02 | October | 2023 | The Cannon Family's travel blog

Our last day in Chile dawned grey and dull – as if Santiago wanted us to leave. We had requested a late checkout so Frank could het plant of sleep and I could get some work done. We squeezed I breakfast and some packing time as well (The packing was more challenging this time due to the presence of dirty clothes and my determination to have one business-appropriate outfit in each case and my backpack. Not doing the shopping thing again) Finally one of us was napped out and one had eyes blurry from marking dissertations, so it was time to checkout.

Because we were in a big fancy hotel, we could leave the bags with the concierge while we spent our last day wandering the city. Slowly wandering that is. Between Frank’s mucous and a screaming neuroma in my right foot, we would be breaking no land speed records today. But we had 5 hours until we would be leaving for the airport so we headed toward downtown to get some culture.

And of course we had to pass by our favorite pastime along the way: a wine festival! The second day of Dia del Vino was in full swing along Avenitas Andre Bello. As tempting as it sounded, we didn’t think that drinking lots of wine on a damp chilly day before getting on an overnight flight was really the best way for Frank to recuperate. {sigh}

So we plodded onward to the Museum of pre Columbian art. And it was fascinating! So much history and cool stuff from the region dating back thousands of years. My favorite part was the data knots: a textile based accounting system from the 14th century. Yes, I am that nerd!

After checking out every exhibit – cuz we had nothing but time – we headed back across town to pick up our stuff and head to the airport 4 hours ealy (!!). Not something we do in Aberdeen but apparently very necessary in Santiago. We got checked in, grabbed something to eat and boarded the plane.

Because we were on two separate bookings – mine made by the sponsor of my trip and his made by me – we weren’t scheduled to be seated together mostly I bought Frank a better ticket than I had! I had tried to purchase an upgrade to join him but the online system told me that wasn’t going to happen. So we asked at the checkin desk and were told that it would cost about $1000 USD for me to move 10 rows forward! Bye honey – see you in Atlanta! I was lucky enough to have an exit row seat – the one where no one sits in front of you – and then won the “empty middle seat lottery”. With the exception of the most boring catering you could possibly have in the air, the flight was fine. I managed about 4 hours sleep. Frank didn’t do so well even in his fancy “Comfort +” seat.

We landed early in Atlanta and joined the security farce that is changing planes in the US. How does it make sense that we land at an airport, disembark and pass through passport control to a secure area, collect our bags in that secure area, walk past a customs desk that no one is at, then reload our bags to another plane – still in a secure area – and have to go through security AGAIN! How does this make sense? How does it make people safer to have to pick up their luggage froma belt in one room then put it on a belt in another room? If this is so great, why doesn’t the rest of the world do it? </soapbox>

We managed to make our connection with time to spare so we could get some overpriced and overcooked airport coffee before boarding our flight to DC. One thing I love about Delta Airlines is that they scan the bag tags at every transfer point so we knew both our bags had made the plane. Our lucky “distributed packing” insurance worked! We grabbed the bags, got in a cab and headed to hotel number 2 for the trip.

Then I had to go to work. Grrr. Frank got to walk around in the 26 degree sunshine and remember what our young, newly wed life was like living in the big city. Dinner at a favorite haunt with our favorite Swiss dude made staying up worth the effort. Now for 3 days of actual work for me. See you when it’s play time again.

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