As i´m writing this i´m sitting on my luggage in the SAntiago airport. It´s 11:30 pm here...exactly 11 hours after we were supposed to arrive...the good news:I´´m in CHILE!!! Now let me tell you about my trip.
The flight to Dallas was a breeze. I got to the airport and bought my last meal in the states for a very long time. Well I get to the gate and check in and SURPRISE! the captain is sick, but no fear, another guy is on the way and it will only be delayed 2 hours. whew. So I started talking to the people next to me...turns out they were going to Santiago for the wedding of the daughter of 2 religion profs at luther...what a small world. Well they became my temporary family for the next 2 days. So I got on the plane...sitting in the LAST row by the window thinking to myself , this is FINALLY happening. So the plane takes off and I finally get to doze for a while. About 1.5 hours later the captain gets on the speaker:
"Folks, we have a light in the cabin that needs to be checked out, the safest way to do this would be to fly back to Dallas and have them check it out. It shoudl only take 20 min and we´ll be back in the air"
Ok, a bummer, but no biggie...rather be safe than sorry. About 20 min later:
" This is your captian, don´t be alarmed but safety and rescue vehicles will meet us on the runway just as a precaution."
hmmmm, ok, it still doesn´t sound too bad
About five minutes later the flight attendents come around and review the safety information, explicitly showing parents how to hold their children if we were to crash. Ok, getting a bit more nervous. Then:
"I would like to remind every one toe fasten their seatbelts tight acrros their laps, TIGHT AND LOW! give it an extra tug. " THis is when i started praying
We we began our decent and I could see the fire trucks out my window rushing towards the plane, the wheels hit, we went back up , then they hit again, and we were on the ground. WHEW. That night I stayed in a hotel and the flight left the next morning. AND we just landed in CHILE!!! YAY! So now i´m just waiting for some friends to get through immigration, then we´re off!
Love and miss you all
Cristina
