My first days in Brazil

Sunday, July 3, 2005

I then went into the American Airlines port.  I was supposed to leave at 4:47 but did not leave until around 6:00.  Then once we were on the plane the storm hit and we sat there until after 7:30.  That put us in Miami around 9 and I just knew the plane would be gone but it waited because they had sent my luggage ahead from Atlanta and they could not load a plane until all luggage was matched with the passengers.  I held the plane up for over an hour and hoped no one knew it was because of me.  We got our meal at 11:00 and I was very hungry since I had not eaten for 11 hours.  That sprite tasted SO good.  I tried really hard to sleep and even took the sleeping pill but it was so uncomfortable.  I will not EVER get the window seat again.  If you are on the aisle you can get up and walk around when you cannot sleep.  I think I was the only one not sleeping.  I must have dozed off around 4 because at 5 they woke me to see if I wanted coffee.  Breakfast was good.  It was a croissant and cantaloupe.  It was delicious.  I filled out my forms to enter the country and then started the exit.  It is 6:45 AM.  I went through customs in a breeze and they did not even look at my suitcase.  It was so nice.  John and the driver were waiting and we walked to the car and left.  I dozed off because we were pulling into Campinas when I woke up around 9:30.  The hotel is very nice.  There are no lights in the hallway until you walk out of the elevator.  Then they light up.  It is really neat.  I'm sure it is a great electricity saver.  John went down and ate breakfast and I laid down.  I did not wake up until 1:30 or 2.  John slept also.  We were pooped.  Then we got up and went to the mall.  John drives so good around town.  Of course it is Saturday and much easier to get around.  He said on weekdays it is very busy and crowded.  The mall is SO amazing.  There are so many shoe shops and lingerie shops.  About 1/2 of the stores are these.  We ate at Outback and it was great.  I was starving.  We walked and walked and now we are back here at the hotel trying to get some order from all the mess that I brought PLUS all the mess that John has accumulated over the past 6 months.  I get Fox News and that is about all that is in English.  I am so grateful.  I watched it when we got back from the mall.  I even made two purchases at the mall.  IT is so hard to not speak English.  I'm really going to have to work on my Portuguese.  John is doing well though.  We are going to help each other.  Since we ate lunch so late we are going to walk to the ice cream shop later.