Unique Uruguay Day 6

Day 06 - Thursday, December 08, 2011 - Morning in Montevideo, Uruguay; Flight to São Paulo, Brasil

Today was a travel day and thankfully we had a midday flight. We had plenty of time to get ready, pack, and have a leisurely breakfast.

Tamara, the Brendan Tour Company representatives picked us up at the hotel and we made the trip to the airport in about thirty minutes. As we had been here for four days, we are beginning to know the city and its land marks.

Information from the Uruguayan Consulate said there was a $31 tax per person to leave the country so we were prepared to use our remaining pesos to pay our departure fee. Fortunately, our travel agent Dan had included the fee in our ticket price.

As soon as we had checked our bags, I exchanged our pesos for Brazilian Reals to have money for our time in Brazil.

The gate agents, Gabriela and Alejandro were exceptionally helpful and friendly. We were lucky not to have to pay any extra baggage fees as we were flying coach. We think it was our Delta Sky Miles status that helped us!

The aircraft was waiting for us after we passed through immigration and then security. The airport was well laid out and very easy to get around.

The 1:35 TAM flight was not full at all so we had plenty of room with a seat between us. Even though the flight was only two and a half hours we were served a full meal.

Most of the journey at 35,000 feet was above the clouds. There was quite a bit of turbulence as we started our descent in a heavy thunder storm.

When we flew into Guarulhos Airport outside of Sao Paulo at 4:10 we could see how it is ranked one of the busiest airports in the world. We disembarked onto the tarmac and then rode a shuttle bus for at least 15 minutes to the arrival terminal.

Our Brazilian visas were on their last year but good enough to get us into the country without any questions or problems. Susan travels to her homeland on her Brazilian passport.

By the time we had made it thought the lines, she had collected all of our luggage and was waiting for us to go through customs. There was no longer a red/green light system and no one asked us any questions.

As soon as we got into the Departure Area we could see, hear, and smell the downpour! At home we always describe heavy rain storms as Brazil Rain, but this was the heaviest we have ever seen.

Vic arranged for a taxi (van) to drive us to our Tia’s home in the Aldeia da Serra which is southwest of the airport about 45 miles through the thick of Sao Paulo traffic. Because of the heavy rain, many lanes were underwater so the traffic was exceptionally congested.

Our driver Michel did an excellent job of negotiating traffic and getting us to Tia’s home at 7:00. The average speed was 20 miles an hour.

Tia, and Cousins Renata and Patricia were waiting for us at the front door and welcomed us with open arms. We brought in our luggage and then caught up with the family news. Dominic, Renata’s husband arrived shortly but their son Thomas is on a holiday at the beach for the next 11 days.

There were 12 of us for dinner. This is nothing unusual for Tia whose hospitality is very well known. Cousins Lia and her daughters Paula and Luciana joined us as well as her husband Oswaldo who came later from work.

It was almost 11 when we went to bed. The rain continued steadily through the night.

We will suspend the journal entries until next week on Monday when we take our next journey to Salvador, Bahia in Northern Brazil.

Accommodations: Family in Aldeia da Serra, Barueri, São Paulo, Brasil - - - Meal: B

Day 12: Mediterranean Navigation

Gabor Kiss - Head Chef

Clifford - Restaurant Manager

Satish, Glen, and Ayal - Table Servers

Hanafi - Cabin Steward

Wayan - Bar Tender

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