We made our three hour drive to the airport, returned the rental car (after giving it a squeeze for keeping us safe for six weeks) and then muscled the bags into the airport. A six week trip with two kids, not to mention all of the supply shopping for the year means that we never travel light. I once heard an expat husband sigh, " . . . maximum bags, maximum weight . . . " It's somehow inevitable.
It was time to go. Good-bye Canada. Until next year.
With the magic of air travel we found ourselves in Miami a few hours later. It really is the gateway to Latin America. It's louder and brighter. We heard far more Spanish than English. I found myself translating for people at the cafe where we picked up dinner. A doe eyed Latina looked at me and said, "No entiendo nada!" or I don't understand a thing!
The gate was wild. We were on a full flight. Actually it was oversold. They were looking for people to fly the following day and offering a $1000 travel credit per person as well as food and lodging. I asked the kids if they were interested, explaining that we could take another trip later in the year with the earnings. Neither of them bit. They wanted to go home. I expected that from The Earnest Boy, but was surprised that The Glamourous Girl wasn't more interested. She's the family traveler.
It was a couple of hours later as we were getting ready to board that she asked me to explain everything again. (They were still desperately looking for volunteers.) It was only then that she realized the airline would give us the money. She understood that we paid and would be delayed, and couldn't understand why anyone would do that. Suddenly she softened a bit and asked, "You mean we could go to Disney . . . for free?"
But The Earnest Boy piped up, "I don't care. I want to go home. I just want to see Dad . . . and my room . . . I miss Argentina." That's why he's know as the earnest one.
So we sat and waited until boarding. Mentally we were back in Latin America. Looking around the gate we realized it was time to make the physical trip.
Next stop Buenos Aires.
