Let's talk about how much I love Colombia.....

This morning I had breakfast with RH and the police dogs; and I did NOT get any photos!! They are very hyper and wiggly, so it was impossible to handle my camera and the dogs, but even without photos, it was awesome! The police have 3 yellow laboradors – 2 males, Nicko and Bosco, and one female, Luna. They are beautiful dogs and very well cared for. I was trying to find out (in Spanglish) if they had made any arrests or seizures since working for the Galapagos; I think Luna discovered some illegal sea cucumber shipments?

The woman in Quito did a hack-job stamping my passport – and I spent 20 minutes trying to explain to the metal detector guy that I could not read the exit stamp, and if I couldn’t read it, chances are the US Border Patrol wouldn’t read it either. The woman in customs rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth a few times (pretty universal for “F you” in any language) before re-stamping my passport.
Thank you senora and buenos dias to you too.

My flights from Galapagos and Quito were uneventful, and I even had extra room to spread out and sleep (a HUGE deal for someone with long legs on short planes). I am in Bogata waiting for my flight to NYC, and there is some sort of delay. I couldn’t seem to find out when or from which gate the plane is leaving, so spent about an hour wandering up and down the hall looking for someone who speaks English. The entire Colombian national guard showed up to search everyone on the plane – they actually search you in the hallway BEFORE you can get to the waiting lounge! I think the poor guy who had to dig through my nasty sneakers and dirty laundry probably hates his life right now – my shoes smell pretty rank after 3 weeks ;-)

I must have had 8 people ask me the same questions over and over and over again in
the 10 feet between the hallway and the waiting lounge:

“Are you traveling alone?" -- yes

"Where has your luggage been since you arrived?" -- with me

"Who packed your luggage?" -- I did.

Then that guy went through it and made me pack it all again after he dug through my dirty laundry.

"Where are you going?" -- Nuevo Jork

"Where did you come from?" -- originally...??

"When did you leave?" -- as soon as I get on this plane

"Did anyone give you anything to carry with you?" -- you mean the stranger in the women's room??

Yeah amigo, I’m from New York.
I get the drill.