So heading down to Lima became quite the adventure as it took two attempts to actually get on a plane to get there. However, after a very similar Bill Murray's Groundhog's Day like adventure, including lost luggage, no money access, missing taxi driver and a broken computer, I am alive and well in Lima, Peru.
The Flight:
So my good friend Amanda forewarned me about flying through Newark. Let me pass the advise along to you: Don't do it! So after 6 hours at the airport, three of those hours sitting in a very small plane on the tarmac, I rebooked my flight through Houston. Flying through Houston was fine except that you have to realize that Houston IS in Texas. (You know...everything is bigger in Texas and all that garbage.) If you're not a Bush fan then you will be really put off to the shrine in between the terminals to GHB and Barbara -- I actually didn't mind it. (I really do love all of my Texan friends but really...can we get a grip?) Any who...both of my flights were extremely full and I got the privilege of sitting next to some of the most junior of fliers. I traded my seat with an older Peruvian man so that he could sit with his wife and daughter. This enabled me to sit next to a 4-year-old girl who was preparing to be the flower girl at a wagon train wedding. (I envision this as something like My Best Friend's Wedding meets City Slickers...have no idea but that was what came to mind.) She and I had a nice chat about butterflies and if I had any children.
The flight to Peru was sitting next to Guillermo, a 5-year-old boy who was extremely proud to be Texan and loved Sponge Bob. (I probably should have offered to trade my seat with one of his parents, but I just wasn't willing to give up my aisle seat for a middle seat on a 6 hour flight. Plus I already gave up my seat once that day. :-)) Well, Guillermo had nothing to do so I ended up playing babysitter with the kid...helping him with dinner, tracing his hand print, playing hand games and how weird can we twist our fingers, trying to convince him that he should give one of the movies a try, et cetera. Actually he was a pretty fun kid, but I have to admit I was pretty happy when the electronic Memory game captivated his attention.
Arrival in Lima:
So I finally arrived in Lima around 11 pm CST on Friday evening only to have my luggage, which they failed to pull off the Newark flight, not be there. Ughhh...so probably 30 minutes later my bag came in on another Continental flight..Pffew! I was so grateful for that blessing. I couldn't find my taxi driver who could not speak a lick of English and my limited Spanish was not helping either. I'm sure he was sick of hearing me say, "No comprendo." After asking a very nice bilingual man to help us find each other (via the cell phone), we were off to a ATM machine and then my apartment. One thing I learned this evening is that ATM machines are not always reliable in Peru and possibly other similar countries. Sometimes your ATM card works and sometimes it doesn't. This can be a problem if you have no cash as it was for me.
When I arrived to the location of my apartment, there was some confusion as to if they even had a place for me as the key was left for Shayla Finga. The guy, who spoke no English, looked at me like I was crazy to even question if this was really me. (I should have written my actual name for him so he could understand my bewilderment.) But I decided I would take the place even if it wasn't mine because I was tired and had no money so my options were limited at 12:35 am. (I'm finding that the Peruvians have a difficult time with my name as I have now seen many different interpretations including Chayla and Xina.)
Once in my apartment, I went to get on line to see what was wrong with my ATM card only to find out that my laptop would not work. It had symptoms of your hard drive is crashing...meaning a DOS screen. If this weren't a brand new computer that may not be so surprising (especially if you were familiar with my old computer that was louder than window air conditioning units). By the way, I totally blame TSA and their absurd screening process for damaging my computer. I then went to take a shower only to realize I have no hot water. "Hello Sheila. Welcome to a developing nation." I decided right then and there I will never under-appreciate a hot shower again!
Luckily, my Lingo Internet router phone worked and I was able to call my Mom and have a good cry about my frustration and what have I gotten myself into. Of course this dialogue made me even more aware that working almost 5 years for Accenture enjoying the luxury of business travel has probably ruined me...I clearly have issues coping with anything less than American 3 star status. How pathetic have I become? I think I need to go out and do some roughing it camping or something...hey I have an idea...let's spend 6 weeks in Lima, Peru. ;-) In the midst of my near breakdown...I decided that I was clearly tired, my head was pounding and I needed sleep...so I hit the sack.
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3 comments:
Glad to read your blog. Hope most things are worked out and know you will have the "hang of it" there in a short time. Mom
You and Benjamin should swap stories! You can definitely relate to each other. Hope you enjoy your stay!
Hmm... I knew I should have gone with you. At least to get you there. And perhaps I didn't do enough to brief you before you went. Sorry. Be prepared for anything. Of course, I can't speak exactly for Peru, but occasionally the power would be turned off for periods of time. That was often due to a lack of rain, so I was told.
I don't know how Lima is, but yeah, I didn't have hot water when I was on the coast. I didn't want it, anyways. It was too dang hot and humid and I didn't have a/c. But if you have a/c, then you're living the high life. In mountains, we had electric showerheads. This means that you control the temperature of the water with how much water. If you want hotter water, you run less water. If you run more water, it'll be colder because the showerhead can't heat up that much water as quickly. (Just a note in case you see those.)
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