Universal Travel Angels!

Yesterday, I left my lovely husband and my adopted home of Rio de Janeiro to begin my alternate reality of flying the world's skies. It is never easy to leave and this day was no exception, with it pouring with rain and huge traffic jams on the drive out to the airport. We made it though, and there wasn't time for prolonged goodbyes, which was actually a blessing in disguise.

My subdued mood was reflected in the low cloud and muggy rain and it wasn't until I got through to the departure gates that I found out that all flights had been grounded due to the inclement weather. "No problem," I thought to myself, "I have almost 6 hours till my connecting flight to London leaves from Sao Paulo," and I settled down to read and muse, and text my husband. Time passed and absolutely nothing was happening. But it was ok, I had plenty of time for a little weather delay. But still nothing happened and now they started announcing that nothing would happen. I looked at my watch ... but I still had over 4 hours to get there and its only a hop, skip and a 45 minute flight, so there was nothing to worry about. Finally about an hour and a half hour later a whole host of flights started being called and mine was one of them. "Cool," I thought to myself "I knew I had nothing to worry about" and off I went to board the plane.

But we just sat there. Firstly it was 30 minutes delay ... and then silence ... and then I think they just didn't dare say anything, because I overheard the crew saying in Portugese that we had no departure time at all. Now I began to get worried. I had less 3 hours before check in closed in Sao Paulo. I started to make all the calculations of what time check in would close, how long it would take for my bags to arrive off this flight, how long the flight would actually be to Sao Paulo and when we would have to take off at the very latest for me to be able to catch my flight. Mmmmmm....

But the angels were already looking after me because all of a sudden I saw a lovely lady who had come to me for reflexology and so we passed some time chatting and I was so grateful for her presence. But we were soon dispatched back to our seats as the crew decided to offer us drinks to appease the growing unrest in what felt like an increasingly small cabin. By now well over an hour had passed and it was definately time to ask for some angelic assistance. "Please angels, help this flight leave at 2pm" and I put my heart and soul into my simple request. That gave them a little time to get things going and I thought I handed my fate over to the Universe. Well 2pm came and went and I was surprised that we were still sitting on the tarmac, because I was so sure the angels had heard me. "Ok, if I am still here at 2.45pm then I will offload myself from the flight because there is no way I can make my connection," and I phoned my husband to tell him the story. Only then did I completely let go and give up worrying ... what was the point!

Within 20 minutes the aircraft door had closed and we were pushing back and on our way to Sao Paulo! As I sent up huge amounts of love and gratitude to the angels, they replied with a wonderful loving whooosh of goosebumps and I knew everything was going to be ok.

And so it was ... until I ran up to the check in desk in Sao Paulo, in raptures that I had made it in time, only to find out that the London flight was completely full and my staff ticket just might not get me back into the northern hemisphere afterall...

Tune in again for the next instalment of my adventures with the Universal Travel Angels ... it's not over yet!