Missing in Action

June 18, 2015

(I will return to my narrative about my two week Colorado/New Mexico road trip and my last couple of days back in Kansas City, but interrupting the sequence of events to post this update)

I started my journey back to Ecuador yesterday, in Kansas City. I got to MCI (the KC airport) around 10:30AM to return my rental car, and to check-in for the first leg of the trip, after a 45 minute drive to get there. I was booked on American Airlines going through Dallas (with only a 50 minute layover), catching another American Airlines flight to Miami (leisurely 2.5 hour stop), then switching to LAN for the final leg to Guayaquil, Ecuador.

My checked-in bag was ticketed all the way through to Guayaquil.

My home in Olón is another 3 hour bus ride from there.

Because I wasn’t scheduled to arrive until after midnight, I booked (and paid) for two nights at one of the more pricey hotels in GYE.

I knew I would be tired since I've just spent the last two weeks having a ball exploring Colorado and New Mexico (I put 3000 miles on my rental car during that time)…so I wanted a couple of days to decompress and sleep. I decided to splurge on the room.

Because of the stormy weather in Dallas yesterday, all flights going through there were delayed by several hours.

In Kansas City, this resulted in an after-security gate change for my airplane. Because of MCI’s screwy layout, a gate change means exiting a secure area (right after I bought a $3 bottle of water), and going through security a second time (bye, water).

The bitchy American Airlines clerk at the second gate was unable to provide my LAN boarding pass, because she “couldn’t access LAN’s computer system” (operated by AA according to my Expedia print-out).  And because of the several hour back-ups on flights, it was unclear whether I would make it to Miami in time to catch the connection

During the two hour interval at the KC gate, I tried a number of times to Skype my already-paid pricey Guayaquil hotel, because it seemed pretty clear that  - at best -  I would be arriving at their location much later than 1AM, if at all. But each time I got through, I was directed to an automated system that apparently wasn’t working. I also had my brother Jack trying to reach them from his California phone, and he was getting the same result.
Keep in mind, I don’t have a smart phone. I have an Ecuadorian phone and a $10 Walmart “throw-away” that I bought when I started my road trip a couple of weeks ago.

AA's Miami ticket counter after 11PM

As anticipated, I got to Miami at 11PM – a couple of hours after my scheduled LAN flight departed for Guayaquil. The American Airline personal at the arrival gate told me to first go to the American ticket counter, before going to the opposite side of the airport to reach the LAN terminal.

No one was there so I raced over to LAN – just missing their last direct flight to GYE. The best they could do was put me on plane going there via Lima, Peru and a second city (I forget which one) before it got to Guayaquil.

This concerned me, because I was worried about my suitcase; it was ticketed through to GYE, and because of the earlier Dallas weather confusion, I wasn’t sure where it landed for the night.

I landed in the blue part
of this map.
I raced to LAN
Which  --naturally -- is in the red part 

ummmm....
Which way to
"Customer Assistance"?

American has lost my luggage three times (the third incident occurred coming to the States on this trip).  

It appeared my best bet was to wait out the night in the terminal until AA counter & baggage personnel began their shifts again around 4:30AM to book another flight back to Ecuador.

No food was offered on either plane before I got to Miami.
I was starving (except for an all-night Dunkin’ Donuts, the restaurants were closed by then). I was also really sleepy, so I walked around the terminal to stay awake. I don’t know that airport well, and I figured I might as well get familiar with it before the morning rush hour began.

By then, I grabbed a luggage cart; my carry-on(s) are heavy because my suitcase is packed full of spices, canned goods and weighty liquid bottles that won’t pass security. 

No one to ask.
But around 2AM I parked myself nearby.
WiFi hot spot just behind the green wall.

Just as I really needed to go potty
during my graveyard tour of the terminal

I took this adjoining picture from outside the airport.
Of course, "MIA" stands for Miami International, but all I was reminded of was my wandering suitcase.










After roaming around, I found a WiFi hot spot by the information desk.  There was a pole with an electrical outlet, it was quiet (my laptop speaker isn't very loud) , so I parked myself on the floor next to it.
I guess this was around 2AM.
I thought  I should try Skyping my hard-to-reach Guayaquil hotel again...and yippee (!) I finally reached Ricardo (with whom I had reserved the room a few days ago).
We had just begun talking, and then...and then this:

The loud floor sweeper shows up.
And though I'm trying to wave her off
during my call, she won't go away.

And here she comes again.
Determined to run her "mowing" pattern

And AGAIN

It is now around 11:00 in the morning.
A few hours ago I got my Miami to Guayaquil ticket re-booked (and I checked with baggage folks and it does look like my suitcase has spent the night here with me too). 
Presumably, we will be on the same plane back, since it's the first likely one heading to Guayaquil today.
...At five o'clock tonight...
I'm now 24-hrs on this mission, with no sleep, no food, and have six more hours to go.I'm dying for a meal and a cold beer, but don't dare do either till I go through security and get near my gate.
I'm so exhausted, I'm terrified I'll fall asleep and miss the flight once I eat or drink anything but coffee.
I have both my cell phone alarms set (and tucking one in my bra - on vibrate).

Signing off for now and keeping my fingers crossed.

I have been territorially guarding
my little spot here for around 8 hours now.
I'm getting a kick about the sign
behind me that says:
"New Exhibits Coming Soon"
Courtesy of a friendly young
German gal.