HOME AT LAST

After lots of changes and some more aggravation (what would vacations be without it) we are all home safe and sound.

We had to check out of the hotel at 10 AM which we did and sat around the lobby until at 11:55 pickup for the airport. The same drivers that picked us up on Sunday came back again. I guess they liked their tips. After the short drive we got there only to find out the flight was delayed an hour which would complicate our connecting flight out of Buenos Aires and it would make it almost impossible. The line to check in was very long and it took forever to get to the desk. I was lucky enough to find a seat but everyone else stood on line. Sometime it pays to be a crip. When we got to the window we asked about the connection and she at first she said no problem and then a second later said she was going to change our flight to a later one so there would be no problem at all. She took us off our flight that was going from Buenos Aires to Santiage Chile and then to Miami and put us on a flight from Buenos Aires directly to Miami. The new flight was 3 1/2 hours later leaving and coming in 20 minutes later than the first one. It was actually a blessing that it was changed.

While waiting for our flight from Iguazu we did a little shopping and Enid and I picked up onyx penguins on icebergs and Carolyn bought a gorgeous leather and beaver small handbag which she promptly switched to use. The flight was fast but I think we waited just as long for our luggage to start coming through at the other end. Once again LAN was marvelous and extremely nice and accommodating to handicap people. I also have to say the the Spanish people are very respectful also. I actually went to the ladies room and was waiting on line when the mother and daughter ahead of me insisted that I go ahead of them. Wherever I went with my cane someone would get up to give me their seat too. I know it's not like that in the States.

After getting our luggage we went to meet our driver and thankfully he had picked up our luggage from the hotel we had left them at before going to Iguazu. The 1/2 hour ride took 2 hours because of rush hour traffic which makes the L.I.E. look good. We got to the other airport at about 7:30 and our first flight was supposed to leave at 6:50 so it's a good thing LAN had made the change. Carolyn got there just in time to check in for her 9:30 flight and we had a little rest time before we boarded our 10:30 flight. They do things very strangely there. Right before you get on the plane they search all your carry on bags and once you go through you have a problem if you need to use the bathroom again.

They put us in the first row of economy but the seats were really tight so after take off we moved to 2 seats 3 rows back which were better for our backsides but less leg room. I guess it was a tradeoff. Watched a movie called Faster with The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) and enjoyed all the action. Tried to sleep but that didn't last too long so the flight seemed never ending. Jules and Rita were in business class so they had a good nights sleep.

When we landed there was a wheel chair waiting for me and let me tell you if I had to walk I'd still be there. Enid thinks we landed in Havanna and were walking to Miami. It was really a far walk. I didn't realize the airport was sooooooo big. We had to go through immigration and the line we were in was moving very slowly. By the time we had gotten though Jules and Rita had gotten all of our luggage. Then we had to go through customs and the agent decided to pick on the four of us and we had to go through a luggage scanner in a different room. One of my suitcases got tagged and it had to be inspected by an agent. I was watching how they were going through other peoples luggage and they were taking everything out and really checking everything. We waited about 20 minutes for an agent to come over and finally we got a young woman who was very nice. The minute she opened my suitcase there was a zip lock bag of tootsie roll pops and she said they must have thought it was fruit and let us go right after she saw that.

Then we had to find where to catch the bus to the car rental place and that was exciting. We had 10 heavy bags plus carryon that had to be schlepped on and off the shuttle bus. All the car rental places are in one building so when we got there (my suggestion) was we wait outside while Jules rented the van and he would come back to pick us and the luggage up. After about 15 minutes some woman in a uniform told us we couldn't stand there and had to go in the building. We explained that someone was renting a car and was coming back for us. She said the only vehicles allowed on that floor were shuttle buses and taxis. So we drag all the things inside and of course Jules was gone and we had no idea where or how he would find us. Rita went to the floor that Avis rentals were on but he wasn't there and we were there for at least an hour floating around and trying to solve the newest dilemna. Rita and Enid took their 2 luggage carts outside on the floor that the woman told us Jules couldn't get to and I took a luggage cart down to the Avis car rental floor. As the Avis lady was trying to help me Rita came down and said they found Jules (on the forbidden floor) and I took the last cart up there for him to load. How he got all the luggage in absolutely amazed me. I was the first drop off and I got home at 8:55so it basically took 3 1/2 hours to get home from the time we landed.

It was a fantastic vacation with great friends but still a disappointment that Antarctica is still on my bucket list.