LA PAZ TO LIMA

TUESDAY 5th JULY

  Got up at 6.15am and the cab was there by the time I got to reception.  Arrived at the airport in plenty of time and got checked in by the same chap I spoke to a couple of days ago.  Airside I met an English speaking local, Marcello on his way to Guatemala.  We shared a coffee and he told me this had been the coldest weather in La Paz for some time.  He had been educated in Mexico so he knew all about the Mexican La Paz!

  My luggage was booked straight through to Rio, so I went through transfers and found myself  in the departure lounge with 10 hours to go!  I had a stroll around and then went into one of the two lounges I had access to with my pass.  They both limited your stay to 4 hours.  I did my 4 hours in the first one and then came out and thought I'd check on my flight to Rio.  It was conspicuous by its total absence from the departure board!  This was a bit of a worrying development.  I thought I'd find a customer information desk somewhere, but having walked the length of the terminal this proved to be a delusional idea.  I walked back to the entrance to the departure lounge where there were some desks where people's boardingcards were checked.  I waited until one was free and thrust my boarding card in front of the individual with my finger pointing at the blank beside "Gate".  He pressed a few keys on his computer and sat back looking puzzled.  This was not looking too good.  He told me to move aside and wait.  I did as I was told, and eventualy another chap came along and occuppied another desk and I raised my query with him.  He produced a Polish translation of a statement on his computer to the effect that my flight would be boarding at Gate blank.  I pointed to the "blank" at looked at him with a querying glance.  "After eight", he replied.  As it was then 4.00pm I thought it opportune to take my second 4 hour lounge break and went off to the VIP Lounge.  A Pisco Sour, several coffees, a number of soft drinks and numerous sandwiches later I emerged to look at the departure board.  There was no Rio flight shown for 21.50 on the departure board.  As I stared at it in stark disbelief, the flight number TA142 suddenly came up showing a departure time of 22.15.  Phew!

   The departure gate was the furthest one away - typical sod's law, so I trudged all the way to the other end.  After about half an hour's wait, the departure time was amended to the original 21.50 and indeed we were soon boarding and off and away.  A light dinner, a flight time of about 4 and bit hours and we were on our way to Rio.  I nodded off.