Getting close and the adventure begins

We are now just over a week away from our departure to Santiago and onward to Easter Island. So now it is a time to start looking at what to do in both places and also other things such as the varieties of food to eat and places to see. 

…..and we are off….

This was a better start than usual and we were really ready when the Carmel car arrived which is almost a record!.We had managed to pack into two carryon bags which ,add things easier.

The trip to Newark airport was uneventful and we were son able to check in and go through the TSA rigamarole. In the process I lost a multi-tool which  I had injudiciously packed along with my electronic stuff. Sad to see it go but it’s obviously did not meet TSA rules so it had to be abandoned. 

After stopping briefly for a cold drink we made our way to the departure gate in the newly revamped Terminal A.. We had not been assigned seats on the plane from Newark to Atlanta which is the first leg of our trip to Santiago and then on to Easter Island. The plane was pretty full so I was concerned we would not be sitting together, However after a bit of a wait, a very helpful Delta agent was able to find two seats together for us. As the flight was very full the agent asked for volunteers to have their cabin baggage checked. We decided to do this right through to Santiago and they were very grateful for that and allowed us to board before our time as a reward.

Before take off the pilot warned us we were on for as bumpy ride and that he might be able to.find 15 minutes of calm weather for us to be able to get up and go to the toilet!! As it happened the trip was very calm and uneventful  and we landed in Atlanta more or less on time, As usual the arrival gate and the departure gate were separated by a long distance and included a train shuttle ride. We made it to the gate in good time and boarded easily, We took off on time in an Airbus 350 which was quite comfortable even though we were in the tail region right at the back. The flight was very full and we had, it seems, booked late. We waited hopefully that the window seat next to MAC would remain open until a red faced and breathless young lady arrived at the last moment to claim it. She had been delayed coming in from Austin and had had a scramble across Atlanta airport to make this plane.

The flight was very long and we experienced mid-level turbulence for a larger part of it which was irritating rather than too uncomfortable. MAC slept for quite a lot of the time but I only managed a cat nap.

Landing in Santiago was on time, even a bit early and the formalities not too onerous. We had to scan a QR code in the arrival hall and then fill in a Customs and Immigration declaration on our phones. Then through to claim our bags, change some money (at an AWFUL rate of exchange!! And on to a taxi to the hotel which was quick and easy.

We seem to have been blessed so far as the hotel had a room for us even though it was only 8 a.m. and check in is normally 3 p.m. We gratefully accepted and went to our room on 15th floor. Then we decided to have breakfast and our traveling companions were in the restaurant so we met up with them and decided, rather than going to bed we would take a walk to the city markets. 

We walked for about 20 minutes to the first market which was mainly fruit and vegetables. The city had its ‘Sunday quiet’ hat on! Then on to the main market which had the remarkable fish stalls carrying a dizzying array of fish which we seldom see in New York. We saw the dreadful black balls which are some sort of marine growth and which on our last visit here we had tasted. There were also huge mussels and other shellfish, enormous Ahi tuna steaks, and some scary fish which looked as though they would bite your head off!! It all looked fresh and appetizing although one of our party is, sadly, allergic to some types of fish. The market was not too crowded but colorful and interesting.

We were warned by then locals to be extremely careful with cameras and phones due to the possibility of pickpockets and others stealing them. We were advised to keep such things out of sight as much as possible.

We returned to the hotel around noon and decided to have some sleep. In mid-afternoon MAC went for a small walkabout to a low hill adjacent to the hotel

Tomorrow, Monday 4/22 we may take a private guided tour of part of the city, probably somewhat focused on local art. Then we have a reservation at a restaurant which is highly recommended and which our companions dined on Saturday. Beyond that we have not yet planned but we leave for Easter Island on Wednesday 4/24, so we have all of Tuesday to look forward to in Santiago. I would like to say ‘sunny Santiago’ but it is rather gloomy here, with the temperatures around 7it 0 deg F or 21 deg C.