Last updated on January 20th, 2017 at 02:21 am
My favorite photographer is named Trey Ratcliff. I learned many of my photography techniques through his website, stuck in customs.
I always thought his website name was just clever wordplay, that is until I was in Peru last week.
Here is the setting. Lima airport, 1:40 in the morning. We just arrived from San Salvador and before that Liberia in Costa Rica.
Our bags were checked all the way to our final destination of Cusco, but we needed to have them clear customs to move on.
At the baggage carousel we picked up our baggage and then brought them to the scanner.
I thought nothing of it until the gate agent stopped the belt.
“Is this your drone sir?”
Needless to say, I didn’t leave the airport with my drone that day. Instead I received the following form.
This is just one of many things that happened on our “worst travel day” for 2016. Yes, I am declaring it already – January 5/6th (overnight) was our worst travel day of 2016. Listen to the podcast to hear why.
I would certainly understand if they confiscated a drone at the entrance to Machu Picchu. As a fellow tourist and photographer I would not want to have those things flying around while I take my pics. Maybe that’s their thinking here.
I totally understand the reasoning – drones don’t belong in places with big crowds.
…although it would be really really awesome to do drone movies and pics above Machu Picchu and maybe some other landmarks in the sacred valley. The Peruvian government should commission some official photos of that.
Oh yes, the videos would be incredible. I think this is why they require a permit to use them. I think they are obtainable, but I didn’t plan ahead. The guy at customs made it sound like I could have applied for one with enough time.
So, did you get the drone back? They took mine today also. Got the same form. There were a couple of people lined up with the same problem.
Yes, I got the drone back. It was not that bad either. Showed up at 9:50. Waited 20 minutes for a customs officer to greet me. Had drone by 10:30. Safely made my 1:50 PM flight. Definitely recommend arriving 3 hours before as they say, because it felt they were looking for reasons to deny me. Once you clear customs with the drone, you are escorted by an employee to the ticketing counter to check the bag. They won’t let you have it without checking it on to the next country. So I recommend changing your flight out of LIM if necessary.
Thanks so much for the answer. Btw, the Costa hotel at the airport, is a Wyndham hotel, and an overnight is only 15000 points. ( not bad if you have a Wyndham) Visa card (Barclays). Also, no international transaction fee. On to Cuzco for me.
If only there were a way to get Wyndham points through a transfer at the last minute… unfortunately I didn’t plan enough ahead.
Cusco is amazing and you will love it. Our favorites were Ollantaytambo, Maras salt mines and of course Machu Picchu. Check out Q’anela if you are in Urubamba. We stayed in Urubamba at Tambo Del Inka and LOVED IT!
Glad you got both your drone and the camera back!!! Phew!