I have had an experience list long before someone came up with a bucket list. Which btw, I don't like the idea of things to do before you die, I like the idea of expriences while being fully alive. My experience list has had tango'ing in Argentina on it for awhile and yesterday, I moved it to the top of the list to be able to check it off.
Ah, "the best laid plans of mice and men"! Boarded my flight to Miami at 3PM yesterday to catch my 8PM flight to Buenos Aires. A big, beautiful American Airlines 777, first class, life is good:-) I was scheduled to arrive the next morning at 8AM and meet my friend, Chris who would be arriving at the same time from London. Chris and I have been friends for decades when we met in the Israeli desert while speaking for life insurance agents. We take many international trips together, our last one to Prague.
Well, at 2am, our plane was diverted to Santiago, due to volcanic ash from a rumbling volcano in Chile. I found that out when I awoke at 4am from my ambien stupor. The American Airlines flight attendant told me that ash destroys planes and their first concern was safety, who am I to argue with that?
We deplaned in Santiago and I found myself in a throng of people, none speaking English, nor did any of the airline personnel. Hey, I got to see the Andes, my glass is still half full. I overheard a young gal speaking English (there is a God:-) She was Argentinian but lives and works in the Cayman Islands and was coming home to visit family. Laura became my saviour and I became her shadow. We found ourselves in the line of Chile's airline, LAN and it seemed they were booking all of us to fly to BA. Of course, I was wondering why they could but AA couldn't but followed like sheep till we were re-booked.
The good news, yes, finally there was some, was getting on the next flight out at 10am whereas all others had to wait till 10PM. The bad news ... especially when going international. I had no phone, Chris had no wi-fi so we could not connect. Laura tried to call and email her as we had a driver waiting for both of us at the BA airport and were trying to reach them and the hotel without much luck. Until..., Horatio appeared, a friend of Laura's from days gone by and he used Skype to contact the hotel who had still not heard from Chris.
I finally arrive in BA at 1PM, I have had three flights and flown 14 hours. I'm tired and cranky (yes, even inspirational speakers get cranky) and find out that with any luck I might get my luggage TOMORROW and I have nothing with me, nada!! When I arrive, my driver tells me he hasn't heard from Chris so we have no idea where she is. He takes me to my hotel, an hour away from the airport and when I arrive they have not heard from Chris either. I check in, email Chris (with what little battery power I have left, yes, my plug is with my luggage) whose assistant, Judith informs me that Chris was diverted to Rio,has to stay overnight and will get here sometime tomorrow.
I decide to take a walk to check out the nearby fitness center as my hotel does not have one. Walk a few more blocks through the Palermo Soho area where our hotel is and then decide to stop for a late lunch at a little cafe which was delightful. I made many networking connections before I left and so I have an email from Dante inviting me to my first milonga tonight. I am tired, dirty and have no clothes to change into so I opt out of that wonderful opportunity to hit the sack, slept for hours, watched Law and Order in my room and will probably fall asleep again.
All in all, not an auspicious start to what I know will be a great trip and on the bright side, a whole lot of new material for my speeches:-) Buenos Noches!
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