First Leg of a Long-Sought Journey

I couldn’t help but smile when I put on my first backpacking pack. It felt like the beginning of a dream about to come true. The weather as we drove out of Palm Coast was rainy and gray, and, on a normal day, I might’ve regarded it as an excuse to spend time resting indoors, but on this particular day, I adopted the idea that rain brings good luck and symbolizes the start of something new. The first part of my journey started in Orlando, where I shared a final dinner with my younger brother and parents before heading out the next morning. As though to splurge on one of my favorite junk foods before leaving the U.S., we enjoyed a delicious pizza and garlic knots. A fitting send-off if you ask me.

Once at my hotel, I realized that I had paid for breakfast without considering that I would be leaving well before it opened. To make up for it, I was gifted two free drinks at the bar. Initially, my thought was, “Nice!” but after considering how a couple of drinks may affect my desire to get up the next morning, I decided to go straight to my room. I gave my mom and dad a big hug and told them I loved them and would see them in a couple of months. On the elevator up to my room, I met a man who had just gotten married! I let him off at his floor and wished him a good night with a wink. I tried to force myself to sleep knowing I would have such an early morning, but my excitement made it anything but easy. Eventually, I drifted off to thoughts of my coming adventures.

The next morning, I woke up bright and early at 4:00 am to catch the morning shuttle to Orlando International Airport. Operating on a first-come-first-serve basis, the first shuttle filled up so quickly that some people chose to sit on each other’s laps rather than wait for the next shuttle. Being ahead of schedule, I chose against sitting on the lap of a stranger and sat down to wait next to another lady that must’ve had the same idea. To our surprise, a driver appeared from the shadows with words like music to our ears, “I was supposed to get off my shift right now, but I would be glad to take you ladies on one last shuttle ride.” I silently thanked myself for having patience, and we set off with our timely driver and ten empty seats. On the way, the woman told me stories about how she used to travel all the time with her husband. With a heavy heart, she confided in me that she was nervous this time, as he had passed just recently, and it was her first time traveling without him in over 30 years. I told her I was sorry for her loss and asked her what the occasion was. She said, “I am going to see his family. They may not be family by blood, but you would never know because to them I am one of their own.” I couldn’t help but smile at that, knowing she was in good hands and not alone at such a trying point in her life. By the time we arrived at the airport, the traffic was already monstrous, but our driver chuckled and said, “Don’t you ladies worry, we have special access to the downstairs entrance,” and veered off the main road to the lower-level loading area. It was here that he dropped me off and helped me with my backpacks. Both of them wished me luck with my travels, and I headed inside.

At the airport, I went looking for the international flights. My boarding pass didn’t show me what gate, so I didn’t waste any time (I don’t consider myself gifted with good navigation abilities) and asked an employee where I could find the gate for my flight. Once I knew what direction I was headed in, I made it my mission to get through security and find something to eat and drink. Once through security, I opted for a burrito bowl to satiate my hunger and grabbed water for the journey. While I ate, I took a moment to make a mental checklist for my full day of travel: flight from Orlando to Panama City, Panama, flight from Panama City to Lima, Peru, and catch a ride from the airport. Once I had it all lined up in my head and I was sufficiently full, I packed up and walked towards the tram that would take me to my terminal.

Once I sat down at the gate, the feeling of adventure really began to settle in. My first international trip. I pulled out my computer and continued working on an official itinerary to share with my parents to put their nerves at ease. Just as I was finishing up, the boarding process began, with the announcements coming in Spanish followed by English. I concentrated and focused on teasing out the Spanish for practice, knowing it would likely come in handy while flying to Central and South America. Eventually, I boarded, and we were off to Panama City for a quick layover before heading to Peru. While on the flight, I met a lovely man named Juan from Tampa, who passed the time on our flight with stories of his youth. He told me of his home in Honduras and his rise from poverty when he made the journey to the U.S. and founded a construction company at the age of 21. During our flight, I also experienced something I never had before: an onboard meal! The morning meal was bread pudding, and it was surprisingly delicious. When we landed in Panama, I wished him good luck in his future business venture and was soon off to my next flight.

The layover in the Panama airport was nothing short of chaotic. With 225 gates and little time before my next flight, I found myself walking a bit of a marathon as I juggled my two backpacks. Dressed for the Peruvian chill in the Panamanian heat and humidity, I was nearly drenched in sweat by the time I made it to my gate. The boarding process was almost immediate, and after only about an hour, I found myself on my way to Peru. I was seated next to a couple from Puerto Rico who were headed to Peru as part of an expedition group. The group consisted of other middle-aged folks set on exploring some of the most well-known parts of Peru such as Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Ica. As the plane began to take off, I felt a Ricolla citrón menthe candy being pressed into my palm. I smiled and thanked my neighbor, and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

I woke up above the longest mountain range in the world. At over 7,000km long, I found myself gawking at the sight. Just as I was fawning over the view, our onboard meal came by. This time it was arroz con pollo with a pinwheel cake, and it was equally delicious. As we got closer and closer to Lima, I spotted a blanket of clouds, and I felt the excitement starting to bubble inside of me as we descended into the cloudy abyss.