The Slot Canyon of Life
I snapped this picture with my cellphone yesterday evening as we stood beside a baggage carousel in the Dallas airport. And why, you might ask, were we collecting baggage in Dallas? Our flight to Santiago was cancelled. Rumor has it that this flight has now been cancelled two nights in a row. There were definitely people at the carousel who were there the night before, doing the same thing. Kind of like that old movie, Groundhog Day, but without the good parts. According to the folks at Raytheon, other members of the icebreaker team who traveled other routes were also delayed, but due to weather. I’m sure we will get all the details in Punta Arenas.
As a full-time pessimist, I planned for this to some degree. That is, I packed in such a way that all would be well if we were delayed by a day or so, and all would be reasonably well if my checked baggage was lost. Luckily, my bag was on the carousel. Others were not so lucky. Steve E. and Chris Huffard spent the night with just their carry-ons.
If we have to spend another night here, however, things will get appropriately more complicated. We shall see.
On the bright side, we were helped by a truly wonderful American Airlines employee in the Admiralty Club, a Mr. Jones, who expedited our new flight arrangements. (We will try the same flight again tonight.) And we had a beautiful view of the Arizona and New Mexico deserts on our way here. I have seen Nevada and Utah many times from the air, but never Arizona. Mesas look as if someone took a flat tool and scraped the tops off of mountains. How does this happen? I will have to quiz the geologists among us. Equally impressive are the slot canyons — so deep, so narrow, so twisted, just like life. LOL. I can’t look at them without thinking of Edward Abbey’s Monkeywrench Gang, that seminal work of environmental activism.
Here’s hoping we make it to Santiago and beyond tonight.
Yay! I was hoping that I would see pictures of the gang at some point. (My Uncle Paul is the one in the wine colored shirt.) If you would be so kind, please pass on a hello and some love.
I’m sorry to hear about the delays. Hopefully things go smoothly and yo guys get to the next place without too much trouble.
I’m greatly enjoying reading this, and will be sure to keep checking in.
~Katie
Hey, Katie–
Paul just read your message, looking over my shoulder. We are all pretty tired of sitting around, and have many more hours of same to look forward to. But Paul’s face brightened appreciably when he saw that you had posted something. Our plane’s about to board!
Glad to hear you’re really on you way at last. I’m enjoying reading your posts.
Phil
NancyE — so happy to find your blog! I am Crissy’s mom . Her dad and I will definitely be following your adventures.
Boby
Nancy,
Thank you for keeping us all up to date. Please tell my dad hello. I hope he gets his luggage, although he is usually pretty good at improvising. (If it wasn’t such a big trip I would be very surprised that he even HAD luggage!)
Love,
Crystal
TallyHo!!!
hope the trip gets better. A night in Dallas isn’t too bad, but being in Santiago would be much more fun 😉 We’ll be reading about your adventures from afar and wishing we were there with you….
cheers
george