Driving and automobiles...

Aside from flying into Lima, my only experience with transportation in Peru thus far has been in cars. Taxis are my preferred method of travel, considering that the other two available options are driving or taking the bus. Before I explain why I love taxis so much, I'll tell you why I do not take my other options.

Driving in Lima is insane. First of all, the traffic can get really bad (like many large cities), so it can just be a pain to sit in traffic sometimes. Not that this is avoided by taking a taxi, but at least I don't have to be the one cursing the traffic. Also, drivers in Lima do not seem to abide by traffic laws, or maybe there aren't traffic laws. Crossing the street is like playing the game Frogger... cars do not stop for pedestrians at all. I have only ridden with one American driver so far, and he seemed to have a pretty good handle on the traffic--I was pleasantly surprised. Overall, I am content not to drive here, which really surprises me as I generally love to drive.

Buses might as well not be an option for me, because I don't think you could pay me to take one. By buses I don't mean the luxury buslines that take you across the country, because I am doing that later this week. I am talking about "combis", the little microbuses that make seemingly random routes about town. Most of them are crowded, outdated minibuses that spew exhaust fumes. Lima has quite a smog/air pollution problem and I'm sure combis do not help. I'm sure that they are inexpensive, but I would rather not have to sit in close quarters with strangers while getting confused and lost in a big city.

And so I take taxis everywhere. I actually have my own cab driver who drives me to and from work every day, his name is Carlos. He and his wife own a cab service that they operate from their home called "DonTaxi". He's reliable, punctual and exceptionally friendly. My boss set me up with him because Neil (my landlord, of sorts) uses him to get around. I just call when I need a ride and his wife (Doris, I think) sets it up for us. While I generally think that taxis should be regulated, I kind of enjoy this bit of the informal economy. Carlos and I chat about family and work, he speaks slowly to me and I can practice my Spanish. All in all, a sweet deal. Plus it's only 12 soles (4 dollars) each way. I guess that didn't really explain why taxis are preferable to other forms of transportation, but just that I really enjoy my daily cab rides...