On my way home!
Trip Start
Mar 06, 2005
1
25
27
Trip End
May 27, 2005
Lima,
Peru
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
A bit of the time I will kill playing around on the internet - for example, updating my website - like I did just there - and there again. (I give credit to Monty Python for that bit of attempted humor. It was funnier when they did it.)
I managed to get myself on the "other" side in the airport. Normally passengers have to pay a $25 departure tax when leaving the Lima airport, but as a transit passenger, if you ask for a transit visa, then you don't have to pay that tax and you can enjoy the benefits of the "other" side - such as this (expensive!) internet shop and restaurants and other shops and in general a more pleasant place to pass the time than the departure lounge. Many people don't know about this possibility, but, like most things in life these days, I found out about it on the internet.
I also bought a couple of books in Buenos Aires, among them James Joyce's semi-autobiographical "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". I expect to be able to polish that one off during my wait here at the airport.
Still, as painful as it seems right now, I can say from experience that time has always passed before, and this time will be no different. It will pass and eventually I'll get home.
While I'm thinking about it, I'll add some thoughts about the girls of Buenos Aires: Disappointing! Perhaps I was expecting too much, but they were no prettier than average. It might be just me, or it might be because I was in Brazil before, but in Brazil I would see a pretty girl about every five minutes; in Buenos Aires no more than once a day. (Whereas EVERY girl who looked at me got to see a handsome guy. Not fair, is it?!)
And now, while I have a little time, I'll mention a few of the things I think I accomplished on this trip:
(1) I got to see a lot of places in South America. I had been dreaming and planning about this trip for many years, and I'm pleased to say that I did it - or at least most of it. (The countries that I left out this time - plus a few more - will definitely be visited on a future trip.)
(2) I think I managed to set my feet in the most countries possible while covering the shortest distance possible. I don't know if that's something to brag about, but I found it to be a bit of a challenge.
(3) I met lots of wonderful people, way beyond what I would have expected. (I expected to meet three wonderful people and I ended up meeting eight. I'm sure that at least Bruce will find that comment funny.) Somehow there always seemed to be someone friendly there whenever I needed help. Thanks to all of you, by the way.
(4) I even managed to learn a bit about travelling, in spite of the fact that I'm no novice traveller. I really feel like I have become a better traveller after this trip. (As a small aside, one of the most useful things that I brought along on this trip were Zip-Lock bags! There are THOUSANDS of uses for them.)
Okay, that's about all for now. I'll perhaps be able to add to this list once I get home in a couple of days. Speaking of which, that's one of the things that I love about travel: I get to enjoy looking forward to going; then I get to enjoy the trip itself; then I get to enjoy going home! Three pleasures for the price of one!
