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I'm Izzy, 19 years old and very close to going off to South America. On the sixth of January 2013, I leave idyllic, peaceful and bubble-like Bath, Somerset for Arequipa, Peru to begin my eight months on the other side of the world.

6th January- Miami
So I'm not even in the continent yet as currently I am facing a seemingly long wait of nine hours at Miami Airport, gateway of the Carribean and South America- place of boulchy immigration and to what I imagine is my first taste of native South Americans!  After establishing that I wanted a pen at this cafe by my gate, I realise my Spanish just isn't that good and the staff are circling like sharks to ensure I return said pen- its very distracting and will probably cause writer's block.
I am so unbelievably tired and cannot grasp that A- I'm no longer in the UK as I haven't been outside in hours and B, I'm going to the continent I've wanted to go to for years. Hmm..also C, I've left familarity in a haze of fatigue and other things... and won't return for eight months. My journey's started and I can't acknowledge it.
If I'm honest I want someone I know here with me now- I'm pretty lonely which is a feeling that will return to me at some points during the next eight months. I'm asking myself, have I in fact for once taken on something too ambitious. I'm determined but I'm worried that I've been too blasé about S.A and it is just as dangerous as the cynics say. I'm lacking energy and the sharks want their pen back. Will update in a bit, with a bought pen!
7th January- Lima
So I've landed and I wonder how long it will take me not to write in this diary so much. I've got a pen! Ran off with it in the Cruz Del Sur bus terminal after acquiring it to unlock a padlock that I managed to fuck up somehow. Basically it locked without me confirming a combination code on my backpack- looking back it was definitely because my head wasn't in the game and I had already been panicing on arrival in Lima. Most people will know now probably of how badly I got ripped off on one taxi fare..I obviously look like the timid girl who would pay anything as long as it got me to a bus terminal and out of smoggy and grimy Lima. This is the last time that approach will work. My card got rejected so I couldn't even really pay him leaving me wondering more this time what I'd do about budgetting and money full-stop. I remember actively deciding that I didn't care about being ripped off this one time with made up exchange rates- too tired and too worried.
Lima is not growing on me but after a fresh change of clothes I feel better. No wonder no one has anything nice to say about the capital! The Peruvians seem a little reserved but genuinely kind. Ahh...had to pinch myself I'm here!! My mind carries on wandering...just as well as this wait is eight hours.