Please hold the plane - thanks.

So I land in Brazil, and I have received a text from a co-worker. “Are you in the airport?” I text him back; it’s 9:03 PM and my next flight leaves at 10. I tell him I am worried because I’m cutting it close. Then, I get off the plane and realize that I still need to pick up my baggage. Ugh. Now I’m more worried. But, at least my co-worker tells me that it’s a really simple process. This is good. He keeps reassuring me, even when it approaches 9:24 and there is still no sign of anyone’s bags. Finally, by 9:30 I am bag in hand, run through customs as fast as possible, then on to the transfer counter where I hear them talking about my flight but have no idea what they are saying because it’s all in Portuguese. The girl at the counter hurdles over the desk to put my bag on the scale, but she needs help. I guess it’s heavy. Even though she speaks in Portuguese I can understand her. She tells me to run, so I do. I briefly panic because I don’t know where I’m going but finally, I’ve got it. I approach security and there is a man yelling Brasilia (last call) – Portuguese again. I stick my hand up and yell.. ME!!! ME!!! He sees me and motions me to come up front, I throw my bag through the security belt, don’t even take out the computer or take off my shoes, and then we’re off running ; walky-talky guy leading the way. “Do you have a friend waiting for you?” He says. Oh Patrick, I sure do. Thank goodness for him. We run out the door and he tells me to get into a car parked just outside, and I get a personal taxi to the plane. I thank him and hurry on the plane quickly as the doors seal behind me. Phew!!!

The taxi driver took us on a ride to our hotel. What a dick. We paid twice the amount we should have; good thing it’s not our money! I need to find an ATM tomorrow. My card worked in NY but so far it’s not working here. Our hotel is alright. They call themselves a 5 star but really, it was a 5 star when it opened 50 years ago. It’s old and could use some renovations. Oh well, apparently all the hotels are nearly the same here.

So far, Brasilia is not too exciting. No one speaks English here. It’s a 75+ degree wintertime here, now. No permission problems, so far luckily. After asking permission at one electronic store the guy told me to go outside and come in the employee entrance and sign in there before I was able to take down prices. Not really sure what kind of difference that made, but I did it anyways.
I probably had the most fancy dinner service tonight. Cleaning the table with a little comber, the dinner presented with a cover on top, 3 waiters just to take your order and then stand there staring at you until you order something. Crazy stuff. But, we had 5 beers but didn’t order more than 2. Not sure quite how that happened. OK time for sleep, goodnight.