My flight to Miami lasted almost 6 hours. It was a comfortable and uneventful trip, except I was stuck with a window seat. Luckily, I slept through most of the flight. I flew in on LAN and I think they are a great airline, they seem to be doing better all the time and the flight attendants were extremely nice and very accommodating.

I arrived around 6pm and I couldn’t believe how long it took me to get through customs; they were so, so slow, I mean it took forever. While I was waiting in line, I took up a conversation with the Argentinean couple behind me. They were getting ready to take a cruise to the Bahamas, but wanted to do some shopping in Miami first. I told them I was here to visit a friend, who was going through a rough time, but that I plan to take her shopping, hoping to cheer her up a bit. We exchanged information about where to find really good deals on clothes. They even asked me if I wanted to join them in shopping, but I had to decline, I mean, shopping with strangers? They were nice, but really!

The customs officer spoke Spanish, I guess almost all airport employees need to know this language in Miami, He asked me where I was going and I told him after visiting here with a friend, that I’m going to Michigan to visit with another friend. He was astonished that I would want to travel to some place really cold. I told him that I brought layers of clothes, I hear that’s the best way to deal with winter weather, he laughed. I didn’t get out of customs until 8pm! See? Slow, very slow.

I grabbed a taxi and had him take me to my very fine luxury hotel in Miami, yes, I stressed ‘very fine’ to him, it’s my first time being able to afford such luxuries, and besides, I wanted to treat my friend to nice accommodations and maybe if she’s up for it, have a spa day.