Colombia Part Deux (Do not read while eating)

I'm writing this from the Bogota airport, waiting for my flight back to Santiago.

When I last posted, I was about to head off to northern Colombia to Cartagena.  So, how was it?

I split the 4 days between Cartagena and Santa Marta (a fishing town about 4 hours away by bus), but it didn't really matter where I would have spent my time.  The sickness came back with a vengeance, so most of my time was spent in each of the hostels I stayed at.  Luckily one of the hostels was really good about taking care of me. It also had a pool on site and everyone was friendly, so at least I could lounge by the pool a bit each day.

For me I wasn't sick enough to visit the emergency room or go to a hospital, and so resting up actually worked out well.  Once I was back in Bogota, Marcial took me to a pharmacy, and I was able to get some medication.  (Before this my voice was almost nonexistent due to congestion in my throat.  Pretty I know).

So my last few days in Bogota I drank lots of tea, enjoyed a cough syrup affectionately called Muxol, and watched lots of TV.  Oh, and I forgot to mention something:  My stomach apparently didn't want me eating food or taking aspirin, as it would come right back up.  So for about 5 days it was mostly tea, water, and a gatorade here and there.  Well, at least I was able to drop a few kilos after the foodfest in Gringolandia.

When I woke up this morning I was pleasantly surprised to find out my voice and throat felt completely back to normal.  This was definitely good news, but I was still very low on energy since I hadn't been eating.  I decided to stay on the safe side and stay in.  My stomach accepted my offering of bran cereal with some milk for breakfast without too much of a fuss.

The trip to the airport wasn't too eventful.  After calling a taxi service and waiting on hold for over 5 minutes, I had the bright idea of hailing a taxi from the street.  It turns out that that's not easy to do as rush hour begins in Bogota.  The doormen helped me out, and luckily after about 10 minutes I was able to flag one down.

Where the good health during vacation gods weren't looking favorably on me for this trip, the baggage limit gods sure did.  Once I put my first bag on the scale, the woman at the counter asked me what the weight limits were.  I confidently told her it was 23 kg (about 50 lbs) per bag.  She told me that it was actually a combined weight of 32 kg (about 70 lbs).  She asked how long I was planning on being in Santiago, and I told her about living there and how with my trip to the States and then here I didn't keep good track of the change in baggage allowances once I got into South America.  Her colleague went to talk to a supervisor, and they decided not to charge me for my baggage.  I thanked them graciously and made my way through security and to my gate.

So, what in the end causes my sickness?

Marcial suggested at first that it was altitude sickness.  But my symptoms weren't anything like those I had before, and they persisted even when I wasn't at a high altitude in Cartagena and Santa Marta.

Then he suggested that I got some type of tropical fever.  I find that also doubtful, as I didn't spend any time going to luaus, drinking fruity drinks from pineapples, hanging out under a cabana on the beach, or any other tropical-like activities.

I'm not quite sure what it was, but I'm glad it has passed.  I'm just very grateful that I am able to return to Santiago and can continue my life there.

Well, we are going to board in a few minutes.  Signing off!

Success!

So I'm sitting in the airport in Fort Lauderdale.  My flight from Philadelphia was smooth, and I arrived here at 10:40.  My flight only leaves at 4:20 this afternoon, and the ticket counter only opens at 1.  Luckily they have free wifi here and lots of outlets to plug in electronics.

And the ironic part of all this is that they didn't cancel or even delay my original flight from Philly to Fort Lauderdale.

1 flight down, 2 more to go!

Visiting California

So my week in California has come and gone.
It was a great visit, full of friends, good food, warm sunny weather, and all in all good times.

My first stop after taking the Flyaway from LAX was Union Station and Olvera Street. 

With lots of architecture and historical buildings dating back to the founding of Los Angeles, I always enjoy hanging out at Olvera Street. The Mexican food is delicious, and the strolling musicians and shops bring back fond memories from going there in college and bringing my Spanish students there for a field trip using public transportation from Woodland Hills.  I was surprised to see Mr. Churro (which has delicious churros with a variety of fillings) had moved, and there was also a new cafe on the corner which was really nice.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next part of my trip was spending time in Pasadena and Eagle Rock.  I stayed with friends in Pasadena, and they only live three blocks from the school where I taught kindergarten.  I'm still in contact with some of the teachers there, and so I visited my students that are fourth graders now.  They've grown so much (go figure) and it was rewarding to seeing how they are doing and catching up a bit with my former colleagues. 
 
After that it was off to Eagle Rock via the Metro Rapid bus.  I got to see the familar places: Swork coffee shop, Jamba Juice, Senor Fish, and of course Occidental.  It was warm and sunny, and the walking around made me feel nostalgic. 
 
The other highlights of the trip were visiting the Rose Bowl, the Americana in Glendale, hiking in Eaton Canyon, the good food, and just catching up with friends.  It was so refreshing to be somewhere familiar and reconnect with the people that I haven't seen in a long time.  Some people I saw during my last visit to California in November 2009, but one of my friends I hadn't seen since we both left Germany in July 2001.
 

