The São Paulo Connection...

Each of us had checked our bags all the way through to Natal in Boston. After clearing customs Lori and I heard an announcement in Portuguese over the intercom stating that all Continental passengers needed to claim their luggage. We sent William to get some carts and loaded the 10 heavy suitcases unto them. The only positive thing I had to say about both Brazilian airports I have flown into was the fact that their baggage departments have their acts together. There is no such thing as waiting 45 minutes to claim your luggage.

We then had to check in the bags again, a process that would take nearly an hour and a half of our two hour layover. First our bags were too heavy, then the computer system went down and then a Chinese man couldn't make it through the single security line. When he finally made it through the metal detector, the now hundred of us waiting in line cheered and he took a bow. I was convinced that we were going to miss our connection, but I was wrong. Apparently nothing in Brazil is on a set schedule. "On Time" means that something leaves or begins the departure process less than an hour and a half from the initial depicted time. One thing I do need to learn is patience...so waiting on an entire country may in fact be good for me. We got on busses and drove across the tarmac to our plane.

The three hour flight was uneventful except for the fact that I managed to finish the book I had started while waiting for my plane back in Boston. After landing in Natal, we were by Luis (the psychiatrist), Lillia (his wife the lawyer) and Salomão (the real estate agent who had found Mark and Lori the house to rent). We split up and got into two separate cars for the ride to the property. I took a risk and hoped that Salomão had lived up to his name (pronounced Solomon), and in all his wisdom actually punched a car with air conditioning. He had! I was exhausted and felt quite dirty. I was looking forward to a shower and a long nap. I was quite thankful that I didn't have to see anyone that night...