Monday 18 August 1997

Today I started the long trek home. I went to the airport with the group which was flying to Santa Cruz this morning. I was there a little early but it saved the cost and hassle of a taxi. Johann, from germany, is taking the same flight as I am to Miami so we will be able to share taxis in Lima. The exit formalities at La Paz were extensive and included a body search in a private cubicle as well as a special search by the drug squad. The Aero Peru flight to Lima stopped at Cuzco so we retraced our journey for the past few days. The sky was clear and we had an excellent view of lake Titicaca. At Cuzco it was interesting to watch the tourists walking slowly out to the plane and to hear them puff their way to their seats. Altitude is no joke.

We caught a taxi to the hotel Trillon in Lima and quickly checked in. I didn't do a great deal as it was good to lay around in heavy, warm air after the rigors of the last couple of weeks. I tried to get out but the hotel guard didn't want to let me go out to my own - other than in a taxi. I eventually slipped out to a small Cafe where I ordered chicharron a la calamari which turned out to be squid and fries - I didn't dare eat the salad.

Tuesday 19 August 1997

It was great to be able to tie up my boot laces without puffing and panting afterwards. We took a taxi to the airport and were able to go through formalities at our leisure. The flight to Guayaquil was good and we spent a very short time on the ground transferring to the flight to Miami. The Saeta flight to Miami was excellent - I would travel on this airline again.

Things seem to be going too well in Miami. I got through immigration and customs in record time and rechecked my bag on US Air through to Ottawa. My flight to Pittsburgh was late arriving and was pronounced a failure. I was eventually rerouted, first class, on a flight from Fort Lauderdale next morning.

I retrieved my bag and took a ground shuttle to the hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Of course I had only enough clean clothes to last me for the flight back so I had frantically to wash some things for the next day's flight.

Wednesday 20 August 1997

Up early and to the Fort Lauderdale airport. The flight through Pittsburgh was uneventful. I am not sure I like first class because of the toffee nosed people who travel that way. Maybe it was my casual clothes.

I came out of the Ottawa airport and managed to flag down an OC Transpo bus for a quick, and cheap, return home.