Departure day was no different than any of the previous days. Sunny, beautiful and +32C. Windy.
I had to get up at 4:30 this morning because I had to be at the airport to do the duane declarations of my stuff at 5:30am.
Federico sent me off in a cab. I did not quite understand that part but it doesnt matter. He got up at a really bad time and he was even sick so I get that one.
Irene waited for me at the airport and took my stuff straigth away. It was good to get rid of !
I got in the line for paying the airport tax and while I waited I noticed that a lot of people with t-shirts with Zoo Africa Mia entered the airport and that obviously cought my attention. I was explained that this is the day 30 new animals will arrive the Zoo.
After I payed my airport tax (26$ for all foreigners to Costa Rica) and checked in my luggage that I had to pay 50$ for the overweight for (first time ever Ive had to pay for it even though Ive always had way too much with me) I noticed a huge amount of people from the press as well. They were there to see if they could see any of the animals arriving to the airport. The plane with the animals landed at 7am and none were allowed to enter the passport control area before all the people from that plane was declared into CR. As I was waiting I heard a voice say to me; Taxi?
No, thanks I am leaving today I said and turned towards him. And added. You wouldnt be Jorge by all means? Yes? he said and I asked him if he remembered me, removing my sunglasses.
He did remember me. It was Jorge. My ex boyfriend, back in 1993. hehe. Funny.
He was married now with 2 kids. We talked for a while and another Taxi driver joined in on the conversation. Manuel had taken me around a couple of times and wanted me to remember him. I dont quite know why though. hehe. But it was great to see Jorge again. We exchanged phone numbers before he got a customer and had to leave.
They opened up the entrance to the airport again and I got to go in there with the others and I got some lunch, and some more souvenirs. I only managed to finish up my breakfast before we got to board the plane. I looked for cousin William that I got to know yesterday but did not see him anywhere.
I had a window seat so I did not get to enjoy the last view I could have over my precious latin america and we arrived Houston all after schedule. I did some tax-free shopping, had lunch and sta down to wait at the gate. Though in Houston we got the message that the plane was set up to be an hour late. Thank GOD it left in time because I only had 1 hour to change plane in NY. Well. I dont know if I was supposed to thank God or someone else because we arrived good into New York and I rushed away to the Oslo gate and realized I even had time to go to Ron Jons surf shop before the plane started boarding.
I got into the plane and was placed pretty far back in the plane and there was a lot of people back there that had travelled for a time and that was very openminded and we all had a great talk until we taxed off from the gate to get our security check. We waited a long time and the captain came on the speaker announcing that the security personnel had found an error with one of the engines and that it was easy to fix – we just had to get back to the gate and let them continue the security check. Fine! Who wants to take off with a bad engine anyway?
Oh. Well. to continue the story the captain comes on the speakers again and announces that the error is so bad that we have to change plane. We all pack up our stuff and deboards the plane and waits at the gate to be able to board the new plane. It takes us almost 2,5 hours to change plans and everyone is happy to be able to board the plane. It is getting late and we are very relieved to be on the go again.
Well. Not so fast there. We tax out from the gate and the captain is checking the plane, the security personnel is checking the plane and there is nothing happening for a long time. No messages and we are just standing there way too long. We should have taken off by now. But there is some strange smell in the plane and finally the message from the captain is clair. I am very sorry this is taking so long but we just have to check that everything is ok with the aircondition system because it is provoking a strange smell. Need I say more. We had to change plane again. People were tired, hungry and we had to wait 2 more hours before we got to board the 3rd plane. At least a nice lady let me call home to say I was going to be very much delayed.
We were supposed to take off at 8pm but took off finally at 2:30am and we all got coupons so that we could have a free drink and a 100$ off on our next roundtrip worth more than 400$. I also got registered for One Pass so that I can gather points every time I fly. That is cool. I already have 11000 points !!
We took off about the same time the plane was supposed to land in Oslo and just after our dinner the tax-free passed by and I got a perfume before I passed out. I was sooo tired. It had been an inmensely long day.
Home and Away 