OMG We have just given a Stranger $1500 !!

ANOTHER ADVENTURE OR MISADVENTURE IN PERU 🇵🇪

So After a LONG flight from Sydney to Santiago transit then onto Lima another 10 hour quick sleep we are at Lima Domestic Airport ready to fly to Cusco to Start our Adventure to explore Machu Picchu & beyond……

Getting to know the locals

Tired 💤 Exhausted & Jet Lagged we are walking through airport, bags checked, boarding cards now coffee.
Well from out of no where a little middle aged lady approaches asking us if we are going to Cusco ( really the hiking clothes, boots ,& backpack doesn’t give it away ) we, always being polite say Yes we are!

“We’ll have you got transport on arrival “

No we didn’t thought we would pick up a taxi , we’ll this little kind lady says she can organise transportation on arrival directly from baggage area to our hotel only $10USD payable now.

Being so tired , our thinking was that sounds good & let’s be honest it’s only $10 if they don’t turn up.!!

Arriving at Cusco Airport there is a SIGN with our first names written on old cardboard.

Nancy & Jorge are there to greet us ,help with our bags as we are load ourselves into their car.

We set off to a hotel I’ve researched it’s a small boutique hotel in Art area of town plus they have oxygen bottles in lobby for us .

We Arrive , tired, lacking oxygen ( thank goodness for those bottles) Nancy asks if we have our program worked out.

Well I knew what we wanted to do, a couple of days to get attitude adjusted before heading off to Aguas Calientes & Machu Picchu travelling by first class train , 2 nights stay .

A tour of Saqsaywaman, The Scared Valley, plus a city tour .

DONE!!!! Says Nancy my tour office can arrange everything you need , tours, transportation , hotels .

WOW that was too easy, in respect it’s pretty much what everyone wants to do however.

Nancy gets out her calculator adds up everything comes to about $1500 USD .

I already had done lots of investigation & knew that is was great value & think also saves a lot of time.
BUT !!!!! Nancy explains she needs money upfront to get plans underway so we can start our city adventure tomorrow & book train, entry to Machu Picchu with hotel.

Jorge says that we have a great program & we are wise to spend 3 days in Cusco to acclimatise & he will be our driver .

Well with that we hand over $1500 cash ( they met us at the airport after all ) & say see you manana & fall into our room.

So about 3 hours later I wake up !!!!!
F$&k what have we done! Panic rose in my body & thought it’s OK I’ll just ring the number on invoice & confirm tomorrow’s pickup…….

ring, ring no answer but I beeping sound.

quickly I head down to reception & ask if they could ring & tell me the message………phone not answering no number , no response!

Shit have we just been conned out of $1500 , our fault we think trusting in kindness etc ……

Well folks the next morning at 730 am there was Jorge & Nancy to take us on our city tour, train tickets, printed itinerary in hand & our adventure started.

We enjoyed the amazing city of Cusco, it’s ruins, but most importantly the beautiful people.

At the end of our week in Cusco I gave Nancy some pretty hair accessories, a little backpack I had plus some $$$, we gave Jorge a generous tip as well.
It was received with tears of joy & gratitude & the next morning before our last drive with Jorge to airport we were meet with all the family to offer their thanks & gratitude in helping their family do a good job.

So moral to story we did trust and thankfully it turned out for the best. Lesson learned…..

Have a sleep , we should have gone to office.

Being polite is want scammers are hoping you will be.

Be forceful if it feels uneasy listen to your instincts.