My trip wouldn't have been complete without complications due to an impending snow storm.  Around 9 at night I started putting two and two together, and I realized that US Airways allows you to change your ticket without any fees if there's a weather advisory.  My flight was scheduled to leave at 11 in the morning and arrive at 7 at night, which was right in the middle of the heaviest forecast snow.  I was too late to catch the redeyes that night, but luckily I was able to get on the 6:30 AM flight. 

The next challenge was finding a way to the airport.  One of my friends was working near LAX the following morning, but he only had to get in by 7 and couldn't get me there early enough to check in.  After calling up multiple shuttle services and finding many without any availablity, I lucked out and found one, and it picked me up at 3 AM.  I was at the airport by 4:15, and after waiting for security to open I got checked in and camped out at my gate.

The flight was surprisingly empty, and they needed to shift people from the front of the plane to the back in order to balance out the weight distribution.  At first people were reluctant to move their seats, but there were plenty of empty window and aisle seats with empty seats next to them.  Besides that the flight was uneventful.

 
I was so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles.  I didn't get to catch up with everyone I wanted to or visit every place I wanted to, but it was such a wondeful feeling spending time with such great friends and being able to stay in contact with them. 
 
Now I have one week until my return to Santiago on February 3rd.

So I spoke too soon....

So my flight was supposed to take off at 10:30 PM, but it's not 11:15.  The screens say that there is a minimum one hour delay. 

I'm hungry and hoping that we will board soon, as the flight included dinner and breakfast.

Wish me luck!

Almost There....

I'm at the airport in Sao Paulo.

I got to the airport in Santiago at 10:45, with my flight leaving at 1:15.  There was a 5 minute wait to check in and a 5 minute wait to go through security, so I had plenty of time.  The flight was uneventful, and I had an empty seat next to me.

When we touched down it was raining and there was some thunder, so I'm hoping it won't affect my flight to New York.  It looks like it is clearing up now, so I should be fine.

Now just til kill another three hours or so until I leave.  See you soon everyone.

Flight to Santiago and first few days here

My alarm went off at 3:30 AM, and I got changed and brought the last of my luggage downstairs to be ready for my taxi at 4.  The girl working at the hostel assured me that I would have plenty of time to get there for my 6:05 flight, but I still felt uneasy about it.

I got to the airport around 4:15, and the line to check in to TAM Linheas Areas (my airline) was stretching haflway down the terminal.  I was mad at myself for not insisting on catching my taxi early, but figured all I could do at that point was get in line and hope for the best.

I got checked in 5:05 or so, and according to my ticket I was supposed to be boarding right then.  I hurried to get to security but was misled by the signs and was down in a shopping area.  After talking to a few people I made it there and got through security quickly.

It's about 5:20, and I'm in the line for the immigration police.  I clutched my passport and paperwork they gave me when I entered, hoping things will go quickly.  I finally get through around 5:35 and dash to my gate.  I get there, and nothing is showing on the screen, and no one is there from the airlines.  I was puzzled and asked a woman holding a small child if it was the correct gate for the flight to Sao Paulo, and she assured me that it was.

The airline staff casually strolled up to the gate at 5:55 and proceeded to go through the gate and disappear without talking to anyone.  They came back about 5 minutes later and were bombarded by passengers with questions.  We started boarding around 6:15, and I had a surprise on board.

I was trying to find seat 10K and wasn't able to do so at first.  Then I realized that for some reason they put me in the last row of first class.  This was totally awesome and unexpected, but actually my 2nd time flying 1st class on an international flight.  Here I am enjoying my seat that reclines:

I just wish that this would have happened on my flight that was 4 hours from Sao Paulo to Santiago instead of the 1 hour flight from Rio to Sao Paulo.

By the time we take off, it is almost 7:00.  We landed at 8:00, and my connecting flight is scheduled to leave at 8:55.  Luckily I am one of the first off the plane, but we had to all pile into a shuttle bus and take it to the terminal.  By the time I get to the terminal it is now 8:15, and I'm assuring myself that everything is going to be OK.  I checked the monitors, and they are all flashing that they are making the last call for my flight.

After a few wrong turns, I find my way to gate 27.  Of course, my gate is the one furthest away from where I am.  I break into a run for short times, as I am not as in shape as I could be and also am carrying my laptop case and a backpack.

I got to the gate at 8:30 and noticed the plane pulled up.  A few seconds later a woman walked up from the connector, and I asked her about boarding.  She gave me a confused look, and I eventually figured out that they changed the gate from when they printed my boarding pass earlier that morning.

I rushed to the nearest monitor, but it had just changed to a screen for advertisements.  The next 30 seconds felt like an eterninty, but the screen finally switched, and I noticed it moved to gate 20A.  I made a quick dash and was out of breath when I got there, but I was able to board with 20 minutes to spare.

I sat down in my seat and breathed a huge sigh of relief.  I was starving and was planning on getting something to eat in the airport, but that didn't happen given the circumstances.  Then of course the flight was delayed for over an hour while we sat on the plane.

