My first extended solo trip, which was in South America during my senior year of college, began in Peru. I started by spending a week visiting Machu Picchu, exploring Cusco, and taking day trips around the Peruvian Andes. Everything had gone smoothly, and I naively believed the rest of my journey would follow suit. However, I soon encountered my first travel hiccup after I checked in for my flight from Cusco to Lima.
As I walked to the boarding gates, I noticed my flight wasn’t listed on the airport screens. Initially, I thought I was too early and expected it to appear eventually. But as the departure time approached, I grew anxious. Other passengers, equally confused, began gathering and discussing the absence of our flight information. Together, we approached an airport staff member who, after a frantic search, informed us they had no information about our flight and advised us to wait. Fifteen minutes later, a larger crowd had formed, all wondering when and where boarding would begin. When we asked again, we were told by the flustered airport staff that our flight did not exist.
How could SKY airline sell tickets, check in luggage, and issue boarding passes for a non-existent flight? The absurdity of the situation had us all roasting the airline in frustration to each other. Latecomers, unaware of the chaos, were hurrying to the gate only to discover there was no gate. The airport staff gave an announcement in Spanish that I was too far away to hear. The announcement was followed by a flurry of passengers running to another terminal. With no time to ask for questions, I followed the crowd until we reached a customer service desk, where I learned that our flight had been “cancelled”. We were rebooked for a flight 28 hours later and given vouchers for the inconvenience.
While on the queue for the flight rebooking, I documented the bizarre experience on my Instagram story, and by sheer luck, a Peruvian friend I had met two days earlier at a restaurant in Cusco saw my story and invited me to stay at her house. This offer was a lifesaver since I had no idea how to use the airline’s strange voucher and didn’t want to pay for another night at a hotel. Exhausted, I arrived at her house around 1 am and quickly fell asleep, unaware of the craziness awaiting me the next day.
The following day was hectic for several reasons. Firstly, I had an interview for a Microsoft internship, initially planned to be taken from the comfort of my hotel in Lima. Now, I had to do it a few hours before my rescheduled flight. Additionally, the fiasco of the non-existent flight prompted me to double-check my upcoming flights. To my horror, I realized I had mistakenly booked overlapping flights from Lima to Santiago and Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile. Because it was with a budget airline, changing the flights required calling the company. My Spanish skills were decent but not sufficient for the task of arguing with a Chilean customer service rep. Fortunately, my Peruvian friend helped me call the airline, and we managed to change the second flight for a fee that was significantly more reasonable than buying a new flight.
Feeling slightly optimistic after overcoming all the wild challenges thrown at me over the past day, I completed my interview and rushed to pack and get an Uber to the airport. Fun fact: I did the second-round interview at my hostel in Patagonia before going on a trek and miraculously ended up getting the job! Upon reaching the airport, I discovered the flight was delayed. I couldn’t even pretend to be surprised. At least this time, the flight appeared on the screen, providing some hope. After a two-hour delay, we finally boarded. At 12:30 am, I woke from a nap as we landed in Lima. Disembarking while still half-asleep, I wondered how the next four months of solo travel would unfold, hoping for less drama than the past 48 hours.
