My time spent at the Sao Paulo airport was not my favorite. The first port of call on my maiden journey abroad should have been to an English speaking country!
After clearing customs (which consisted of standing in line for an hour just to hand them a piece of paper), I spent about 30 minutes running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to figure out what the heck to do. I checked the board to see what gate I needed to get to and tried to find that with no luck, then I found my airline check-in counter and stood in line there for a while, finally asked a lady if I was in the correct line, I wasn't. Apparently I was suppose to be downstairs...the reason I was upstairs is because someone downstairs told me I needed to be upstairs! So I ran around a little more asked a couple of more people where to go...none of them gave me very convincing answers so my next mission was to find someone from America. I ran around a little more and then saw my beacon of hope...a large white man with jeans and cowboy boots on! I just knew he was American! I ran him down and asked if he was from America and I could have cried when he said in a twangy West Texas accent, "yes ma'am." I found out that he had also had a similar journey upstairs and downstairs so we were off to find this allusive downstairs check-in counter.
Finally, I got checked in and confirmed with my airline agent (8 or 9 times) where gate 2 was. I only thought I was out of the woods! I went exactly were I was directed and found the security line...doing good so far...cleared security, and headed to gate 2. I'm a quick learner so instead of just sitting and waiting at gate 2 like I would have normally done, I went up to the counter to make sure I was in the correct spot, I wasn't. She told me that I was suppose to be at gate 4A. Gate 2 was clearly printed on my ticket so I asked three or four more times and she assured me that it was 4A...ok...I'll try 4A. 4A is also downstairs....lovely, back to running upstairs and downstairs again!
Went downstairs and gates 4A,B,C are all in one big room which is packed shoulder to shoulder with people. I started to freak out a little because it was 8:30 and my flight was suppose to leave at 9:00. I went to 4A counter and they said I was in the right place and that we would board next. Sat there for 10 minutes...it's 8:40 now....starting to freak a little more....went back to the counter....still in the right place, you will board next....10 more minutes....it's 8:50....really freaking now, think I have for sure missed my flight.....go back to the counter...."you are going to Rio?"...."Yes"..."gate 4C"..."What? I've been sitting at 4A for twenty minutes!"...."it's been moved to 4C, thank you."...at this point it is 8:55 and I'm thinking, "holy shit, I'm going to have to stay at this airport and wait for another flight to Rio." I was not happy. Ran to 4C, they were just boarding so after all of that, I made the flight.
Not the most fun experience in the world.
Observations from the Sao Paulo Airport:
1. they do not teach the "no breaking in line" rule in Brazilian elementary schools.
2. everyone works at their own pace-no sense of ergency whatsoever
3. never trust the flight board
4. expect to stand in a minimum of 5 lines for a minimum of 2 1/2 hours
5. no one speaks English and if they do, it isn't enough to give you proper directions
6. air-conditioning is very little to none
This is exactly how I felt about my experience at the Sao Paulo Airport:
2 comments:
It has taken me 40 minutes to frickin write a comment on here, just to say that I was peeing in my pants laughing at this! Can't wait for more. Have fun! Lov ya - K
OMG...poor thing...your pic really told it all :) hang in there!!! luvs mom
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