At Brazilast

We're here. In another airport, this time it's our intended long-term destination of Sao Paulo, Brazil. We were assured our luggage would be here already, but to be honest I would have collapsed with shock if that actually was the case, given the confusion and uncertainty of exactly everyone we spoke to on the subject. Some were convinced it was in Lima, some were sure it was already in Brazil, having caught the flight we managed to miss after being directed through the wrong gate and accidentally getting into Peru. Some reissued our luggage tags, then called for our return to the counter because that was a mistake, so when we went to check in for the last time, about 48 hours behind our original schedule, and the new clerk reissued the tags again, we weren't brimming with hope for the safe reunion of us and any of our clothes that don't reek of sweat and despair.

So just when we thought the bad part was over, we went to withdraw cash and failed to locate our credit card. Our emergency backup credit card, stretched to its very limits by travel insurance, hotel bookings, last minute flights, no-show penalties at both airport gates and hotel desks... didn't have enough to get even the minimum of money. As a result at about 1am we were stuck in Guarulhos airport, with just 1 US dollar, with no access to funds or to the internet to be able to transfer funds to cards we could use in ATMs. It was pretty grim. Without the internet we also had no way of contacting our mates here in Sao Paulo, nor to check in on whether our missing card had been used by someone else since we last saw it. 

But, in about 8 hours which seems from recent experience to be a short time to spend in an airport solving problems, the wonderful staff at the info desks at Guarulhos took pity on us poor and tired adventurers and allowed us a pair of free wifi access cards which set the remedy in motion. At present, it is about 11am, we have finally made contact with Marco and Juju, who are on their way to pick us up. Our luggage if found, will be sent to their address in Sao Paulo, a replacement credit card will do the same, and I'm about as happy as a clam with some grasp of perspective. Adam is asleep, buried face first into our travel pillow at a table at McDonalds, lost in the warm folds of his sleeper hoodie. Life is about to get good. The staff at this port of LAN operations have been exceptionally helpful and I think we're going to love Brazil, now THAT WE'RE FINALLY FUCKING HERE! Excuse the language Mum, Sharon Cassie and Yvonne (the classiest ladies who might conceivably read this) but the smell of both pairs of our unwashed backpacker's feet has damaged my vocabulary) Love to you all, by way of 'Speedy' brand Brazilian wi-fi at Guarulhos airport.