14th July, 2013

The adventure begins.   My friend Ivana sacrificed her Sunday sleep-in so she could take me to the airport.   She arrived promptly at 7 a.m. and here I am on my doorstep, poised to start this latest adventure:  a month of intensive Spanish language at the Costa Rica Language Academy.   I shall be studying Spanish 5 hours a day for 5 days a week, and living with a local family.

Phew, I actually managed to get the photo to appear, though I'm not sure how to modify the size.

I was shocked to learn that there is no Starbucks at Hobby Airport!   I made do with a 3rd rate cappuccino and listened to the elevator music and watched everyone in the cafe on their cell phones.   I had the thought that it would have been delightful to communicate with friends at that point, but not essential, so I pulled out my Ecstatic Poems by Kabir instead.   Am I perchance a square peg in a round hole...

I had a good, but very bumpy, flight to Atlanta, crammed in like a sardine (middle seat :-(), and caught the shuttle train to international departures, where I found a fairly healthy salad bar and am now ensconced in the Delta lounge.   My husband bought us lifetime memberships to the PanAm Clipper Club lounge when they were having serious financial difficulties.   Our purchase of these two memberships did nothing to save them from ruin, because shortly thereafter they went bust and were taken over by Delta.   Happily, Delta has honored the PanAm commitment, and I am good to go now until I turn 125...Well, vitamins notwithstanding, I think that is beyond even MY reach!

To be continued...