Underway and Being Tested Already

Air Canada

Gonna have to rethink this airline and going thru Pearson Airport,  Toronto.

Air Canada does not appear to be well organized.  The plane was an hour late, leaving Rochester.  The staff at the Rochester airport seemed more interested in telling me to call the 1 888 number than assist.  The CSRs at the 1 888 number kept telling me to have the Rochester staff handle it. Clearly this was a tug of war btwn 2 departments with me in the middle.   I was disappointed in Travelocity as I called them for an assist and they deferred to Air Canada. 

Regardless it got settled.  The upshot is that I will arrive in Seville 7 hours later than planned.  I will have to adjust my schedule now. 

Toronto

Here is the takeaway.  As is said on the El Camino,  it provides.  I need to keep my patience strong ( with the help of dear family who saw me off ) and stay focused on solving the problem.

Sevilla

The pain continues. After a long day of flying with experiences that while not killers, were taxing all day long, the final event came when I made it to Sevilla but my hiking bag did not.

Thank goodness for Jorge who met me at the airport. He was able to get me to my hostel for the interim.

I´m staying at Triana Backpackers which is okay. There are people here and I caught a quick shower, and the chance to brush my teeth. Then I stepped out for a bite to eat and a tinto verano de limon.

In the process, my recharger no longer works.

While I would have stayed at Triana Backpackers regardless, here´s hoping that the airline finds my hiking bag quick and can deliver it. And I can find an electronics store here in Sevilla and replace the charger.

But I have to ask when will all this stop?

Sevilla: The Next Day

Making progress. Despite near constant rain with intermittent downpours, I said ´to hell with it´ and went on a free tour of Sevilla. No one else showed up, but Sylvia, the tour guide and I walked around the center of Seville for an hour and a half in the rain. We found a store so that I could buy the charger and I am replenishing my devices now. And drying out.

Heard from Iberia that they found my bag and are sending it to Seville. I located the bus route and schedule to get to the airport and pick up my bag when it arrives. Would like a date/time for when the bag will arrive.

Looks like I´ll be here tonight also. Strongly considering going to visit the Alcazar later and La Catedral.

Have the date and time: My bag arrives tonight at 11:30 p.m. Jorge is generously taking me out there. It´s too late to take the bus.

Visited the Real Alcazar with my afternoon. These are pictures from the web.

Bridgett

Things happen for a reason. Tonight at the albergue, I did something I never do in the U.S. I started a conversation with someone else that had checked in. She is, 50-ish, and starting the Via De La Plata the day after tomorrow. We went to dinner at a nearby courtyard and talked and talked for quite some time over Berenejas con Miel and Gambas con Asparagus y Ajillo. Plus tinto veranos. She and I intuitively understood the power of the El Camino. Bridget completed the Camino Portugues last year. Since I did my first stage in 2014, she is the only person who truly got what I felt and vice-versa. By the way she is from Germany but her English was quite good. If my bag had not gotten lost, I would never have met Bridget. Omen? Sign? Good fortune?

My Hiking Bag Has Finally Arrived

Jorge has been an outstanding source of support during this minor fiasco. Not only did he meet me once at the airport, but he got me back out to the airport at 11:30 at night to pick up my late-arriving bag. He is a truly outstanding person and I am in his debt. I will not forget his acts of kindness.

Tomorrow it is time to board the bus and get to Fuente De Cantos where Act II starts.