Despite MANY obstacles, I have arrived safe and sound in Chile and am tucked away in my friends' apartment to rest before tonight. The event that foretold it all was when my alarm did not go off like it was supposed to yesterday morning for me to put the finishing touches on my suitcase and head out the door to the airport. Good thing my roommate, Illy was home and had agreed to take me to O'Hare. If she hadn't woken me up, I might have slept through the flight! As it was we actually arrived a little early. Traffic was better than I imagined.
I leisurely bought myself a McDonald's breakfast and coffee and sat at the gate while classical music played. We boarded on time, pulled away from the gate on time at 10:05 am, turned around, and came back. The pilot explained that they were having an electrical problem with one of the indicators on the plane and needed the electrical team to look at it. Wait, wait. The electrical team has called specialists to research the problem. Wait, wait. We've determined we need a new part, so we have a team getting that part for us, so sit tight. Wait, wait. We got the new part, but the problem still isn't solved. This flight is officially out of service, everyone get off the plane. We'll try to find another aircraft, but don't know anything yet. Anyone with connections in Miami (aka: everyone) needs to see the ticket agent at the gate.
There were 200 of us, and one of her. Wait, wait. Good news, we have another aircraft! Bad news, we don't know how long it will take to arrive. Wait, wait. Get back in line for new boarding passes and seat assignments. Wait, wait. Since I don't know how long it will take for the flight to arrive, I grab lunch at the closest place I can--McDonald's. yet again. Wait, wait. Check the clock. My connection from Miami to Lima leaves at 5:00 pm. It's going to be close.
We board, take off, fly, arrive in Miami at 5:40. My Lima flight has been delayed to 6:00, but the doors are already closed and they won't let me on. I am rebooked on the 11:40 pm flight to Lima which will arrive at 4:15 am. I call my Peruvian friend, Ana Ce, to tell her I won't need lodging tonight in Lima afterall. My next connection is from Lima to Santiago, Chile at 7:30 am. Wait wait wait wait wait wait for 6 HOURS, ride trains to different terminals, walk, go outside security, eat Cuban food, come back in. I wonder if I'll end up like Tom Hanks in the movie The Terminal. I take note of various corners and supplies I might need to make use of if push comes to shove. Wait, wait, wait.
We board at 10:30 pm. At midnight, we still haven't left the gate. The pilot comes on to explain that there are problems with a gasoline tank and balance on this plane. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. I want to cry, but I don't. I finish the Nanny Diaries that I borrowed from Illy and started reading that morning in Chicago. At 1:15 am we finally take off, fly, land in Peru at 5:30 am! We get to the gate, stand up gather our things, and wait, wait, wait for 30 MINUTES because the ground crew can't get the jet bridge to work. Of course.
Is it just me, or are the travel gods following me around from country to country, year to year to put a trip cord in my path as I walk by?
Luckily I got through Peruvian customs no problem, claimed my suitcase, exited, turned down all the taxi drivers hoping to make a sale, checked-in, paid the tax to leave the country, and went through international securtiy. I now have a Peruvian entry and exit stamp in my passport, both marked Oct 2, 2008. The flight to Santiago was delayed about 30 minutes, but nothing out of the ordinary. For some reason the Chilean authorities did not ask for the $100 tax that all American, Canadian, Australian, British, and Mexican citizens have to pay to enter (I'm not complaining!), and when I left, my friend Erick was there waiting for me!! Oh, the joy of a familiar face!
Erick and Angela set me up with a Chilean cell phone, a metra card, and a bedroom in their apartment while I am here, so it's already like I never left! After I take a shower and a nap, I'm sure the airport blues will fade...
4 comments:
your mother used to tell travel stories like yours (by like I mean 'trips from hell')... i'm not saying you inherited some bad travel luck from her... i'm just saying if i ever vacation with you - i'll meet you there!!! wishing you better travel days ahead! love, aunt candy
Oh poor Schmait. I got your voice mail, but I was working and couldn't chat. I wish I could have been there. We would have turned this whole ordeal into some sort of an adventure. I'm guessing there is no before/after picture of this flight?!
It's not the travel gods plaguing you, m'dear. I think it's just the law of probability: travel often enough (and I think you qualify lately, Ms Globetrotter!) and you're bound to get all the challenges of modern travel thrown at you (Murphy's Law). I could tell you the story of when I had to sleep in the San Juan airport terminal, or of the trip back from Istanbul that lasted 2 days, but instead I will say, "Hooray you arrived safely in Chile with you sense of humor intact!" Can't wait to read about further travel stories.
I'm glad you made it there...even if it was the ultimate travel challenge...I hope the rest of your trip and the journey back are less troublesome :)
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