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Flying Around the World
0200 Phoenix time: The sun is rising over the ocean. It is a beautiful orange glow thru an open window on the far side of the plane. I am crossing over the equator for the first time. It doesn't matter that the plane is late. I will probably miss my connection. An electical check and refueling delayed our take off a couple hours. I couldn't sleep. I watched "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Water for Elephants" and now the sun is up. I think I lose five hours total so it's probably 0600 Rio time. This leg is 9 hours or more. I am staring out over an even larger wing wobbling through the orange sky. A vapor layer hides the ocean from view.
1300 Rio de Janiero time: I made it to Rio De Janiero. By the time I picked up my luggage and passed thru customs, my connecting flight to Joao Pessoa had taken off. Wheeling two heavy carts around, very friendly Brazillians offered to help direct me to the right place to check for my new flight information. "Just go up the elevator to the third floor and all the way down on my right!" Right, I weave the heavy carts with wheels that don't want to turn corners to the first check in counter. The line wasn't that long, but they sent me across the terminal to another check in series of mazes. No one in line but I push and pull thru the maze like a rat. This time, I get the flight information, but I have to go back and check the bags near where I started at window 19. Another maze, really, there is no one around, yet it is set up for Christmas or something. The first lady says I went to the International window. I need to go to window 9 for domestic flights. Window 9 says she is mistaken, go to International window 17. No one is at 17, but I give the lady at window 21 my best "please don't send me to another window look"and she happily checks my bags direct to Joao Pessora. I on the other hand will arrive at 2150 Joao Pessoa time after a side trip to Sao Paulo.
I haven't made wifi work yet. Haven't made the wall phone work yet. No AT&T service. Captain John is expecting me at 1435. No way to tell him I will be another 7-1/2 hours. It will be dark. It's another 1/2 hour bus ride to the marina. Do the buses even run that late? So here I sit. I have been up 27 hours now with at least 9 to go!
1435 I panic when a line suddenly forms at the gate in front of me. I jump in line to be told go to gate 28. At gate 28 they are takin last minute boarders an again my boarding pass is rejected. I ask where to go and he confirmed I was at the right gate but wait. I wait. Sure enough, they take my ticket and I follow one other passenger down the tunnel and outside to a waiting bus full of passengers to Sao Paulo.
1535 I am standing in line on the tarmac to board the plane. The Brazillians are a beautiful people with beautiful sounding language. I wonder if I will ever speak it. On board, I am offered a butter toffee and I realize I am starved. A pack of mixed nuts followed.
The flight from Sao Paulo to Joao Pessoa was similar. I have climbed a lot of stairs today. Upon landing and collecting all my luggage, I asked around but saw no sign of John. Left my card with the information desk and got 200 reals for the taxi.
