northampton, ma

I have read and read so much about Lima, and everything told me: be careful. It's known as one of the most dangerous cities in South America (probably in the world), so being on your guard is a must. Of course, if you have been travelling since 9 pm the previous day, and it's now 8 pm the day later, fatigue might infringe on one's better judgement.

I left for the San Francisco airport at 9 pm on Tuesday and got into Lima at 8 pm Wednesday. Long, long trip involving 3 airports and 3 separate planes. So here I am in Lima. Being that this is the southern hemisphere and the seasons are reversed, it was completely dark outside by the time I arrived. This, I think to myself, is not to my advantage. I had been worried about the taxi ride necessary to get me from the airport to my hostel, as there are many many stories of cab drivers who assault their customers, or drive somewhere and dump off their customer and make away with that person's belongings.

So wanting to avoid these unpleasant scenarios, I called my hostel and tried to arrange for them to pick me up. They had such a service, but their driver was gone for the night. I was basically on my own, meaning I had to go out and find my own taxi. Finding them is no problem, as once you get into the main lobby of the airport you're literally mobbed with catcalls of cab drivers trying to get you to hop in their cab rather than the taxi of their competitors. I avoid this scene and go outside to where the taxis are all parked.

A couple guys walked up to me offering their services. I didn't like the feel one guy gave off, so I talked with the other one. I made sure to check his documentation, he seemed legit. We settled on a price up front, another common sense thing that you are always told to do. We walked to his cab, and I checked that out to make sure it has all the right stickers on it. It appeared to have them, but given all that I had read about cabbies in Lima, I was still very hesistant. I finally decided to go with him, since if I didn't pick somebody I wouldn't be going anywhere. I was tired and wanted to get to my hostal, have a beer, and get some sleep.

So I go to get in his back seat, and the guy tells me "No no, you don't want your stuff there, put it in the trunk where it is more safe. Some people break the windows of cars parked in traffic or at street lights and open the door and take all your stuff. Trunk is more secure." Seemed like good logical advice, so in the trunk went my stuff. I went and sat in the front seat, and off we went into Lima.

Things got weird when he asked me for money so he could get gas. I have never once had this happen to me, it's a cab ride so you pay at the end, right? I said as much, but he said no, no, this is Peru, if a taxi needs gas on the way to the destination, the customer pays as part of the cab fare. So I said fine, and gave him 30 soles (the Peruvian currency, 30 soles is roughly $10), which was the original fare we agreed upon. We stopped at a gas station, filled up, and went on our way again.

Then things got worse. He says, where is the rest of my money. I had no clue what he was talking about, I already gave him the 30 soles that was the original price. I said as much, and he replied, "No, the original price was 30 dollars. Not 30 soles. It costs 30 dollars to get from the airport to Barranco (the neighborhood I was staying in)." At this point in time I knew that I was getting fucked. From the research I did, virtually every source said the average cab fare from the airport to Barranco was 30 soles or 10 dollars (people use both currencies here). And here this guy says he wants 20 more dollars from me.

I tell him no, we agreed on a price. He continues arguing with me, and at this point we are driving through some shady, dark, deserted streets. Lima is not a pleasant city for the most part, and on this ride I saw the most part. We argue and argue, taxing my knowledge of Spanish, and eventually I am just saying "no!" to his demands. Then he mentions that if I do not give him the money, he will use his cell phone and call the police and tell them I am refusing to pay the fare. His voice and the way he talked had gone from pleasant at the start of the ride to a demeanor that was now rather threatening. It was a "you will pay, or else" message he was now sending.

Yikes - major fear entering my body. I was flipped the fuck out at this point. For all I know the "police" could show up rather than the police, or to put it another way, he could call 5 of his friends to come and beat the crap outta me and take my stuff. Or he could call and the real police could show up, only maybe they would be crooked cops that he knows, or hell maybe even he doesn't know them but they turn out to be police who see a tourist in a vulnerable position and decide to take advantage of him. From my vantage point, him calling anybody to come into our argument seemed like an action that would put me at a distinct disadvantage. And I already was at a big disadvantage to begin with.

In this position, the cab driver has all the power. He has the phone, he has the car, and my stuff is in his trunk. I could get out and run, if I was expecting bodily harm to come to me, but ditching all your possessions so you could run through downtown Lima, lost and after dark, is not a good option.

So he keeps repeating that if I give him 30 dollars (suddenly the price had rose, remember that I was only 20 dollars short, according to him, originally?) that he would get me to Barranco. The entire time I am trying to calculate my options, in my very tired and stressed out head. I decide that I would go ahead and pay him, as playing along would probably be the only way I get out of this shitty scenario with my stuff in hand and my body unharmed. This is another thing you always read: just go along and do whatever they tell you if they have the upper hand, the consequences of not doing so could be a lot worse than simply losing out on some money.

I did not have that much cash on me, so we had to go to an ATM. I was really wary of getting out of the car at this point, what if he simply drove away with my bags? But I took out the money he wanted, and he waited. Thank god. I get back in the cab, and we set off. I can tell we are actually going to Barranco because we keep following signs pointed in that direction. At this point I can tell that I would get to my hostel. I should have been relieved, but the only things going through my mind was anger and fear, knowing that this guy had just fucked me, but that there was nothing I could do about it.

About 20 minutes later we got to the hostel, and I walked in, bags in hand, and $40 lighter. Considering all the rather worse alternatives, getting scammed for $30 is not so bad. And I guess I get a good story out of it. Sorry Mom. Don't have a heart attack, I definitely learned some lessons that I will put to use next time. So hopefully there won't be one.