I had a very uneventful, pleasant journey and after nearly a year of planning and anticipation I´m finally here in Buenos Aires.
I sat in between two very nice fellow passengers on my flight from Seattle to Miami. A real estate guy from Whistler/Anchoridge who skate skiis, worked in South America in the ´70s, and was on his way to his dying mother in Florida, and on the other side, a Seattle lawyer whose main client is Sound Transit and who grew up in Cle Elum and studied at Central Washington University, too, on his way to an annual lawyer´s conference in Miami. Small world!
My flight from Miami to Lima, Peru had a technical difficulty so we sat on the runway for nearly 1.5 hours, then another 5.5 hour flight. Finally, to my delight, we landed at 6 am and as I trudged up the aisle, I looked to the right and saw the gate for my connecting flight to B.A. Of course first they sent us down, around, up and through security (the most lax I´ve experienced since 9/11) before we could return to the LAN gates - and to my horror - the very same airplane and - ugh! - the same seat!! 4 more hours to Argentina. I reguested a seat in the exit row in Miami and forgot that this involves all kinds of special instruction (and tests of comprehension) in Spanish. I managed to pass muster!
LAN Airlines is a pleasure after all American airlines (esp. the last few flights on Alaska I have taken). The service and amenities remind me of an upscale Sud American restaurant. The women attendants wear perfect masks of foundation, fire-engine red lipstick and matching red high heels. Dinner was served (at 2 am local time) and included real silverware, a tea cup, and an actual glass - which I puzzled over until a male attendant with a cloth napkin draped over his arm offered me "Vino?" after the meal. I was so surprised that I refused, mainly because my money was stowed in the overhead bin and usually alcohol is an extra charge on US airlines. I won´t make that mistake twice!
I did order a te negro and settled in to watch my new favorite film: Vicky Christina Barcelona. What a perfect movie for kicking off my 3 months of travel abroad! Although it made me sad that I didn´t answer the boarding call to Madrid that left just before my flight out of Peru - the movie really sold Spain.
At the BA airport, I was greeted with a big sign bearing my name & the taxi that my hostel had arranged for me - "just lake in the films" - and had a pleasant drive directly to the doorstep of a cute, artsy hostel with a very friendly staff. (Thank you Ellie & Cory for the taxi pesos - it was perfect!) Veronica was relieved to learn I speak Spanish and offered me a complimentary beer. Ah, home at last! The hostel is full of interesting art and European women. Tonight they have a free tango lesson in the hostel at 8 pm and then everyone goes out together to show us "a real tango night on the town."
Thank you all again for the wonderful send-off! Especially Carmen and Juan for the surpising and amazing gift of a new digital camera, so now I´m actually looking forward to taking photos!!! Hope to hear from everyone soon.
Molly
I sat in between two very nice fellow passengers on my flight from Seattle to Miami. A real estate guy from Whistler/Anchoridge who skate skiis, worked in South America in the ´70s, and was on his way to his dying mother in Florida, and on the other side, a Seattle lawyer whose main client is Sound Transit and who grew up in Cle Elum and studied at Central Washington University, too, on his way to an annual lawyer´s conference in Miami. Small world!
My flight from Miami to Lima, Peru had a technical difficulty so we sat on the runway for nearly 1.5 hours, then another 5.5 hour flight. Finally, to my delight, we landed at 6 am and as I trudged up the aisle, I looked to the right and saw the gate for my connecting flight to B.A. Of course first they sent us down, around, up and through security (the most lax I´ve experienced since 9/11) before we could return to the LAN gates - and to my horror - the very same airplane and - ugh! - the same seat!! 4 more hours to Argentina. I reguested a seat in the exit row in Miami and forgot that this involves all kinds of special instruction (and tests of comprehension) in Spanish. I managed to pass muster!
LAN Airlines is a pleasure after all American airlines (esp. the last few flights on Alaska I have taken). The service and amenities remind me of an upscale Sud American restaurant. The women attendants wear perfect masks of foundation, fire-engine red lipstick and matching red high heels. Dinner was served (at 2 am local time) and included real silverware, a tea cup, and an actual glass - which I puzzled over until a male attendant with a cloth napkin draped over his arm offered me "Vino?" after the meal. I was so surprised that I refused, mainly because my money was stowed in the overhead bin and usually alcohol is an extra charge on US airlines. I won´t make that mistake twice!
I did order a te negro and settled in to watch my new favorite film: Vicky Christina Barcelona. What a perfect movie for kicking off my 3 months of travel abroad! Although it made me sad that I didn´t answer the boarding call to Madrid that left just before my flight out of Peru - the movie really sold Spain.
At the BA airport, I was greeted with a big sign bearing my name & the taxi that my hostel had arranged for me - "just lake in the films" - and had a pleasant drive directly to the doorstep of a cute, artsy hostel with a very friendly staff. (Thank you Ellie & Cory for the taxi pesos - it was perfect!) Veronica was relieved to learn I speak Spanish and offered me a complimentary beer. Ah, home at last! The hostel is full of interesting art and European women. Tonight they have a free tango lesson in the hostel at 8 pm and then everyone goes out together to show us "a real tango night on the town."
Thank you all again for the wonderful send-off! Especially Carmen and Juan for the surpising and amazing gift of a new digital camera, so now I´m actually looking forward to taking photos!!! Hope to hear from everyone soon.
Molly
Oh my gosh, I feel like I was right there with you! What a cute place to stay, too! Glad you made it safe and sound. xo
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