I found it fascinating in Asuncion to see the street kiosk vendors selling magazines and books, sometimes ancient, amongst so many other items. I about died seeing a 2011 issue of Stuff magazine, an old laddie magazine back in the day, for sale. There was a kiosk vendor across the street from the Hotel Palmaroga. And many more selling to the east down Palma. And a couple on Estrella. Of course, for books there is the Plaza Uruguaya. Bought one on the Chaco War and another on the Civil War of 1947.

By the time I passed through the airport the duty free was open again, although it did not have many customers. Also it lacked the one thing I may have bought to show people here in England. Paraguay related reading material.

Margaret Hebblethwaite’s Bradt 3rd (2019) has only one hotel mentioned (Bourbon) out directly by the airport.

Was the duty-free shop open? It was closed on April 3rd, 2022 when I was there. They were working on the interior.

My luggage was checked all the way from Des Moines to Asuncion and Asuncion to Des Moines, and both pieces arrived on time both times.

I just wanted a hotel that was comfortable and on the way to the airport so I just stayed in the Ibis. Clean and efficient. Tiny room but as it was only somewhere to drop my suitcase it was fine

Then for flights I was Latam all the way. When I have connecting flights I like to do all with the same airline so the luggage has the best chance of arriving.

Then once I got to Heathrow no sign of the delays I had read about.

As for Asunción airport. Never a busy place. The departure board had half a dozen flights between 2p.m. and 2am

My flight on GOL out of Asuncion on May 3rd to Sao Paulo went fine. Silvio Pettirossi is such a small airport. I think only 4 gates were operational when I was there. The duty free store closed, being worked on. One gate also down for repairs (or closed?).

The 737 flights into and out of Asuncion on GOL were CROWDED. Filled to the rafters and the luggage bins clogged. The flight in with Paraguayan shoppers throwing bags of purchased items into the overhead bins! Not so many such purchases on the flight out. Thank God. Thinking we had “sandwiches” and a drink on both flights to and from Sao Paulo.

And I flew United 787-9 Dreamliners both to and from Chicago & Sao Paulo. Empty on the way down, the day after Western Easter, but packed to the gills on the return flight.

Yes it is a long journey. Pleaed you enjoyed reading of it. Always takes a bit of planning!
Look forward to seeing you