Well this one will be short and sweet. It’s a travel day. Although many travel days become adventures on their own, this one worked out mostly according to plan.
My flight to Sao Miguel Island in the Azores has been a bit of a conundrum this week. First of all I got a notice just as I was leaving Ottawa that Azores Airlines Baggage Handlers were going on strike and flights might be delayed as a result. I was told to chill as someone is always on strike in Portugal. So I chilled. (Those of you who know me, know that of course I didn’t).
Then two or three days before the flight I got an email that my flight had been changed and quite frankly I was thrilled since for the original time I was being picked up at the hotel at 3 am. The new time was a 10:30 am pickup. Very civilized. Then the day before the flight I got an email inviting me to check in to my flight, but it was a different flight number and time! This time the pick up would be 9 am. Still civilized. So I jumped at it and checked in. All was good with that. And to give credit where it’s due, the agents for Wingbuddy did a great job of rescheduling my transfers twice, quickly and efficiently. Just a quick WhatsApp message and it was done.
Departing from Lisbon airport is an interesting adventure in travel. I have flown through a lot of airports and so have experienced some different systems and managed to figure them out. I did figure this one out too, but it was definitely at the top of the challenge category. It didn’t help that I was at the airport so early and because I was flying on a little commuter airline. And there isn’t a separate terminal for international and domestic flights. I saw every country and airline I could imagine on the departures board. I had to wait 30 minutes or so for the check in counter to be posted with no real place to sit and wait. Finally they posted it and I found my way there and check in was AOK, except they said the flight was full and they would have to check my carry-on at no charge. I figured OK, no charge and going to a small airport that I’d be OK, and my luggage did meet me in Porta Delgada airport. My transfer was flawless and I liked what I saw of Porta Delgada on my way to the hotel.
The hotel they booked for me here is the best of the lot and it’s beautiful. There are some tell tale signs that it’s an older hotel but it’s been all renovated in a light and airy decor that is really refreshing and relaxing. They even had a kids play area in the lobby!
I didn’t get in until 4 pm and hadn’t had lunch so I just stayed at the hotel, spent an hour or so of pool time, settled in and had dinner at the hotel bar. So not an exciting day, but the last of the logistical things to work through until my trip home on Monday. With the small size of the airport here, should not be too hard to do and I’ve kind of figured out Lisbon airport so should be all good.
It was about 23 and very humid (it’s a semitropical area)in the afternoon today, but has cooled down pretty quickly with a light breeze to 17 or so with the sun going down.
