Well here I sit in Hosteria Papagayo after I wasn´t sure if i was going to make it or not last night!
All flights were on time, so that wasn´t a problem. While getting on the place I made a few last texts and callsd then headed to board. I was super excited, but also nervous as I have a little anxiety traveling to other countries by myself. Before I left I emailed my agency Í´m working with and made sure that everything was set. They aren´t the best on details, but all I cared about was someone picking me up from the airport. They assured me everything was a go and that tomorrow I would be climbing Pasachoa.
As I got on the flight I hoped perhaps I would get someone to sit next to me that would be interesting to talk to and have some informtion about Quito, the mountains, and the Galapagos. Ha! I got a very elderly couple that didn´t speak a lick of English, nor I don´t think that they traveled ever. This was observed when the elderly man tried to buckle his seat belt with two buckles (which happenned again after he got back from getting up). I think he called me nina loco too at one time, which means crazy child. Then he started saying something to me about my TV on the place. I had no idea what the heck he was saying. AWESOME, that 8 years of Spanish really paid off. So frustrating that at one point I was super good at Spanish and now I basically know the phrase, Donde es el biblioteca. I put the Ipod in and sat there waiting.
Well after 5 long hours in a small seat (yea didn´t get upgraded this time) I was ready to get off go through Customs, grab my luggage, and see my name high on a board from my travel agency.
AFter I grabbed my luggage, I darted out to the mess of people waiting for us to come out. I looked at looked and tried to find anything that said Stefanie Metcalf. No Dice! There were so many people i thought I probably missed it. So I started looking again, still nothing. All that went through my head is, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Its like coming home and everyone having someone there to greet them but you, or for my runner friends, while running Hood to Coast and running your ass off to the next hand off and no one is there to hand it off too. YUO, Super frustrated i seeked the help of one of the transportation agents. She was awesome. Since I am an experienced traveller and even though i triple checked that there would be someone there, I had all the numbers to the places. She let me use her cell phone and got a hold of the girl that set up my whole trip. Sure enough, there was a miscommunnication and she was sending one right away. phew! So I waited and waited, decided it was time to dig into my 6lb bag of trail mix and just people watch. Finally an hour and a half later a guy named Jesse came to get me. And then another hour later I was at _Hosteria Papagayo. So my getting in at 1030 changed to midnight. The place I´m staying is literally out in the middle of no where, but it will work. Not a happy camper, but everything worked out and I didnt´have to sleep at the aiport last night.
Doesn´t look like the weather is going to hold out for me though. I don´´t believe it ever stops raining here! ABout time for some breakfast than getting ready to go climb my first mountain. Not to difficult 14,100 peak. (I am at 10,000 right now!) I looked out the window and the mountains here are just spectacular, and HUGE, can´t wait to take pictures even though they don´t give it justice. So I´m excited to start this adventure. And thanks to the girl that helped me in the airport, she was a lifesaver! Time to eat!
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