January 23-25
Sprinting Home
This trip around the
world has been markedly different than our first trip. In 2015, we would fly
one day, and spend three days on the ground, fly one day, spend three on the
ground. This trip has been fly three days, spend a week on the ground...at least
for me and Becky. The pilots had the additional flying over Africa for the
eastern way-point, and over Antarctica for the southern way-point.
We left Santiago for
Lima on January 23. Lima is one of the driest capital cities in the world. It
never rains, never snows, but is always cloudy. Our five mile van ride to the
historic district took over an hour, but our "guide" explained the
highlights in Spanish and Giuseppe translated. Ten million people live here and
I think they were all in cabs or cars today. The historical district is
gradually being refurbished to clean and repair classic Spanish colonial
architecture, squares, and fountains. They have a long way to go.
But, we had a good
English language tour of the old Monastery of San Francisco including the
catacombs which is always interesting. Things we didn't see: The Nazca Lines.
January 24 -
Up early to fly to
Costa Rica and grab our LAST waypoint, crossing the equator just off the coast
of Ecuador. We saw snow covered mountains peaking through dense clouds looking
strangely similar to the Antarctic landscape.
The Costa Rica
landscape is lush and green, with yellow blooming Tabebuia trees (??) and blue
sky. Another airport hotel - and the first one where they searched our bags for drugs!! We were more concerned that our chocolate from Argentina would melt in the Costa Rican sun.
Time for catching up on email and wishing for more time in
this clean and comfortable country. But, we are like cattle to the barn and
tomorrow we'll be home.
