A day in Santiago Oct 22, 2016

OOSTSnot rival anI it tSantiago was at 6:40 for local time. Santiago being 2 hours ahead of Texas that meant it was 4:44 Texas time. It is going to be a long day. Remember how just yesterday I wrote that the stuck would be getting the problems on the tour over with right at the start.  then I next wrote about how even though we never check our baggage, we were going to check our baggage for this trip. I guess you probably already know what happens when we showed up at the baggage carousel, nothing, as in no luggage.  it turned out we were the only one on the flight there were about 50 more people in the same situation. we learned that an entire container of luggage had been loaded on a plane from Miami instead of one are playing for Santiago. as a number of people were saying, typical of American Airlines.  Supposedly they will deliver it to our hotel tomorrow, however there is one small problem, we won't be in Santiago anymore, we will be out on Easter Island. Maybe yes maybe no but in the end it'll make for a very good story. Still Smiling Bob and Linda.

 The line moved extremely slow, like the first person took a half an hour to get all the paperwork filled out. That was when I figured out that if I circled all the way around the group and went over to the far side and kind of slide in about 4 people back where  the line was about 6 or 7 people wide we just might get helped out quicker.the reason being there was a counter space that wasn't occupied over there on that side. Sure enough someone finally sat there and we eventually helped.  And we were soon helped.  I hadn't forgotten a few of the tricks I'd Learned during all those decades I spent traveling for business.

Since we were so late we were wondering if someone from OAT was still going to be there to meet us.  After exiting the baggage area we were standing there looking like two lost souls when this wonderful and pretty young woman came up to us and said are you Bob and Linda.  She already knew about the lost luggage and later took all of our information so they can work to see that our luggage shows up in Easter Island. That really made our day.  I must say here though that if and when it actually shows up on Easter Island that will really, really make our day.

Looks like they were expecting Linda and I to be on the outs with each other considering all the travel problems we had. or at least it looked that way when we walked into our room and saw the twin beds. It was like we wouldn't even be talking to one another and who'd want to sleep next to each other. That's not the case at all, we're still smiling and laughing.

 One of the things we really like about OAT tours is the fact that they are small groups.  On our pre-trip there are only 8 people which makes it very easy to hear the guides especially since I don't have my charger for my hearing aids charger thanks to American Airlines.

 When it rains it pours. here's Linda standing in the turnstile of the metro station. Notice that Linda can not get through the turnstile of the metro station even though she put her ticket in the machine. Notice that Linda's ticket did not work.  She wasn't the only one though. We have to wonder what's going to happen next. Fearful Bob.

 You know that old saying, when in Chile do as the Chilean's do. Well that's what we did tonight. One of the drinks that is renowned in Chile is called a Pisco Sour. Let us just say that after two or three Pisco Sours everything is a blur. The closest thing we could describe it as is a margarita,  just not as sweet. Something tells me there are more of them in our future, even if we are not in Chile

 Dinner what's a fish called Hake.  Understand that Santiago is a long way from the sea so it was a little bit of puzzle is to why our dinner was fish.  Then came dessert which way more than made up for the puzzle over the fish which was fabulous by the way. The dessert was papaya served in a way we've never had it before. Now we just have to figure out how to fix it when we get back to the States. Suffice it to say that Linda was in 7th Heaven.

 Returning to our room we had a fitting end to our day. but first let me say that at dinner we learned that our luggage is not going to be at Easter Island tomorrow, it is going to be at Easter Island if the day after tomorrow, because tomorrow there is only one flight to Easter Island with leaves about the same time that our luggage will arrive from Miami. anyways back to the fitting end of the day having done by late evening Duty into the toilet I pulled up the knob which flushes The toilet.  As you can see , when I pulled it up it pulled completely out of the toilet. I'm sure it can't get any worse. and you thought you had a bad day.

Please be forewarned thar internet connections Easter Island are spotty at best. It is highly likely there will be no posts while on the Island. If so I will post all the blogs when we return to the mainland on Thursday. Easter Island here we come, just not the way we expected. The neat thing is that all the people who have clothes are loaning things to those who are without baggage. More on that later, but I do now have a pair of socks!

It's very late at night. No error checking happen bore this post. Trust it is readable. Very Tired Bob.