Slipping through Santiago
AA 7738 (LA 997), Departs SCL 9:45 AM, Arrives PUQ 1:00 PM (Scheduled)
The flight to Santiago headed south from Miami over Cuba, through the Caribbean, then across Panama. The flight stayed over the Pacific Ocean for the most part, skirting Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru, before arriving in Chile.
Served a decent dinner on LAN, along with complimentary wine (nothing fancy but didn't have to pay for it like one would on a US airline). After dinner I slept fitfully like I tend to on an airplane. I can fall asleep, but rarely can stay asleep for a long period of time. As we approached Santiago, flying between the main range of the Andes and the lower Coastal Range, I had a prime view to watch the sun rise over the High mountains of the Andes. It was simply an incredible sight and the photo does not do the view nearly the justice it deserves.
Getting through Santiago meant lines, lots of lines.
Pay the Reciprocity fee, Immigrations, Customs (after collecting baggage), re-check in at the national terminal of the airport, and then re-clear security. Nothing out of the ordinary really, but always a frustrating part of the travel experience. By the time all those lines were done however, I had a relatively short wait for my flight onwards to Punta Arenas.
