We had some time before we went to the airport so I finished reading Back to Cape Horn by Rosie Swale. It tells of her travel by horseback down the length of Chile in the mid-1980's. I guess it is a good story, but it was also somewhere between troubling and pointless - these kind of books are often really good if there is a reason for the travel or if it explores history in some kind of new or even just relevant way. This was just a trip to write a book about; the reason was the end. The completion of the journey as a vanity passenger on a military ship was utterly pointless.
After a bit of a slow morning including a final brief walk about Abi's property, we headed out. We stopped by a store for some real empanadas and treats for the trip. Then it was off to the airport. Traffic was almost bad which was a first for the trip.
Whether I am ready to leave or not, it is time to head home. And I am at least partially ready to be home.
Once at the airport, I tried to check in. There was lots of furrowed brows before I was told that it was too early to check in. Old Sis was walking behind me and had a boarding pass so I asked again. More furrowed brows, "It says you missed the flight to Balmaceda? Your ticket is cancelled."
"I didn't miss my flight. I'm in Balmaceda."
"You can use the phone over there to call and see if this can be fixed."
I was not happy. My stomach suddenly hurt. My loathing of commercial air travel came back, compounded by being in a foreign country.
This led to just under and hour on the phone with Latam. At least the person I talked to was very helpful. I am very, very glad we got to the airport early so that Nephew could leave on his next adventure!
Problem solved and I went back to the counter and successfully checked in - with the minor hiccup of needing to fix my seat assignment for the flight to Miami since I paid for the extra leg room.
Every problem, no matter how nerve wracking, has a solution. Latam should realize that if I had waited to check in, there likely would not have been time to fix this and my flights would have been in permanent jeopardy.
Once through security, which was more like US security in the 1980's, we had a bit of time to wait until boarding the flight to Santiago. And I was blessed with an empty seat next to me.
On to Santiago where we had some time. We all tried to spend our remaining pesos since the exchange rate at home would be terrible.
As I boarded the flight to Miami, I found I was "blessed" with a new seat assignment and not a window which is the only way I can sleep on a flight. It was "because of some kids." The plane was packed so I hope those fricken rugrats enjoyed my seat. The flight was painful but tolerable. Once again the food was pretty good and I was able to at least doze a little bit.
The plane landed on time, and I double-timed it out to the concourse. Passport control was bonkers and quickly got bonkerser. If I hadn't gotten out of the plane quickly, I would have never made the final flight of my journey. I'm sure many people missed flights standing in a line which stretched for hours.
At least a few other larger planes landed around the same time - and I'm sure ICE knows when planes are scheduled to land - so it was troubling that there were only two ICE agents working and one was dedicated to the Global Entry (and once that line was empty he stopped taking people).
Then it was through the maze of Miami airport and security, watching my wristwatch all the while. But it did make it to the gate with just enough time before jumping on the final plane of this journey. The flight home was good and the wheels blessedly touched down on the tarmac of my home turf.
On an excursion that is relatively short in real-time, but immensely long in mental-time, it is a bit hard to think back to those first few hours just after Christmas when this Patagonian New Year was just starting. I suppose some adventures are awe-inspiring and some are transformative - this was the rare one which was both.
Being able to do this with my sisters, seeing my nephew as he helped maneuver through the foreign parts of foreign travel, meeting Abi and other Chileans, seeing amazing scenery, flora and fauna - I am unquestionably fortunate to have been able to do this and have it turn out the way it did.
It really is a huge amazing world out there.
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