Before I talk about Antonio, the person who picked me up at the airport. I must add one more note about my Lima airport experience. The airport is very efficient, immigration staffs are friendly. As a Hong Kong citizen, I don't require a visa to visit Peru. But the Lonely Planet guidebook recommends people like me on a backpacking trip should request for a 90 days stamp, otherwise they would just give 30 days. The one thing the guidebook doesn't mention is how to say it. Instead of asking some flight attentants, I tried on my own first, combining parts from my Spanish phrasebook, I composed my first Spanish sentence, ¿Ma de un visa por noventa días? It probably has some mistakes, but he understood me. That's like Oh My God! It's like you are waiting for your 12 months old baby to call Pa-pa, except this time, you are the baby and you have said something people understand you. I get so much pleasures out of that, you have no idea. :)
Now back to the main character of this entry, his name is Antonio, he is the one who came to pick me up at the airport at 4:30am in the morning. The efficiency of the Peruvian immigration is impressive, although at 4am, I bet it would be efficient at any airport. I got my 90 days visiting stamp on my passport, picked up my backpack, exchanged some money, I know the official exchange rate should be around US$1 to 3 Soles. But the rate at the airport is like 1 to 2.81, no commission. I just exchanged US$50 for petty cash. Will see if I will get a better rate in town. Anyway, walked out of the baggage claim, we are required to walk pass some machine, I think it may be related to your body temperature or something, I am not sure really, but I got a green light. Off I went, walked out of the hallway, there he was, no need to search. Antonio was holding a sign with my name on it, and he recognized me right away, I bet asian man with a backpack at 4am in Lima airport is not a common scene. He signaled me to walk outside from my side. I went out, walked toward him, say Hola, shaked his hand. Inside I worried if he spoke any english, what was I gonna say during the ride...etc. At the same time, I have that adventurous mood kicked in after making my first Spanish sentence. I wanted to talk to people.
He was really friendly actually, straight as a hard wood floor, and shot away at me in a very macho way, where're you from? I told him I was a student in the US and originally from Hong Kong. I briefly told him what I will be doing in Peru, he even taught me some Spanish words already, although I really don't remember what it is, I only slept 1 hour for the past 24 hours. Anyway, during that 40 mins ride from the airport to the hostel named Hitchhikers B&B Backpackers Hostel, we talked a little and kept silence for a little, mainly I was observing what outside of the windows. The sun is getting ready to rise, there are actually some people running on the street, like morning exercise or something. Kind of interesting to see them running alongside the highway in 5am in the morning. Anyway, I can feel that Antonio is a very friendly person, just by the way he smiled and the way he wanted to help...etc. I wonder if I would bump into more of this kind of people.
Got to the hostel, the main entrance was actually locked, he rang the bell and told me to pay the pick up with another staffs, I asked if he was not coming in, he said no, so I knew I should really tip him. I mean the man came to pick me up at 4:30am in the morning, but I have no idea how much to tip. So, I just gave him the coins I got back from the airport parking booth, which is equivalent to about US$2. I don't know, am I a cheap ass? The pick up fee is like US$15 already, I think US$2 maybe ok.
I arrived at the hostel maybe around 5:30am, the girl said since there is people staying in the room I gonna stay the night before, I have to wait for them to check out before they can check me in. So, I have been sitting here in the TV room waiting for 3 hours already. Typed 4 blog entries. I don't mind the waiting really, but I do want some sleeps soon if possible. I'll talk more about the hotel after I stay here a day or two.
