SA Cruise: Day 1

---

Off on a 21-day cruise around South America, starting from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the east side, around the tip of the continent, and ending in Santiago, Chile on the west side.

We meet our travelling companions, Claudette and Jim, at the Ottawa airport. By the time we have checked in and passed through US customs, our flight out of Ottawa (United Airways), which was supposed to leave at 7:10 pm, is delayed to 8:30 because of mechanical issues. This means that we have no hope of making our connecting flight in Washington.

The UA agent figures out an alternative route for us--Air Canada to Toronto and then another AC flight to Sao Paulo, but it is a very tight schedule. We have to recollect our baggage, exit the secure area, recheck in, pass through security, etc. in a matter of 20 minutes. Luckily another UA agent is available to shepherd us the whole way, using her pass and authority to expedite us through lines and secret doors. We make the plane only because its departure had been delayed 15 minutes, but then we sit waiting on the tarmac for 45 minutes to de-ice the plane! So this flight is now an hour late and we are in danger of missing the connecting flight in TO.

When we get to Pearson, we have to beetle as fast as possible through to the other side of the terminal in just 15 minutes. Winded, we reach the gate just as boarding is announced. We board, relieved that we have m

ade it but worried about our luggage. Has it successfully made the tight connection? The aircraft for our AC flight from Toronto to Sao Paulo, Brazil is a 777 and it is packed. Our flight companions include a happy and boisterous group that appears to be a Brazilian soccer team and of course the requisite fussy babies (4 minimum for a 777?). We are finally fed (there had been no supper for us so far and it was already 11:00 pm) and then everyone but the soccer players and fussy babies bed down for the night.

---