American Airlines: Journey into the Heart of Darkness

1. Friends do not let friends fly American Airlines

I arrived at the airport at 10.30 am thinking that all would be easy. I breeze past the calm and quiet Delta check-in and start looking around for American. Which I discover is hidden behind throngs of angry people. Hordes and masses even. I find LauraK and our descent into despair, AA style, begins.

Highlights:
1. No system for dealing with masses of departing people is in place. Someone said weather caused problems, but no other airlines had lines. The check in people were allowing people to miss their flights
2. A small riot broke out when they called our flight foward (but only a few rows of people). Checkin guy made a mistake when he loudly told angry people from earlier flights thta had they gotten into the airport on time, they would have made their flight
3. Security was called in after aforementioned commment. Tempers flare and things get ugly
4. In high lurker mode, I heard the call to bring people on the 12.10 departure forward. I race back to LauraK, and she sends me into the melee to tr yand break into line ahead of people who have already missed flights and are getting yelled at by AA personnel for wanting to fly. Crazy. WE do not want to be come them.
5. I open up the line barriers, slip in, and try and blend--my years of flying standby pay off!
6. 30 people follow me
7. One of them is LauraK and the guy behind her, who has decided we are a good bet
8. THe crowd starts yelling about people cutting in line
9. We keep a low profile and pray to get checked in. We are international, so cannot do the kiosk
10. Successful checkin! One happy family wiht guy behind us
11. Plane delayed!
12. Plane delayed? Again?
13. Miami...sigh. I hate that airport
14. Gate change
15. Plane delayed because all planes are currently delayed for no apparent reason. Plane delay announcements are the only ones we hear.
16. Plane delayed
17. ANOTHER gate change¿
18. Plane delayed
19. Boarding!
20. Ummm, why are we not moving?
21. BEcause our plane is DELAYED.
22. Arrive in Lima, 5.5 hours late, and definitely bitter

Shockingly, our luggage made it. WE however, only had a few hours before departure to Cusco. I am in Cusco!! 5th continent, acheived!!

2 days here to acclimate, and then we hit the trail. Laura and I are nothing if not hardcore.**

**Definitions of ´hardcore´ may vary
***Shout out to Mike Obalde and Jason Maga for great camping tips and also providing knives (Mike) and a compass (Mike) and the advice to drink lots of water (Jason). If it all goes wrong, I am looking at you two!!