Today is the day I voyage from Brazil to Bolivia! As something new, I'm going to write an ongoing blog throughout the day. By the time this is published, the day will be in the rearview mirror and everything will be known. But as of now, it's all questionable! Will I make my short connection? Will my taxi be there when I arrive? Will I be kidnapped and killed? Stay tuned!
11:02am - The day began early at 7am with an unwelcome alarm after a whopping 3 1/2 hours of sleep. I ate a delicious breakfast with Carol and André, and played with the kids who were heartwarmingly opposed to my departure.
Oh no! Lost track of time, we're running late! I nicknamed Carol the "wolf driver" as we sped to the bus. Luckily, the bus was late too so we made it just in time!
The bus went directly from Campinas to the airport terminal, and it was very nice. However, if you've ever thought using the restroom onboard an airplane or train was difficult, try using it in the back of a bus while driving on the bumpy and hilly roads of Brazil! Luckily, I didn't fall in.
After embarrassingly going to the check-in desk of the wrong airline, I made it to the right place! I'm currently standing in an indefinite line, waiting for the invisible airline workers (who aren't actually invisible, but haven't shown up yet) to check in my baggage.
12:18pm - I made it to the gate! 2 hours early - the perfect amount of time to explore the airport and [hopefully] not get lost!
Not going to lie, the last hour has been pretty rough.
After the not-invisible workers finally arrived, I went to check my luggage. They promptly weighed my carry-on bag (one of my great fears as I'm about 2kg over the 7kg weight limit. Luckily, they didn't say anything!) Next they asked for the address of the place I'm staying, which totally threw me off because I've never before been asked to produce such documentation at the check-in desk.
After what felt like 15 minutes but was probably closer to 3, I determined that the email which contained the address was sent on Jan. 13th, but my email app only went back to Jan. 28th. I would have to exit the vicinity and call my parents, thus requiring me to get in the very back of the now football-field-sized line.
Epiphany - they probably want the address so they can issue me a visa... But I already have my visa! BINGO. Documents copied, boarding pass in hand, off to find the gate.
Next I went through about 3 different security checks, in one of which I accidentally went through the Brazilian-citizens-only line and it took several failed passport scan attempts as well as a woman talking to me in a few different languages before I figured this out. I may have also accidentally gotten on the elevator to the VIP lounge, pressed the button a few times, determined the elevator was broken and exited, and then realized I was already in the floor I wanted to go to.
Oh my gosh, I'm a wreck.
3:46pm - I'm currently on the plane headed to Cochabamba. We're scheduled to land at 4:15, but the plane is showing no sign of decent. I have no idea why.
After my last entry, I went in search of the wide variety of cuisine usually available in airports. I didn't find it. What I did find was a Starbucks, a baguette place, and a couple vending machines. Guess it's pão de queijo (cheese bread) and a blueberry muffin for lunch today!
While waiting in line at Starbucks, a man asked me if I spoke English. He was from Iran (what is it with running into Iranian people in the airport!?) living in Italy, just passing through GRU on a layover. He was very interesting to talk to. And I felt pretty macho about being able to help him communicate with the worker who only spoke Portuguese - it was refreshing after being the ONLY person who didn't speak perfect Portuguese for so long.
Then it was time to board the plane. And that, folks, is when the transition from Portuguese to Spanish officially took place.
And I'm flunking.
The flight attendant greeted me with the standard: "Hola, ¿cómo estás?" The answer to this question has been natural instinct for me since 7th grade. Yet I responded with the Portuguese "muito bem," realized my mistake, took a few seconds, sputtered a few random Spanish words, and continued on defeated.
I didn't know it was possible to have a conversation and have no idea what language it's in, but it happened. I couldn't tell what language the man sitting next to me was speaking (THAT'S how similar Spanish and Portuguese are) so I was being careful to only use words that are the same in both languages. I finally discovered that he is Bolivian, but he's been in Brazil so he knows a decent amount of Portuguese. He's the perfect person to speak to, because I can try to speak Spanish but he will still understand when I accidentally say a Portuguese word. There's some intense "Portañol" (as the ladies at NAS called it) going on right here!
4:10 now and still no sign of decent. Hmmm this is getting curious... Well, at least I'm on the same exact plane for the next leg of the flight, so it can't exactly leave without me! Although I remain unsure about whether I'm supposed to exit the plane or not. I read someplace that they make everybody get off, go through customs, full on exit the airport, then reenter from the outside (all in the 1hr 20min layover). But the woman working for the airline full on admitted that she had no idea what I'd do upon arrival to Cochabamba. So that's frightening. I guess I'll have to wait and follow the crowd!
4:52pm local time (5:52pm according to time schedule of last update) - So I figured out why the plane wasn't descending on time.... Because the flight arrival times are always written in local time, but my phone clock still had Brazil time. That explains it! So we actually arrived rather early.
I can't even express how beautiful Cochabamba was flying in. It's a stormy day, and the clouds and the mountains seemed to dance together, becoming one.
We landed and exited through the REAR of the plane onto the tarmac. This totally threw me off as I don't recall ever exiting a plane from the rear, so I jumped up and went and was about halfway to the door of the airport when I realized I had forgotten my suitcase in the overhead compartment. Oh the walk of shame as I reentered the now empty plane and grabbed my suitcase!
There was a long line at "migración," but it was super quick. I still can't get over going to a country and not even having to speak to the customs official, or present baggage in any capacity.
I began to stalk the people in front of me, as I knew they were going to La Paz as well and I honestly had no idea where to go. To my surprise, they spoke English too, so that was a bonus! I honestly don't think I ever would've figured out where to go or what to do without them, as our flight wasn't listed on the board yet. After it showed up, we went through security again and I'm now sitting at the gate with a whole hour to spare! And I was scared about not making my connection....
By the way, I went through security with two full bottles of water, and they said OH THAT'S FINE! So here I am sitting at the gate with my waters in hand. Talk about culture shock!!!
10:14pm - I MADE IT!!!!! AND I'M NOT EVEN DEAD OR KIDNAPPED!!!
The flight from Cochabamba to La Paz only lasted 35 minutes, but it was 35 minutes of some of the most incredible sights I've ever seen. We flew right next to some thunderheads and it seriously felt like I was on a train in Heaven. And the snow-capped mountains peeking through the clouds all the time - I took so many photos, but they don't come close to capturing what it was truly like.
We landed in La Paz, which is nothing like I expected it to be (but that's good, because how boring if everything is exactly the way it's expected!) We went through a final document check, and they also double checked to make sure that each person picked up the correct luggage.
I walked through a door and was so surprised to almost run into my name, as the taxi driver was holding a sign. We headed towards the taxi and he said he'd pull it up while I waited at the door. SCARY MOMENT, I looked away and then saw a cab pulling up and I thought it was him. So I started heading towards it and almost got in. Luckily the right one pulled up just then, and I realized my mistake! It made me very insecure though - what if this wasn't the right one either!? Taxis can be very dangerous here...
Then we were immersed in the crazy city traffic, followed by 3000ft worth of elevation drops in the next half hour. And then I was left at the door of UP CLOSE, where a multitude of very friendly and welcoming people greeted me. And the rest of the night has been spent talking to them!
I'm so excited to wake up tomorrow and see where I am! I see the silhouette of the mountains behind the house, but I really have no idea what sights surround me.
My battery is completely dead - The battery of my mental and physical functions, that is. Methinks it's bedtime! Goodnight(: Thanks for following my journey today! <3
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