Reality Tour, South America: The Joy of Flying

I have a little down-time at the airport. I’m glad to be on my way… even though I’m still in the United States. But this week at work, I have found myself daydreaming about my trip to South America, so it’s high time this journey began already! As a first time traveler to South America and with no clearly defined expectations, I keep conjuring up stereotypical images ─ mostly a couple embraced in a killer tango move or me sipping wine in a Napa Valley-like setting. Here’s hoping that perception matches reality…

When I tell my friends about my “business” trip, they laugh. They theorize that taking photos and video is what most people do on a vacation anyway and writing a blog is the equivalent of a traveler’s journal entries.  Thanks for the clarification. With my departure imminent, I think, perhaps they are right and I have just hit the jackpot of dream jobs.

I finally finished packing last night so I’m ready to go. Ask anyone in my family and they’ll tell you that when it comes to packing I organize my neatly pressed clothes into ensemble outfits complete with accessories. When your closet is a world away, it’s best to be prepared! I also roll my clothes to optimize space and pack them in clear plastic bags.

Little did I know that passengers in line would see first hand the contents of my suitcase when I was forced to pull things out of it in order to bring my personal belongings to a manageable 50 lbs. The reservations agent was clearly not impressed with my packing skills.

Once at JFK we took the train to terminal 4, the home of LAN Airlines. Here we found a reservationist with a sense of humor. In an effort to make small talk while he tapped away at his magical keyboard, I asked if the plane was full. Answer:  yes. Configuration of the aircraft? Answer:  2-3-2. Pushing my luck with a third question, I asked if his typing would result in good seats for us, and Debbie piped in, “First Class, perhaps?”  Answer: “Very funny, like I haven’t heard that one about a hundred times today.”  His timing was spot on and his delivery as he looked at us over the top of his very hip, very European eyeglasses was droll yet effective. Debbie and I had a good laugh over that…probably our last before our 10-hour LAN flight from New York to Santiago, Chile.

Oh, wait, it’s time to board.

More later!

-Melissa



posted by Melissa McKee

Collette Vacations

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