Back to Base

Returned to base camp yesterday at 2 a.m. I do believe an expedition to the North Pole or K2 would have taken less planning and portage.
As predicted our return to Lima was met with the same ineptitude at the airport. Even with the correct documentation I have to work hard at convincing the "staff" that my papers are all valid and not out of date as some countries write the day not the month first.! I had to wait 10 minutes for someone to call Lima airport to verify the facts. Then I had to listen to a lecture about fines and them needing to be thorough.
The real corker was when I stopped at passport control the women tried to tell me my daughter's passport had expired 18 months ago and mumbled about people not reading the signs to have all papers ready and correct.
One assumes that people working in this area have had training. One should not make assumptions.
I very politely pointed out that it was in fact an old visa that had expired and that she needed to turn to the back page for the passport information. Snippy Ms then tells me that in future I should have my passport open to the correct page. ( probably because she has no idea where that back page is located)I could not resist saying ' Yes next time I'll read the sign (that I allegedly missed) that says please be aware our staff do not know what they are looking for, so assist them!
I find it hard to believe that I go through the same rigmarole every time I need to fly back to Peru. I am sure you find it hard to believe that it continues to happen to me. Despite all this I still continue to travel and put myself through it time and again. I am considering drafting a paper and having it notarized to explain the facts and save myself the bother of even talking to the imbeciles.
When we finally landed late and tired we had to fight for a spot at the luggage carousel. I watched as people pulled off and put back bags. Does no one recognise their own suitcase?This then caused a pile up and as bags tumbled off and up against the portal everyone gazed on and made no move to action. I yelled at the top of my lungs in my best Spanglish " Looko, bago's, fallo" The poor baggage guy jumped out of his boots and fell over trying to press the STOP button. The girls and I had quite a giggle about it.
Any way I get to stay home for at least 6 weeks before I need to enter the parallel world of airports again.