I really hate flying

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When we went to check in online for the Iguazu flight, it was only part way through that we realised that our reservation was coming up as on an 11.40am flight, not the 7.20am we had booked. The LAN website showed that the early flight was cancelled but the email telling us to check in never mentioned this and nobody had notified us! There was no explanation for the cancellation - it seemed that a number of flights had been messed up by the volcano, which was the only reason we had got our flight from Miami, so we couldn't really complain. But it did mean that we would miss most of the day we had hoped to spend at the falls so we were a bit fed up.

Still it meant we got the great hotel breakfast and we turned up early to check in succesfully finding our first copy of the Guardian for many months at the airport so everything was looking good. The flight was delayed a little more so it was around 2pm when we landed which didn't leave us much time to get to the falls for the afternoon but the bags were coming off quickly & we thought we would manage it. And suddenly the carousel was empty, all other passengers were gone, and H was left empty handed again. There was one member of staff just leaving the baggage claim who took us with him to fill out the forms. There were no more flights that day so it was unlikely that the bags would arrive later and the disaster of this started to dawn on us as we realised the things that were missing. We had become less careful about flying, and you can't really take liquids in hand luggage, so H was carrying very little with him. The worst realisation was that (unusually) he did not have his glasses with him, or spare contact lenses (he wears daily disposable) so he would not be able to see the next day until the bags arrived. Iguazu has long been a place that H has wanted to visit so this was a cruel blow - he'd made it this far, albeit late, and now wouldn't be able to see anything.

It seemed to take an age to fill out the forms and the LAN guy only spoke Spanish but he seemed pretty competent and assured us that he would call the hotel as soon as they located the bag and that LAN would deliver it there when it arrived. He also gave us a number to call if we wanted more information and gave us $70 compensation for immediate requirements. The taxi driver waiting for us was also very helpful and gave the number of the hotel to the guy and offered to take us into town so we could buy anything we needed.

In the very small town of Puerto Iguazu, most of the shops were shut, including the optician, but we did manage to find basic toiletries and some underwear for Hugh before we finally had some lunch sometime after 4pm. We were both feeling rather depressed and H was convincing himself that the bag would be lost for ever and kept thinking of things that had gone missing which he should have kept with him on the plane.

We returned to the opticians at the time it was supposed to open and had an agonising 15 minute wait to be told that he did not have contact lenses but he thought the other optician, at the other end of town, would do. So, off we trekked (again, having been there once already) and to our delight finally managed to get a pair of lenses that were almost the right prescription....so at least H would be able to see the falls!

We returned to the hotel rather down in the mouth, particularly when there was no message from the airline and no answer on the number we had been given. We spent the evening trying not to think about the things which had gone missing....

Still we were at one of the wonders of the world (at least I think it's in the running) so were determined not to let it completely spoil our time there. So, what happened & how were the falls....watch this space.

And before I forget, there's still time to vote for your favourite cow in the San Jose cow parade.....Vaca Ena Amorada is out in front but only by a hairs breadth from Vaca Tomate so all's to play for.

Lots of love

S + H xx

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