Everyone who travels has travel stories. Even if you just take a walk, you may encounter something interesting! For us, as we are now preparing for our upcoming vacation, we are remembering some of our travel stores and I will take the time to tell you some of them--if you're interested. If not, it's OK! Travel stories are like home movies. Some people like them and some people don't! (Smile)
(photo credit: our CBS DVD series!--Yes, that's our TV,
and it's the episode when Lucy falls asleep during Ricky's movies!)
Anyway, here is one of our travel stories! When we used to live on the island of Curacao,
On one trip to visit Paraguay, our itinerary was Curacao to Bogota, Columbia (where we stayed the night for a mini-vacation) and on to Asuncion. Then on our way home to Curacao, we flew into Buenos Aires for a couple of days, before flying on to Bogota and then to Curacao.
OK, so we had a nice flight to Bogota. All of us disembarked, went through customs, and then to pick up our luggage, following the sign indicating which baggage carousel we should wait at. We waited and waited. Finally a young man came up to all of us from the plane. "Are you the folks from the plane from Curacao?" "Yes," we all replied. "Well, there's no luggage. You'll all have to come back tomorrow at this time to pick up your luggage." Uproar! "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? No luggage? NO LUGGAGE? What do you mean?" "Yes, there's no luggage. Please come back tomorrow." "Explain to us how there could be NO LUGGAGE AT ALL." "Well, remember when you left Curacao and it looked like it was going to rain? The crew decided not to load the plane because they didn't want to get wet." (Yes, this is a true story!) "WHAT?!?!?! Is this some kind of joke?" "No. Please come back tomorrow. If you have a connection before this time tomorrow, go to that desk over there and make arrangements for your luggage to follow you on the next flight." And he was gone! (Yes, this is a true story!)
Now, that is not the end of the story! We went to the desk indicated, and Ramon gave the girl our itineray so she could write down the information about transferring our luggage, since we actually WERE leaving the next day before the flight from Curacao would come in. We were also using a different airline to fly into Asuncion. She looked at our itinerary and said, "Oh, we don't fly to Asuncion." She looked over Ramon's shoulder and said, "Next!"
"Excuse me! You're not done with us. What did you just say?" "Oh, we don't fly to Asuncion. Let me help the next person." "Excuse me. You're going to help us. It's not our fault that YOUR ground crew in Curacao was afraid they'd get wet! Now you will find a way to get our luggage to Asuncion!" "Yes, Sir. I'll find a way."
Well, she found a way for our luggage to get to Asuncion, but it did take ten, yes TEN, days to arrive! Ramon had to threaten that he'd hire a lawyer. We found out the problem was that the first airline would not take the luggage to the second one and the second one would not go and pick it up. We never found out exactly which airline caved, but at least we got it! (By the way, our travel insurance covered our expenses. It does pay to have it.)
Here is the view of Bogota from the window of our room at the Marriott, where we stayed that night. It was lovely! Bogota is a very nice city!
Well, now to the flight back home to Curacao after a couple of days of a lovely vacation in Buenos Aires. By the way, we really recommend going there if you ever have a chance! Anyway, we got to the airport and had something happen to us that reminded us of a Seinfeld episode! We went early, as is our habit, but still couldn't avoid long lines.
(photo credit: on the photo)
Well, FINALLY it was our turn! When we showed our itinerary, the girl behind the counter studied it, and typed away on her computer. She was very silent. Then she said, "There is a problem with your ticket." Just the words you DON'T want to hear...and just like Seinfeld!
(photo credit: buildingfuturesinmanitoba.com)
"The problem is Sir, that you are in first class,
(photo credit: hwdyk.com)
but your wife is in coach."
(photo credit: thebargainjunkie.com)
Just the very words I DIDN'T want to hear! (Smile) She asked for our receipt, which thankfully I always carry--just in case. This was the "just in case!" Apparently she thought we had bought the tickets that way hoping to pull a "fast one" and pretend ignorance and then get a free upgrade for me! She saw the receipt and said, "Excuse me, I have to go and talk to my manager." Then she went to the back and we could see her talking to her manager and both of them waving their hands and sometimes pointing to us! It was just like this: (Smile)
(photo credit: Youtube)
Yes, it was EXACTLY like that! It was so funny.
When she came back, she was smiling. "My manager said that both of you can fly first class!"
(photo credit: dailyseinfeld.com)
To finish I'll tell about one more thing. As we started the descent into Bogota, we got to see great views of the Colombian jungle. It's quite beautiful. Then, in the middle of NOWHERE, I saw a clearing with some houses and nothing but jungle all around it as far as I could see. "Look!" I said to Ramon. "That looks like one of those drug factory farms you see in the movies. What if a raid is preparing to happen right this very moment!" "Don't be silly," he said. "It's just a village. You've seen too many movies."
Later, while sitting in our gate area, Ramon was watching CNN and I was reading and not paying attention to the TV since my Spanish isn't the best. Ramon said to me, "Look!" I looked up and could see images of a drug raid on one of those drug farms in the middle of the jungle! It looked just like those raids look in the movies, but it was on CNN! Ramon said, "They're saying that it just happened about an hour ago or so, and was southeast of Bogota, right about where we were flying about an hour ago! Maybe we did just about see a drug raid! You never know!" (Smile)
Now we're packing for our next trip, and looking forward to home and family--and praying for an uneventful trip! We've had a busy year of work, but are thankful for the opportunities we've had to serve.
Whatever your travel plans are, even if the plans are to stay home, enjoy and have fun! Have a nice day, take care and until next time, God bless!
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