On leaving Montevideo,I somehow thought we may have some problems, I don’t know why but on landing it all seem pretty easy, once customs and immigration realized we were “the crew”. No problems coming into a country has usually meant issues down the road when leaving, but I try to stay positive. We found the right place to file our flight plan, pay our landing fees and met the lovely operation manager called Jorge, who offered to help us get 8DW refueled and escort us through security. On getting to the main terminal we met Thatcher a friend from Nantucket, and although Chris did receive an email telling him he would be in Uruguay it still amazed me that on coming all this way to South America we met a friend from the USA!
To get to Bueno Aires, we planned to fly to a small airport called San Fernando, about one hour or so flight from Montevideo. I have been to Argentina for work with BA and I have been really looking forward to going to the Tango Show” again. I love dancing, and just found this show incredibly moving, and like most people think the Tango is a very sexy dance. The dancers drape their limbs around each other, whilst they move at a fast pace with their hips and legs totally in sync, gazing intently with passion into each others eyes. I know this is definitely not Chris’s thing but he says he is open to going as it “the thing” to do in Bueno Aires.
At the airport Jorge tells us there is a three hour delay for refueling, but there was a nearby small airport called Adami that will be able to help us straight away. So we pay our landing fees and are on our way. On landing in Adami, three local dogs all growling at each other, fight to climb under our plane for shade. We enter the building and meet Roberto the customs officer who speaks no English. He directs us to the immigration lady, to the flight planning man, and of course we have to pay more fees. I leave Chris with Roberto as I go to refuel and meet a charming man called Nelson, we have some friendly banter and he jokes with me about not speaking Spanish. Chris suddenly appears looking really flustered and informs me that all of our belongings have to be unloaded and taken into the building for Roberto to inspect. I could not believe it!!! No one has ever asked this of us before they mostly come to the plane move stuff around and then leave. I knew we were going to have problems today!!!So we unpack, and unpack, and unpack ,the airplane is loaded up with two months of clothes, baggage, maps, emergency kit, spare tires, oil filter you name it. As we unload I worry about Chris carrying stuff and mention this to Nelson our new friend who translates to Roberto about Chris’s liver transplant and immediately Roberto softens. It turns out that Roberto has also had a new organ, a kidney transplant. After looking at his scar and Chris and him having the best banter they could about their operations with Nelson translating, we are now finally on our way to Bueno Aires!!
Once we had landed in Bueno Aires we see our friend Martin. We have never met him, but Chris has built a friendly connection over the last few months through emails and he was the man who kindly helped us get the permission to land in the Falklands. Martin warmly welcomes us and guides us through custom/immigration formalities, as well as helping unpacking our plane again!!! We taxi to a hanger where Martin introduces us to the maintenance crew at Cielo hanger, who generously share with us their Mate. This traditional green tea is passed around the group and sucked until a slurping sound is heard. The concoction is not unpleasant, it tastes better than it looks and has a strong minty bitter flavor, which I could almost get used to. The gentlemen who were share Mate with are Pepe, Leon, and Gustavo, they will be giving our plane a check-up and an oil change in the next few days. We want to make sure the plane is running smoothly, and does not have any problems, as in the next part of our journey as we will be facing some harsh weather conditions and strong winds in Patagonia and the Falklands. Martin takes us on a tour of the hanger where he keeps his airplane a lovely’s Piper Aerostar and we get to see many great looking planes that we could never afford, including M17.
Martin generously drives us to our hotel in the city centre and gives us tips and advice about Argentina. We have finally made it to Bueno Aires!
To get to Bueno Aires, we planned to fly to a small airport called San Fernando, about one hour or so flight from Montevideo. I have been to Argentina for work with BA and I have been really looking forward to going to the Tango Show” again. I love dancing, and just found this show incredibly moving, and like most people think the Tango is a very sexy dance. The dancers drape their limbs around each other, whilst they move at a fast pace with their hips and legs totally in sync, gazing intently with passion into each others eyes. I know this is definitely not Chris’s thing but he says he is open to going as it “the thing” to do in Bueno Aires.
At the airport Jorge tells us there is a three hour delay for refueling, but there was a nearby small airport called Adami that will be able to help us straight away. So we pay our landing fees and are on our way. On landing in Adami, three local dogs all growling at each other, fight to climb under our plane for shade. We enter the building and meet Roberto the customs officer who speaks no English. He directs us to the immigration lady, to the flight planning man, and of course we have to pay more fees. I leave Chris with Roberto as I go to refuel and meet a charming man called Nelson, we have some friendly banter and he jokes with me about not speaking Spanish. Chris suddenly appears looking really flustered and informs me that all of our belongings have to be unloaded and taken into the building for Roberto to inspect. I could not believe it!!! No one has ever asked this of us before they mostly come to the plane move stuff around and then leave. I knew we were going to have problems today!!!So we unpack, and unpack, and unpack ,the airplane is loaded up with two months of clothes, baggage, maps, emergency kit, spare tires, oil filter you name it. As we unload I worry about Chris carrying stuff and mention this to Nelson our new friend who translates to Roberto about Chris’s liver transplant and immediately Roberto softens. It turns out that Roberto has also had a new organ, a kidney transplant. After looking at his scar and Chris and him having the best banter they could about their operations with Nelson translating, we are now finally on our way to Bueno Aires!!
Once we had landed in Bueno Aires we see our friend Martin. We have never met him, but Chris has built a friendly connection over the last few months through emails and he was the man who kindly helped us get the permission to land in the Falklands. Martin warmly welcomes us and guides us through custom/immigration formalities, as well as helping unpacking our plane again!!! We taxi to a hanger where Martin introduces us to the maintenance crew at Cielo hanger, who generously share with us their Mate. This traditional green tea is passed around the group and sucked until a slurping sound is heard. The concoction is not unpleasant, it tastes better than it looks and has a strong minty bitter flavor, which I could almost get used to. The gentlemen who were share Mate with are Pepe, Leon, and Gustavo, they will be giving our plane a check-up and an oil change in the next few days. We want to make sure the plane is running smoothly, and does not have any problems, as in the next part of our journey as we will be facing some harsh weather conditions and strong winds in Patagonia and the Falklands. Martin takes us on a tour of the hanger where he keeps his airplane a lovely’s Piper Aerostar and we get to see many great looking planes that we could never afford, including M17.
Martin generously drives us to our hotel in the city centre and gives us tips and advice about Argentina. We have finally made it to Bueno Aires!
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