Four Time "Red Light/Green Light" Champion

St. Louis Lambert Airport
1:22PM
No free public wifi. You win again, Kansas City.

Check in was automated but lineless. In some type of survival of the fittest scenario you would have to spot a free kiosk and jump there before someone else beat you to it.

At the security station it looks like they want all electronic devices in a tub now. I’m pretty much covered in tech so I took a little longer than usual (backpack contents: iPod, cell phone, laptop, camera). They did tell me I could leave the laptop in its case next time, which is nice.

Oh since I’m here for an hour, I saw the new Star Trek movie last Monday. It was really good. It’s very epic, which the past few Star Trek movies lacked despite the crazy situations they had.

Miami International Airport
7:17PM Eastern Time
This place also has pay-internet. This 4 and a half hour layover will not go quickly. I have a backup plan in the case of just such a situation: I brought a disc from Netflix: Fight Quest disc 1.

On a related note, the noise-reducing ear buds I got have proven their usefulness. I was shocked how quiet my flight was, almost weirded out by it. I was also in for a shock when I took the ear buds off.

Oh, I had to go through security again. This airport uses the Nude-o-visor. It was my first time. I stood in a giant open cylinder which did a quick revolution around me. In 15 years this device will just beam me to my destination when it’s done scanning.

Miami International Airport
9:59PM Eastern Time
One more hour until boarding. Two hours until liftoff. Who booked this itinerary?!

5/14/2009
Hospedaje Villa Rica
3:47PM
Woke up at 9 after sleeping for four hours and was ready to go. Getting off the plane, leaving the airport, and finding the hospedaje was relatively painless. Spent some time waiting for luggage: the conveyor was jammed with bags no one was claiming. Once a troupe of 30 French students cleared customs and got their bags, the queue started moving again. After that, it was time for a game of Red Light/Green Light, where luck and a button press determines whether your bag is searched. The French traveler in front of me walked right past the game button. When the security person brought her back, her fate was clear: Red! I cockily strode up to the button. The chance of two reds in a row is low. Green! I win again!

I was wary of the cab drivers but picked one of the official ones (Green Taxi). He was very nice. He even obeyed stoplights and everything! We navigated to the Villa Rica, where I’ve stayed the other three times I was in Lima. This time I didn’t use a map or anything, just an internal sense like a homing pigeon. I passed out in my room at around 5AM. The mirrored ceiling is a little creepy. Pics to follow…