Travels > Argentina > The Americas

Wed 2.12.2009 by Liz

Since we had to checkout of our Barcelona hotel at 12pm, and return the car, we arrived at the airport 5 hours before our flight. We passed the time playing Uno and wandering around the airport aimlessly until it was time to board, not worrying to eat as we would be fed on the plane. Well, unbeknownst to us, our flight was a domestic one to Madrid which connected to the international flight, which wasn't the case when we made our booking. This first flight only fed you if you paid for the food, and as we exchanged most of our Euros thinking we no longer needed them, we could buy anything to ease our grumbling tummies.

Then, upon changing to the international flight, we find out we are then seated in the middle of the plane - to the great annoyance of Jack - when we specifically selected the window seats in check-in. Then we get a lady with a baby sitting next to us, which meant having to get up out of the seat either meant waking the baby so it would cry again or bothering the poor old lady on the other side of us.

So we're hungry, don't get the seats we specified, get a baby right next to us, not in-flight entertainment, and then there was the service... or should I say, what service? The flight attendants didn't even attend! Only when it was designated meal time - which we only had two - would they immerge from the back to throw crumbs at these starving seaguls.

There we no drinks being offered outside of meal times and no attendant coming after pushing the call button. After pressing mine and patiently waiting, while slowly dying of thirst, I noticed many other passengers were doing the same thing, waiting while their little call light was on and no attendant coming to their side. That was it, I need to just serve myself. I had to disturb the poor old lady on Jack's side as the baby had finally just gotten to sleep and I went to the galley to find some water. Well, there sat two attendants reading newspapers, barely even looking up as I reached for a cup. As much help as I got was them pointing to the water. Needless to say, I am not enjoying this flight or airline. We won't be flying with these guys again, if we have a choice about it.

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Sunset over the metropolis (from our rooftop)
From

I now sit in our Buenos Aires apartment. When we landed, we were picked up by a taxi driver organised by the people we rented the apartment through. The cab ride was amusing, filled with conversations in our broken Spanish and his broken English, and the whacky way the Argentineans drive here. He pointed out things as we drove, including a sports stadium, which we were like "oh, nice... must be a football thing" and then he mentioned ACDC were playing here that night and for the next 3 nights! We found that amusing.

We were greeted at the apartment by the agent rep and the owner. They were all helpful and nice and Jack has already played rescue-techy by fixing their wireless modem in another apartment and ours, for which they were very grateful.

So far, our first 1.5 days in Buenos Aires so far are going well. Our little Spanish is enough to get through most things we need at the moment. I'm sure it will improve the more we try and speak to people. I just need to get over my shyness about speaking badly. Jack is doing really well.

Our apartment is apparently in the trendy part of town. Only down side to its trendiness, lots of new apartments are being built, so we are hearing many jack hammers and construction type noises. But it's not that bad though.

But finally, we're in South America. It's also great to be in summer again. Jack and I were looking forward to the warm weather so much. I think my body was having summer withdrawals.

Summer, let's never let it be so long ever again. ;)

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