Just a quick post today, as I'm going to Santiago again, this time for some meetings. Surprise! We're having a get together with the Mariana management to discuss our next round of drilling, which is about to start. We actually have the dozer on the ground preparing the first hole, and the rig is about to arrive as well, so it is pretty urgent to get everything discussed and agreed.
As it turns out, the coming weekend is the skiing and wine-tasting weekend I've had organised for some time now. I'm staying in Santiago for tomorrow and hoping to catch up with my boss, who is in town from the US for a few days, as well as just working from my hotel room, then it is the good stuff for the weekend, returning to Copiapo on Monday morning. I've managed to change my pre-booked flight through the agency of our friendly LAN agent Emiliana, so that has been a big win. I'll be heading back to Santiago in two weekends time, so if the skiing goes well, I might try and slip another trip to the snow in during that weekend. Fingers crossed!
For this trip to the city, I'm finally awake to trying to sit on the left hand side of the plane while heading south, such that I get a good view of the snow-covered Andes. No more of the "I don't care where I sit, as it's only a short flight" stuff. I try my luck with an on-line check-in, but I've somehow managed to be sitting on the right hand side again! I'm not sure whether I've missed the bit about choosing your seat - perhaps it isn't there at all?
So, off we go in the taxi (not the "Royal We" - I'm travelling with one of the board members from Mariana who has come to Copiapo for his first visit). As 'usual' these days, the sky is beautifully clear and blue - yet another glorious day in Copiapo. The weather reminds me of the spring days in the Pilbara at the moment... About half way to the airport, we can see a bank of cloud in front of us, which is the dreaded sea fog. It still presents a fairly dramatic sight - quite a sharp front to it, which is very striking. Once in to it, things are definitely more grey, but it isn't as thick as it might be, and by the time we are at the airport, sure, things are cool, but it is easy to imagine that it will be burnt off by the sun in another hour or so (mid-day'ish).
At check-in, without asking, I'm moved to the emergency exit row on, wait for it..., wait for it..., the left hand side of the plane! Hooray! I've even remembered to have my camera in my pocket as one of those "just in case" scenarios. The bit of a bummer is that I'm in the aisle seat, but it is a lot closer to the view than the other side of the plane!
Going through security, the boarding of the plane is being announced. Looks like the timing is just about perfect. I smile smugly to myself at the long queue - I've finally discovered that there is a "preferred" boarding lane for us knobby frequent flyers, which skips the 10 minutes of queueing. We slide neatly into that area, no-one in front of us and have our tickets checked, then across the tarmac, on to the plane, tickets checked again, then off to our seats. We're nearly the first on board, which is excellent, rather than waiting for the usual delays of people with suitcase-sized carry on luggage trying to figure out how to get it into the overhead lockers.
I settle into my seat quite happily, but poor Glen appears to have a problem, with some crazy lady sitting in his seat. He tries sign language and she appears to be not very interested. She eventually digs out her boarding pass and they compare notes. Hmmm, seems she also has a ticket indicating the same seat number. It's all getting a little murky, and at some point in the process, there is mention of the flight number on her pass being different to ours. Stupid woman, it seems as though she is on another flight and has somehow managed to get onto this plane. The hosties will sort her out, that's for sure!
Glen is by now off discussing matters with the hosties at the front of the plane. Suddenly, there's an announcement. Passengers xxx, xxxx and Ryan, please make yourself known to the hosties. Uh oh, what's this about. Glen is mouthing something at me. Crap, it looks like we're the idiots on the wrong plane! We're bundled off with not a great deal of ceremony and back to the terminal. No big deal, seems like it might not be the first time this has happened. Along with us, another Chileno has been caught up with the excitement and is feeling just as silly as us. You've got to wonder though, two separate people checked our passes and let us onto the wrong plane. Good work!
It seems that it was all explained by the first plane we boarded being a delayed early morning flight from Santiago. Given that the usual flights are spaced apart from about 4 hours, it is very unusual to have two LAN planes on the tarmac at once, hence my confusion. As it turned out, the second plane wasn't even on the apron when we boarded for the first time, otherwise perhaps the penny might have dropped?
We eventually board the correct plane, it takes off, and we're on our way. I make such a pig of myself in staring out the window and trying to take pictures, the poor guy sitting in the window seat offers it to me - I think he's seen it all before! I say my thanks in Spanglish and he replies in English, complete with American accent. We start up a conversation and apart from a couple of sneaky glances out the window, I've blown the opportunity for heaps of happy snaps. The weather close to Santiago isn't that great anyway, and from what I can see on the camera, the photo's aren't coming close to doing the scenery justice. As I've said before, perhaps next time?
The guy whose seat I stole is Jorge and is in the gas station refurbishment business. He's going home to Santiago for the weekend to do some skiing, so of course we get to talking about the snow conditions etc. It seems like this year is one of the best seasons in the last five years. I'm starting to get very excited...
Once we arrive at the Marriot for the meeting, we find that we have an hour or so 'spare', so I decide that we will head for the nearby mall for lunch (me being the local)! We find an excellent table outdoors in the middle of the restaurant area, right behind the 3-piece jazz band. How good is this? Fantastic lunch (soup and an excellent salad), only ever so slightly soured by the fact that we only got two songs out of the band before they packed up and moved on. A classic case of "...if only you'd been here an hour earlier...".
Meeting was very good - lots of robust debate, some extra things to consider in the design of the program, but onwards we go, which was good.
Afterwards, I head to my hotel to check in before heading out to dinner. It's going to be a tight thing for everyone to make it in time, as our meeting has gone late and the traffic is now peak hour busy. The restaurant is in walking distance (10 minutes) from me, so rather than have a taxi fight its way along at walking pace, I'm keen to do it on foot. As I'm about to head out the door, I get a phone call - the street the restaurant is in is closed due to a bomb threat. We're off to an alternative choice!
The alternative turns out to be a swish-looking Argentinian restuarant called "Happening". If anyone finds themselves in Santiago, it is very recommended, particularly for the carnivores in the room, but some very good alternatives as well. The wine list is excellent - look out for the Terra Noble Carmenere in particular, but make sure it is the 2008 vintage (apparently)... My dessert is eminently memorable - a most excellent chocolate mousse.
So, another day in Santiago draws to an end. It turns out my boss is heading off tomorrow morning, so I won't get to see him, which is a bit of a bummer. Still, I've got plenty to do, so we'll see what tomorrow brings.
Chao for nao.
A
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