Venezuela: the arrival

In America, Venezuela 2012 On  24/07/2012  2 comments

The arrival in Venezuela was “errant”. I got at the airport in Caracas having no idea where I was going to stay. I just knew I had a reservation for an air ticket to Los Roques for next day, 3pm. But event that flight, I hadn’t received the confirmation ticket.

As almost everywhere in South America, arriving in a city we are harassed by a great number of men trying to sell transport and money exchange. Passing through them it is an accomplishment.

The first thing I did was to check my flight with Chapi Air. I had to get my luggage and walk to the domestic terminal. Getting there I found out my they were closed until next day 2 hours prior boarding time.

My second action was to decided where to sleep. So, I went to tourist information desk and tried to get a room. The one they recommended me was full, so I got a taxi driver recommended by them and he took me to a hotel. My only request was to have wifi and, of course, not to be so expensive. He took me to a place in Playa Grande. In the hotel, I could check my email and I saw the email from Paolo, the owner from Pousada Albacora, confirming my flight to Los Roques.

Next day: Los Roques. As I did not know how was the money exchange in the archipelago, on the last minute I exchanged some money on the airport. I asked one of Chapi Air staff to recommend me a person to exchange money on the black market. Here, exchanging money is an issue (see Money Exchange in Venezuela). So, it was all set, time to face the mini airplane.

Seeing from the outside, Chapi Air airplane looks like a toy, a model airplane. Getting in to the airplane that is about one meter wide, the feeling of being canned overwhelmed me. With the capacity for 12 passengers, the seats were as wide as the airplane, fitting two people in each. Even before lading I had a strange claustrophobia feeling. I got anxious, I wanted to move my legs, to stand up, but neither was possible, I could only breath to calm down. So, I put the headphone with music very loud. The noise cancelling from the phone did not work well since the noise of the airplane was unbearable. After the taking of, I calmed down and the music helped me. The flight was beautiful, rain, sun, sea. And the arrival in Los Roques, gorgeous… Shortly after getting out of the plane, I realized I was in paradise, the place was exactly what I was looking for.

Los Roques (aéreo) from Karla Brunet on Vimeo.