Do you know the way to San Jose...

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...yes, but Air Iberia doesn't!

I am typing in the dark of my hostel, where due to nerves, I mean too much excitement, I can't sleep, so excuse typos and I can't find the question mark on the keyboard!

This has truly been the longest day. We left the flat at 3.30 am this morning and made our uneventful way to Heathrow where we found that check in didn't open for another half hour. Full of beans at teh thought f seeing Sophie again we didn't really mind as it was all part of the adventure! After rigourous customs checks where they tested my toothpaste to check that I wasn't going to blow the plane up with it, we were allowed to board. Emma and I both promptly fell asleep despite loud grinding noises coming from below us. We awoke an hour and twenty minutes later to find we were still sitting on the tarmac as the brakes were not working! The plane finally took off and we slept pretty much the entire way to Madrid.

We arrived at Madrid at the time that our connecting flight was due to start boarding. BUt SPanish authorities do not seem to grasp this and instea made us queue for over 40 minsutes so our hand luggage could be scanned again. This led to us racing through the rather nice MAdrid airport to be told off at the gate for being late! Despite this we made the ten and a half hour journey with seconds to spare. Food on the plane was pretty ropey, but at least our special meals were ordered, and being me I ate it all anyway, including two soggy coleslaw sandwiches, which turns my stomach just thinking about it. The film was Stardust which was excellent in a princess-bride sort of way a;though the other tv showings were less impressive - documentaries about plants!

Finally we arrived at the airport almost an hour early (our luck was changing) and were sped through to a quick passport control queue and we began to feel the adrenaline coursing our veins. We were so excited knowing that Sophie was on the other side of a large wall and once we had our bags we would be seeing her. Ten minutes later Emma's bag arrived and thirty minutes later it became clear that mine was not going to! The Air Iberia desk was heaving with disgruntled passengers whose bags were in Madrid. How Iberia managed this complete mess is beyond me. There was only opne couple who were missing both bags, everyone else seemed to have part of their group's luggage and there must have been at least 20 bags that were left behind. In the lazy (noy London rushing mentality) way that the Air Iberia staff have they decided to explain procedures to each person one at a time rather than announcing it to us all in one go before taking the details. Most people had it confirmed that their bags were indeed sitting at MAdrid and qwould be here at the same time tomorrow. I, however have had to leave a detailed description. We are leaving San JOse at 10.30 am tomorrow to travel to La Fortuna where we should see the famous Arenal volcano amongst other adventures and are therefore leaving it in the hands of the Iberia staff to send my backpack on to Gringo Petes - the next hostel on the list - we shall see how long before it arrives.

So...I am backpacking with a small handbag, I had to do it Hannah style really didn't I.

Here's hoping that the next time I check in I wo;; have been reunited with my pack!

(still enjoying the adventure though!)
xxx

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