The Journey

I had a lot of layover time and no free internet, so I wrote all by blog entries in South American airports and am posting them all now.

Disaster narrowly avoided
Late Sunday night I tried to check in to my flight from ABQ to LAX on Southwest. It was around 10 and my flight was at 9:40 so I was within the 24 hour check-in deadline. I kept getting an error message saying I was too earlier but that didn't make sense. So after calling Southwest it turns out I had booked a ticket for Tuesday and not Monday night. Oops. My flight out of LAX was at 1:35 am Tuesday morning so I needed to be in the airport by then. Luckily Southwest is awesome so I switched my flight easily.

In L.A.
Since I was switching airlines, from Southwest to TACA, I had to go pick up my luggage when I got off the plane in L.A. After getting my 50.5 lb bag (no overweight charge, yay!) I took the shuttle to the international gates. When I got to the TACA counter I was amazed at how long the line was. It snaked around in front of the counter and then went outside and down the sidewalk for a ways. After double checking I was in the right line I began the wait. The line was actually moving pretty quickly but there were just so many people! Some people had at 5 suitcases and there were a lot of Smarte Cartes being rented to carry all the baggage. I didn't see many people travelling alone, most were in family groups. When I finally got to the counter I found out passengers were only allowed one carry on (I had two) or they had to pay a $125 fee. So I unloaded the essentials into my backpack and checked my duffle. The rest of the airport was pretty uneventful although I was very disappointed LAX had push faucets, which is so 90's. I had trouble finding a decent electrical outlet too. I had to hold my cell charger just so in the socket. I boarded and as I was heading to my awesome window seat, there was a woman sitting right in my 13A. Luckily the flight attendant was nearby and politely set her straight. She scooted over to 13B but I think she was still envious of my window view since her elbow kept making it waaay over into my seat. Breakfast was a choice of eggs and potatoes of tostada frances (french toast) I went for the french toast which was actually pretty good (I've liked all the airplane food I've had, I'm not really picky).

San Salvador, El Salvador
We landed in San Salvador and I headed to my gate. I passed a souvenir shop (magnets!) but supressed the urge to stop until I found my gate. I also passed a pupuseria (they sell pupusas, which are like little savory pancakes with the filling mixed inside the batter). We recently went to a pupuseria in Albuquerque and I wasn't wowed; they were tasty but nothing to go back for. I found my gate and as fate would have it there was another little gift shop right across from it. I double checked to make sure the shop took dollar and it turns out that's the currency in El Salvador(?) I am now the proud owner of a toucan keychain and magnet that proclaim I've been to El Salvador.  The toucan is on my backpack near my map of Brazil keychain and the magnet will eventually get sent home for the fridge. Our fridge is pretty well traveled. It's been around California, all around Pennsylvania, Las Vegas, Disney World, Washington D.C., New York City, Niagara Falls, and around Brazil.
On the plane to Lima, Peru lunch was french toast or ham crepes. Clearly went with the crepes.

Lima, Peru
The Lima International airport is quite nice. We've moved into the 21st century with automatic faucets (LAX...) and lots of nice shops and charging stations. Sadly no free WiFi, you have to pay for the stuff here in the airport. I have become the WiFi Help Desk as four people have asked me if there is WiFi here. Only if you pay for it. Hope I'm right! I guess the pink netbook is inviting. After seven epic hours of layover (not really... I read a lot and stared off into the distance from time to time) it was time for my final flight to Montevideo. Snuggled up in the window seat I went to sleep as we took off. I woke up a little while later to dinner being served. Choices were pasta or BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans (so yummy). I fell asleep after dinner and it felt like almost immediately I was awoken by our landing.

Montevideo, Uruguay
I made it! And my luggage did too! The TACA line in L.A. had initially scared me but after being fed three square meals by the airline and not having any severely delayed flights, I kind of like TACA. My baggage was coming around the carousel just as a walked past customs, who didn't even ask me any questions. (The TACA rep in LA said I had to show someone my ticket out of Uruguay because I could only be there for 3 months but Ii have yet to be asked for such a document) Now I just had to find a taxi to get to Elise's apartment. The taxis waiting at the airport were reportedly $80 US but Elise suggested I call a taxi as a friend of hers had for half the price. After a few unsuccessful tries with the payphone, I checked with someone working at the Aeropuerto Taxi desk. She said the phone did work and that the cabs outside were indeed a bit expensive.I went back to try the phone a few more times but an older man stopped me halfway and asked where I needed a ride to. It turns out he worked for Aeropuerto Taxi and only charged me $11US to drop me at my(Elise's) doorstep. After explaining I was visiting my friend Elise and that I had just arrived in Uruguay he asked me where I was from and complimented my Spanish (hooray!) It took the whole van full of people to figure out where I was going because the driver wasn't sure exactly where my address was. He circled the block a few times but eventually got it. Elise and I were reunited and I dropped my things in her apartment. We then went to breakfast. I had a Tortilla con cebolla y papas (like a really thick, pan sized latke) con un licuado tutti-frutti (mixed fruit smoothie). Yum.
Off to shower and nap after 24 + hours of travel.