Woken up in part by a knock on the door around 8 but had sort of been drowsing since about 7. Didn't want to get up though OK once I was up. I made a heroic effort to prise myself out of bed when they knocked so as to avoid any risk of going back to sleep.
Didn't realise there was breakfast so although I thought about it I did a brief bit of surfing about 8:30 after finishing up cleaning my teeth etc. On going to wait in the adjacent reception at 8:50 or so I was told I could have breakfast, so I wolfed down a bread roll (which I was still tackling when the taxi turned up) and a small cup of coffee. Better than nothing anyway and I may eat something at the airport if there's time and it's not too insanely expensive.
I believe the flight is seven hours so there will probably be food on the flight, but I never like to count on it being something I'm willing to eat and the portions are usually fairly small anyway.
Traffic seems quite heavy but I guess it will be OK.
Oh, I noticed yesterday but didn't make a note. The room at the hostel had an immensely high ceiling. I actually suspect its longest dimension was its height.
Oh, and despite having that 'quad' room to myself I had to sleep on the lower bunk as I only had sheets for a single bed given to me, so I couldn't use the double. No big deal and I still got more than I paid for.
The taxi driver just got quite upset at some kind of protest or line of quiet kids blocking a street with some cops nearby. If it was a protest it was very quiet. He has a terrible hoarse sort of voice, which doesn't help understanding, especially if he's getting hacked off. I hope he doesn't want to talk to me.
09:15. More protestor people in the road ahead, they are holding hands and have a white banner which (I am reading from behind) appears to say something like 'Cecep'. Provoked a brief word or two from the driver so I made non-commital 'ah' sounds and said half to myself 'ah, mas'.
10:00. Got to airport a few minutes ago. Queueing at checkin now. There are so many touts for luggage wrapping services I am starting to worry that I need my luggage wrapping.
10:20. Well, I am checked in. The check in desk woman was far too interested in my later flight from Panama City-Mexico City (also with Copa) to my mind, she said she needed to know when I was returning or something. (We started in Spanish, she asked if that was OK and I said it was. I kind of wish I hadn't given this weird Mexico crap turned up) But sufficient unto the day, I have my boarding pass for the flight to Panama.
10:30. Well this bites. My boarding pass says 'gate *A*'. There are signs for gates 1-16. Are we on hexadecimal here? They checked the boarding pass when I came thru to security but I am far from sure I am in the right place. The security line is enormous although it is suddenly shifting fast. The airline are making this massive deal about 11am boarding, the checkin desk showed 11:10 'time limit' rather than the flight time of 12:10. I know full well we are going to be sat in the terminal til nearly departure time so why all this damn stress?
11:10. At the gate. Gate A and B signs seem to start appearing on the far side of security, mostly but not always as though they've been stickered on rather than properly printed on the signs.
Splashed out ARS45 on a copy of The Economist at a kiosk and (after an epic struggle to get my crisp, clean note accepted) ARS5 on a small bottle of Sprite Zero from a vending machine. Not had time to get any food, never mind.
I happen to note in the brief news items in The Economist that the Uruguayan cellulose factory on the border river with Argentina, which my guide book mentions, has been allowed to continue to operate by the International Court of Justice. Only interesting because I'd seen that bit in the guide book, but still.
11:30. Just got on a bus to go to the plane. They are boarding rows 15-20 something first, I assume this means there will be two buses otherwise it seems a bit silly allowing people out of the gate based on row number.
11:40. Just got seated. A woman on the bus had a hat with a slogan (in Spanish) saying "Colombia: the risk is that you'll want to stay". I guess this is a part of the same campaign someone told me they had seen an ad for on Argentinian TV, showing people enjoying themselves and ending with this or a similar slogan.
I will send this now just on the offchance the plane crashes. If I don't live, I love you all. If I do, you're still a bunch of miserable gits. :-)
Only joking of course, I am not particularly nervous about this flight. (I am a tiny bit nervous about the other end still...) It's just that the idea of sending this before take off made me think about that kind of thing. As when I got the Sao Paulo-Rio flight.
Anyway, further wafflings from Panama, fingers crossed...
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