[Day 1] Traveling from SAN to LIM

I love traveling and seeing the world. And because I love traveling, I also like to collect points/mileages! I like to consider myself a pretty loyal person so I tend to stick to one airline or a group. With that being said, I am currently an avid user of Star Alliance flights, collecting mileage for Asiana Airlines and luckily, United, part of Star Alliance, had cheap flights to Lima and I took it.

There was no direct flight to Lima from San Diego. So I had a layover in Houston. Houston is United Airlines’ largest hub so I had planned on using their lounge while I waited for the next flight.

My flights!

My original flight was to leave SAN at 10am and arrive at 3:10pm in Houston. My next flight was at 4:30pm. However, there was an aircraft change and my flight was delayed. I didn’t have time to use the lounge in Houston and I was a bit worried about where my next gate would be. I heard that Houston was a big airport and I have never been to it. While in air, I asked one of the flight attendant about my situation and she was able to locate the arrival and departure gate. My arrival gate and departure gate in Houston was right next to each other so I did not have to rush too much. The flight attendant was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. She gave me some tips for Lima and also on traveling.

Once off the plane, I quickly grabbed snacks from the closest store and got back on my next flight. The flight over to Lima was long and I was not tired at all! It was a day plane as well so I ended up watching endless amounts of movies until we arrived in LIM at 11pm. I watched Captain Marvel, Avengers:Infinity War, How to Train Your Dragon, and episodes of Big Bang Theory.

My little movie theater

They give us “dinner” but it was very small. A sandwich and carrot sticks. I was super glad I picked up some snacks from Houston. If you are flying this route, make sure you take some food with you.

Dinner from United Flight to Lima

Once I landed, it was 11pm. Since it was a late flight, I thought going through immigration would be quick. Boy, was I wrong! There must have been other flights that landed around the same time because by the time I got in line, it was already wrapped around 3 times! The officers were working quickly but it did not take too long. Estimated about 35 minutes?

The airport itself is relatively small. So once you are done with immigration, you walk right into the baggage claim. I had checked 2 things. 1 luggage and 1 box. The luggage was on the belt but the box was in a separate area by the security office. If you are sending boxes or oversize items, I believe you can pick them up from the security office area.

Also, I heard drones are a no-no in Peru. So when I packed my drone, I expected to pay some tax or fees to get it through customs. When I got to customs, I told the officer I had a drone in my bag and he said just put it through the x-ray machine. (NOTE: All bags will go through x-ray machine when you exit so please claim everything or you will be fined) He saw my drone and just let me pass. I’m not sure if it was because of a new law or if it was late at night, but I was able to pass with a drone. This might not be the case for everyone so be very careful when you enter Peru with a drone.

Once I was out, I found a driver holding my name at the front. I had arranged with my accommodation for a pick up at the airport since I was arriving late. Many places offer airport pick up for a fee, usually a bit higher than taxi, and if you are not sure about how to get around, making an arrangement might be the best. Once you exit the airport, there are tons.. I mean TONS of taxi drivers who will approach you and ask if you need a ride. Be cautious when getting in any taxi at the airport. When I was doing my research, everyone recommended Green Taxi or Uber. Yes, Uber works in Peru so please use it! Also, I did not want to exchange money at the airport since I knew they would be more pricy. So by using Uber or prior arrangements, I wouldn’t need to have Soles yet.

Outside the Lima Airport

For my accommodation, I booked a Korean Hostel called Hola Peru. I usually don’t like to stay in Korean places but since I was new to Peru and super unfamiliar with the area, I thought it might be nice to get information from the locals. And the location was really good too. It was in a very quiet, residential area in miraflores. It was walking distance from the main street and that was really the selling point for me.

They had several rooms and I got to stay in a double by myself. The prices are: single $25, double/triple $18 per person. They have 2 shared bathrooms with plenty of hot water, shared mini-fridge and Korean snacks you can buy, great wifi, and a printer. They do airport pickups and dropoffs, provide luggage storage service, and also tours. They offer Korean style breakfast and it was 20 soles per. One thing I did not know until I got there was that they provide heated mats for each bed. Guys. This is a super plus! After a long flight, having the heated mattress for my sore back really did wonders.