January 23rd. Departure was a whirlwind. It felt like a 3 week scramble to get ready, and suddenly I was on a plane. But the send-off could hardly have been better. At the airport, the woman that checked me in noticed my height and offered me a seat with more legroom. I settled into my seat, able to fully stretch my legs, took a deep breath, and felt relaxed (though still a bit... anxious?) for the first time in weeks. The departure was finally setting in...
Five minutes into the flight I started talking with a pair of chatty middle-aged Peruvian women sitting next to me. 10 minutes into the flight one of them had offered to put me up in Lima and to introduce me to her daughter, whenever I get there. Things were off to a quick start.