I arrived around 1:00 that afternoon, and got my bags and to the hostel without a problem.  After a quick phone call home, I got to meet some of the other people in the program.  It turns out we are all roommates for this first month, and Rochelle had already bought a bottle of wine to celebrate our first night here:

Afterwards I took a trip to the supermarket, and when I was back some others had arrived and we all went out for dinner.  We went to Patio Bellavista, which is comparable to the Americana in Glendale.  There were all types of restaurants and small shops, and we ate at a nice restaurant overlooking a patio where live jazz was being played.  There were people seated all over enjoying dinner and walking around enjoying the ambiance.  Sadly I didn't think to bring my camera with me, but others told me they will send pictures to me.

Today I was up early and made breakfast and unpacked a bit before going out to explore on my own.  I went to the Santa Lucia area, which apparently has lots of shops and a good place to get a haircut.  I wandered around and explored the area and got a haircut for 3300 pesos (or about $6.60).  I also stopped and got some tea and toast:

 In a department store later on I got a nice pair of sandals for 5000 pesos (about $10) and then headed back.  A bit later on everyone decided to head out to explore, and we got to ride on the Metro for the first time and ate some Doner kebabs at a local place.  I haven't had one since I was in Europe last time in 2005, so it was really delicious.


Then we headed to Patio Bellavista again, as some people were craving yogurt.  While we were there I snapped some pictures, but they don't do justice to the night ambiance and jazz that was playing last night.

It's hard to believe that the entire day has gone by already. I'm so happy to be here and want to enjoy every moment of it.

Last few days in Jersey and waiting at the airport

So the time snuck up on me faster than I thought it would.  My last few days included eating with family at Texas Roadhouse for the last time in a while, getting a free Grand Slam from Denny's, visiting friends and playing Wii and Dance Dance Revolution, Settlers of Catan, and visiting my school for a tapas event.

I was really stressed out yetsterday after seeing the weather forecast and was trying to frantically see about getting out on a flight for Tuesday instead of Wednesday, but the flight was full.  It was still on my mind while I was at school, but the tapas event was a nice break and was a good opportunity to see some of my students again as well as some of my teaching colleauges.

After I realized that there was nothing I could do to change my flight or the weather, I decided I was simply going to enjoy my last day before the trip and just take the flight one step at a time.  I had dinner with friends Tuesday night, and when I left their place around 7:45 it was already snowing, and it had accumulated quite a bit.  (Weather.com was forecasting it to start at 10 or so, so I was suprised that it came earlier than that.) 

Then I was off to another friend's to visit, and I stayed until about 11:30.  None of us bothered to look out the window at that time, but there was probably about 6 inches then.  Luckily I had brushes and ice scrapers with me, and I made it home safe and sound.

My dad and I ended up leaving around 7 in the morning, and luckily the weather had taken a break from snow, and we were getting rain.  The roads were mostly clear with a little bit of slush, and here is a shot from along the way:

We got to the airport around 9:45 or so, and by that time the weather had switched back to snow.  I found the window for TAM Airlines, but the woman was busy helping others.  So I decided to double check the weight of my bags.  A guy helped me use a scale at a window, and my bags were 54 and 60 pounds each.  He told me that the weight limit was 50 pounds per bag, which was contrary to what the airline told me of 70 pounds per bag.

I checked out a store in the airport that sold luggage pieces and carryon luggage, but a small duffel bag was $82.  So that started the Great Repacking.  I pulled out things for my dad to mail to me, and I started moving heavier items into my carryon pieces.  After about half an hour of that and reweighing bags, my dad was able to talk to the woman at the desk for TAM Airlines, and it turns out that the baggage limits for TAM were indeed 70 pounds.  So everything went back into my bags after all.

While my dad was waiting in line for the airline, he started talking to a woman also waiting in line.  It turns out that she is Brazlian but living in New York and is traveling there to visit family for Carneval.  She was also checking the weight of her bags, and it turns out she's on the same flight as me.  My dad and I and her got lunch together and got to talk some more.  She was giving me travel advice and even went as far as to call her son in law who lives and grew up in Rio.  She talked to him and told him about me, and he is willing to show me around over the weekend.  She even told me that she will be back for the entire month of September and offered to show me around if I wanted to visit her then.  I have her number there to call her.  Once they learn that you are visiting their country, the hospitality of complete strangers never ceases to amaze me.

This is completely off topic, but apparently men in the JFK airport need help with their aim in the restrooms:

The first urnial I went to looked like it had a dead fly in it, so I went to the next one.  Then I realized that every single urinal has a small fly painted on the inside of it.  I guess maybe other guys don't have such as good aim as me, and perhaps this cuts down on costs of cleaning the floors of the restroom.

So I got in line to check in around 12:15 or so, and it was time to say bye to my dad.  I'm going to miss him, and we got a picture together before he headed back:

I've claimed a small area of the floor next to an outlet, and my Ipod and camera are completely charged.  My laptop is plugged in now too.  I still have over 2 hours before I have to get ready for boarding.  It looks like my flight will be fine after all of my worrying, and asking all of my friends and family to cross their fingers and toes for me also helped out too.

Now hopefully my flight to Sao Paulo will go smoothly as well as making my connecting flight to Rio.

Countdown to departure: 3 hours 10 minutes