Zelma’s Trip

I woke up in good time on the Friday thankfully.  Actually, it wasn´t -that- good time, but it was okay, if the traffic wasn´t bad and I didn´t have any fateful events like the previous day.  I was pleased to have located the airport formerly and got there easily.  When I arrived at the car park the parking attendants made weird waving gestures to me.  Having waved back, I saw that they were also pointing and realised that my van was significantly higher than the barrier I was about to attempt to pass under.  Fortunately they helped to get the cars behind me to reverse as I, somewhat red facedly, manouvered to a lane for higher vehicles.

Once safely in the car park I got out and went into the terminal building.  When I got inside I saw on the screen that my parents flight had been delayed and headed back to the van to chill out for a bit.  I sat in the back and shut the door prior to realising that I had left something on the front seat.  When I tried to open the back door again it was jammed shut.  I did everything I could from turning the handle in every way possible to kicking it, but to no avail.  I then decided that the best thing would be to calm down and sit and do my make-up prior to trying again.  So, whilst looking slightly purdier, I tried the door again but it still wouldn´t budge.  Eventually, having sized up all the relatively small openings, I decided the only thing for it was to try to get help.  I tried calling a few people but, due to the van´s height, I had parked in an area without a roof, and subsequently a long way away from most of the people in their normal cars.  Eventually someone drove passed and I managed to get their attention, my making stupid noises and a sad face.  He stopped and came over and I handed him the keys out of the window.  I had a momentary thought that he could steal the van with me trapped in the back at this stage but decided this wasn´t the most likely outcome and this was my only real option.  He let me out before rather entertainingly declaring, “Welcome to Chile”, in a loud voice with comedy arm gestures.

So I was free and headed back into the terminal building.  Having panicked that I would be stuck in the van when my parents arrived, I was actually back in the airport a long time before they got through customs.  There were two exits and a screen showing people just before they came through the doors.  I looked on eagerly as various people arrived and had stupid thoughts going through my head from thinking I had missed them to the possibility of not recognising them.  When my Mum and Dad did arrive, not only did I recognise them, I also realised just how much I had missed them.  My Mum had a few tears and I would be lying if I said I wasn´t fighting them off.

After several hugs we headed to the service station that I had spent the night at to catch up a bit, grab some drinks and decide where we were headed.  I drove North and we were all amazed how beautiful the place was.  At one point my Mum gasped at the snow capped mountains in such a way that IU jumped out of my skin. 

After getting lost in Valparaiso, we eventually got to Los Vilos where we checked into a beautiful Cabana with a sea view.  For those who don´t know I guess you would translate Cabana as cabin or holiday cottage – a kind of nice self-contained unit.  Although you can get ones which are old lorry containers so I guess they don´t have to be nice, but we didn´t stay in any of those and this certainly wasn´t one.  Anyway, we sorted our things out and headed to a restaurant which was so beach front we may aswell have had sand in our seafood!  Looking out over the ocean from the Cabana was beautiful with a stunning view, birds a-plenty, boys playing football and even a man practicing his dressage moves on his horse on the beach!