a group as possible. There have also been reports of
tourists being robbed by armed men who may be affiliated with politically
motivated terrorist groups. What happened to leaving tourists alone and
just drug and gang related violence – like the good ole USVI.
11. Clandestine, impromptu roadblocks can appear
on even major highways, where bus and automobile passengers are robbed.
12. Fraud: Counterfeit U.S. currency is a growing and
serious problem in Peru. There have also been several reported incidents of
counterfeit currency being paid out as winnings by casinos.
Gives
a new meaning to “Adventure Travel” Any last minute takers who want to go with me?
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