Diaster!

Oh my God, what a diaster! Considering my flight to San Fran was at 5:50pm, I took the day pretty handy, thinking I had way too much time to burn. I didnt. I had to get the 2:24pm train to Miami Airport from where I was staying, which would take about an hour. But stupidly, I decided to stop and get a Subway sandwich, so I ended up missing the train. Not the end of the world, as there was another one at 3:24pm, which would get me to Miami Airport 1:10 minutes before my flight, close but plenty of time for checking in.

But it was late. Firstly, even though Deerfield Station where I was leaving from was only about 4 stops from the start of the line, it was still 10 minutes late arriving. Then 3 stops from Miami Airport, we stopped for at least 5 minutes if not 10 to wait for the train coming the other way to pass. For some reason, there is only 1 track, not 2. Anyway, I arrived at the airport before 5pm. Still, not bad, but it was lashing, and I mean lashing. There should have been a shuttle bus there to take me to the terminal, but it wasnt there. So I had to get a taxi that was a $7 flat fare for about 3 minutes in a cab. I knew I only had $3, but I got in anyway. Thankfully he let me off. I would have gone to an ATM, but he said it was ok. Maybe he realised he was ripping me off.

So I went to the self service check in and was helped by an American Airlines official who told me we had to hurry as I cant check in after a certain time as they need 45 minutes to get my bag to the airplane. I couldnt check my bag, so he said I can change my flight to the following day or take a boarding card and see if I can get my bag through security, which they thought might be possible, but equally not as it was so big (about a 18kg bag or 70 litres - big, but not massive). They also told me to detach the small bag at the front to make it look smaller. All this was at about 5:15pm, with my flight leaving at 5:51pm, and boarding starting at 5:21pm! And Miami is a big airport.

So I went to security, but he said I can only have 2 bags. I said I should be allowed through, but they kept saying that I need to go to the desk and check it. He then said that if I can come back with 2 bags, he would let me in. Thankfully he did, so I went to security with all my luggage, about 23kgs in total. I had everything in my bag, including a Swiss army knife and razor blades. I thought about taking them out as I waited, but I couldnt be bothered. I knew they would probably pull me aside anyway. But they didnt. I was allowed through security and on to a plane with a knife and razor blades! Amazing, considering how much they go on about it and the massive bins they have of confiscated knives.

Anyway, I didnt wait around and legged it to the boarding gate and thankfully me not having checked my bag wasn't an issue. They just checked it like they do baby buggies. I was never so happy to be on a plane. The thought of spending a night in Miami was bad.

I got into my window seat and was so relieved. I drunk so much water after being so sweaty, that eventually I had to go to the toilet, but they guy next to me was asleep. So I just asked the lady on the outside to get out and I jumped over him. He didnt notice so all is good.

But yesterday was the worst day of my travels. Thankfully it happened in the USA where I could speak the language and not in Bolivia which is not close to meltdown and civil war!

When I got to San Fran, all was plain sailing. I met my friend Kellie at the airport and drove to Sacramento and stayed with her Dad last night. Today we went to Old Sacramento, which is the original part of the town that was created because of the railways and gold rush. We got those old time photos done too.

We're off to get a 4 hour train to Santa Cruz, so that shouldn't be too bad, nothing like 16 hours on a Bolivian bus. Well, I gotta go. Only 9 days of My Misguided Travels left!