Gosh did it rain overnight, and as the wind came up the Hotel was shaking and we had to close the window which made it a little bit warm and airless, however travelling in deepest Patagonia would always be interesting.
I did mention yesterday the challenges of travelling with Aerolinus Argentinus and their various flight schedules. Well our original flight booking to Buenos Aires from El Calafate was the AE 1693 due to leave at 12.40 and arrive at 16.40 but then I discovered following a recent experience to check the details again and so after looking at the web site where I found the same flight number on the same day going to the same place leaving at two different times we decided for safety sake, that we would use the earlier time of 11.30 rather than the 12.20 just in case.
So it was not too early this morning but we did have a disturbed sleep thinking that the Hotel or at least the roof would disappear down the road overnight but somehow it held on.
Usual breakfast and paid the bill and off to the airport and the line-up for check in was small, brilliant, and then we handed over the passports etc and the guy checked us in and gave us boarding passes and told us to purchase Airport tax but whilst on the way we noticed that the flight number and departure time on the boarding pass was completely different to any of the few we had found recently. We went back to check in desk and asked what is happening and the agent said it’s ok, we have put you on the direct flight to Buenos Aires at 13.05 and it will arrive roughly the same time as your other flight which needs to stop at Bariloche. So now we have to wait three hours in a brand new departures building which still has workmen drilling and banging and the road outride has still got oil drums and building equipment all over the place where you would normally disembark from your car. Oh the joys of travel. So our flight will be shorter and we will hopefully arrive at the same time.
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| Dust everywhere |
Flying on domestic flight in Latin America is very different to the Uk and other major carriers. When leaving from London on BA they checked there was no hand baggage on the floor, even newspapers must be put away and you have to put all bags in the locker etc. Not here, people come on board with two handbags and a coat and they sit down as though on a bus and the announcement, says put everything in the overhead compartments and the stewards walk up and down, no doubt leering down the front of dresses etc, (actually that’s wrong as he looked almost asleep with his eyes keep closing during the safety announcement which he also did in a half-hearted manner and totally ignoring the lady clutching her two bags with a coat covering her seat belt?? When checking in do they ask how much hand luggage do you have and what size is it, NO absolutely no interest whatsoever, but they are happy to chat about the weather.
Normally I write this blog the same evening or the following morning so I won’t forget anything but as I have some time to kill I though why not start now. Jennifer had gone to do a little shopping and at the moment the pile drivers etc are going and then Jennifer came rushing back to say the check in area is filled with builder’s dust which almost obliterated everything in sight.
So Noel went off to investigate and there was thick dust everywhere and covering the passenger checking in???
We looked at the TV for flight info, and what could we see. See photo.
Anyway we finally boarded our new flight forty minutes late, somebody did tell me that a flight schedule is only an indication of what time it might depart, and that seems to be true.
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| Flight Information Board |
Forty minutes later the trolley dollies come around and ask how would you like you ham and cheese roll? So I ask do you have one that is perhaps two days old and the roll has absorbed all the dampness from the ham due to it being packed in tight plastic, Of course Senor we have plenty like this. Would you like a drink sir, yes please and if you have some luke warm water because there is no ice left, that would be fine!!!
We finally arrived at BA and the taxi driver was having a Chelsea badge and so we talked about football, I say talked more of mish mash of names and words.
We stayed at the Hilton tonight and using up points and then went for dinner along the waterfront whilst it was still early, not for us but the locals.
Tomorrow we will take a tour bus ride around the town.
