Roads to Ruins; In Peru - Day 1

Peru: June/July 2008


Day 1: Lima Airport.
Not a Good Start

Friday, June 6, 2008.

Was wondering why I kept hearing my name announced on the loudspeakers at Lima Peru’s Chavez International Airport. The plan was to fly to Cuzco, Peru from Charlotte, North Carolina by way of Toronto, then Lima. First I heard my name announced in Toronto. I talked with Tracey who sat with me on the plane from Toronto to Lima. I said, “I coulda sworn I heard my name announced.” We landed at Lima, went thru customs at 1AM, afterwards attempting to sleep while waiting for a morning flight to Cuzco. Actually, I was waiting for my wife who was arriving separately on a 6 AM flight, then would fly later that morning to Cuzco.

At the airport we stretched out and slept sporadically. Foot traffic to the food court was not conducive for deep sleep. “Wake up you losers,” was one charming comment we overheard. I thought I heard my name announced periodically throughout the night but figured they were saying Lewis Sherman or something similar. Finally, my wife’s flight at 6 AM brought me to the main floor arrivals area where all announcements were loud and clear: “Lew Herman report to the Public Service desk”, was what I heard. That was shockingly clear and at the nearby service desk, two smiling women were telling me in slightly garbled English that I had a message saying, “Beth Wilkinson is still in Miami.”

I found the all night internet and phone shop easily because we were dozing 20 feet from it. I phoned Beth’s cell, which I knew she wouldn’t take to Miami and reached her with great relief. Her story was worse than mine. “I waited 5 hours in Charlotte for the American Airlines plane from Miami and it never arrived. Then American Airlines lost everyone’s luggage for 2 and a half more hours, even though it never left the airport. Been trying to reach you ever since. Had to phone every hour all night long as the Lima airport wouldn’t take any messages. Hope to be on the same flight tomorrow.”

What a disappointment! What to do? Make a plan. OK. Don’t stay in Lima. Take my scheduled flight to Cuzco and meet Beth there; somehow, later.