My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Well, I have set out on my long anticipated Brazilian adventure to the city where the Alvears live. It's been pretty interesting so far, and I'm not even out of the country yet!!!

My flight out of Memphis was supposed to be at 4:25 pm yesterday. I drove to the airport and got there by 2:30. My flight finally left at about 8:45 last night for Atlanta! Since my flight from Atlanta to Brasilia was leaving at 9:14 pm, I obviously did not make the connection. So......right now I'm stuck in Atlanta, since there is only one flight a day from Atlanta to Brasilia on Delta, which is where my free ticket was from.

At one point in Memphis, they told me that the earliest they could get me to Brazil was Friday!! FRIDAY!!!!! I almost passed out when she said that, but finally through a miracle they got me a seat tonight after telling me it was sold out. So I'm one day later getting to Brazil than I intended.
So instead of a long 27 hour layover in Brasilia, I will have 3 hours there and then catch my flight on TAM (also FREE!!) from there to Maceio tomorrow, hopefully. The problem is that I have no other clothes or toiletries, so by the time I see the Alvears they may not recognize me!

I met a gal from Southern Illinois in Memphis and she happened to be next to me on the flight, where we had both gotten upgraded to First Class (the only thing that went right yesterday). We talked off and on in Memphis and then the entire flight to Atlanta. By the time we arrived, she was my new BFF. Ha! When we went to try to get our luggage (which never came), she got a phone call that her dad had died while we were flying. Of course she fell apart, so I couldn't leave her. There wasn't much I could do except hug her, carry some of her stuff, and pray for her. She had to call Delta and immediately try to rebook a flight back to where she had just come from, all the while grieving and crying and calling relatives. It was very sad, but I feel like the Lord had me there for just that encounter.

Anyway, after we finally split about 1 AM, I went to wait for my shuttle to take me to the hotel that Delta had given me a free voucher for. They never came, so I called them and they told me that sorry, but they were full. It didn't matter if I had a voucher or not! I sort of panicked at this point; I was so tired. I hopped on the first shuttle I saw and thought I would just ride to the Sheraton and beg for a room. Alas, they were full and so was the Westin. I finally called the Hyatt Place number and even though they were technically "sold out", they somehow gave me a room. I will never understand these systems.

So I went back to the airport, got on the Hyatt shuttle and finally got here around 2:30 AM. I fell into my bed, only to be woke up a few hours later when the fire alarm started going off. I was so disoriented, I was trying to shut off the alarm clock, when I realized it was something much bigger and louder screaming at me. It turned out to be a false alarm, but it woke me up for sure!!

Now I am back in my same clothes from yesterday, no toiletries other than what Delta gave me in a little pack, and definitely NO MAKE UP! I am going to take a taxi to the mall and see if I can pick up a few things, like maybe a skirt! I didn't plan to show up at the Alvears in a pair of pants. Oh well......I'm sure she would forgive me. Maybe the no make up is a trade off for the pants. Ha!

I am just praying that my luggage makes it to Brasilia on the flight that I'm on. And I'm praying that my flight actually gets out of here on time, since I have to make that Tam connection in the morning.

God must be having big plans for this trip, is all I can say. It takes a lot to get to me, but last night I was almost ready to throw in the towel and take a bus home. I can't wait to see what He is going to do in Brazil. I just want to go encourage the Alvears and to love on their people. It's what I do best.

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Oh my goodness...doubt is OP11 will believe your hard luck story! lol...Sherri we are saying a prayer for you and fixing to head out to the clinic we have tests...Hope things go better...
When the devil fights the hardest that is when HE knows God has something planned...gotta go...

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

I got stuck for a week in Atlanta, one night. :lol

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Made a taxi run to Target and Marshall's. I am once again armed with makeup and deodorant, so I am feeling somewhat more normal and recognizable. Lol!

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Keep us posted Sherri! My Atlanta nightmare was a couple of years ago when I was connecting there for a flight to El Paso. I was so excited because for the first time in my life I was going to get to fly first class. I forgot about the time change and was sitting eating breakfast and reading a newspaper while my plane was loading and leaving! As big as the Atlanta airport is they only had one more flight going to El Paso that day and it was 12 hours later at 9 pm. Arghhhh!!! Oh, and of course the 9 pm flight had no first class seats so once again I had to ride coach. I am 52 years old and still have only flown coach.

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

:bigbaby:bigbaby:bigbaby:laffatu:thumbsup

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Sherri was just upgraded to First Class for her 8.5 hr flight tonight!

Good for her!

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

I am jealous. I NEVER get upgraded. I have been burning up the internet trying to find how to get our tickets from Rome next summer upgraded to at least business class. Does not look good.

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

At the last minute as I was standing in line to get on the plane, they called my name over the intercom - only it sounded like COOPLES. So I went up there and she asked for my boarding pass and said, Merry Christmas! And she handed me seat 2A. I almost cried right there!! I told her I had been praying for an upgrade, but it didn´t look possible. She said that it rarely happens on an international flight, and especially on a free ticket! My seat reclined completely and I got a few hours sleep.

In the airport in Brasilia at baggage claim, I saw Kenneth Phillips, so I went over and talked to him for about 15-20 minutes. He was with a team from his church and was amazed that I was there all by myself. Ha! I did have some luggage trouble, and NO ONE there speaks English, so it was a little scary since I had to get my luggage and get checked in on another airline to get to Maceio. But my lost luggage did come finally and I flew on TAM airlines here and was picked up by the Alvears. We ate some good food here at the house and I took a nap and then washed all the filth off from the past two days.

We are leaving soon for their son Michael´s church. I´ve been there before, but not for a service. I will get to see my sweet little boys Gabe and Joel in a few minutes!

Re: My Brazilian Adventure, So Far
 

Sherri, this is an adventure you will not soon forget. Roll with it. Let's see what God has planned :thumbsup