Day 1: Can Miss Claire Brown please approach the gate desk? (Atlanta Airport/Managua)
The scene: Atlanta airport, Gate 18, waiting for my delayed Managua flight. I'd been on the go for 36 hours, getting in approximately one minute's sleep per hour. I'd made a pillow from my jumper and was trying to sleep on a chair in a way you never would in public should you not want to cry because of how tired you are.
Gate clerk: "Can Miss Claire Brown please approach the gate desk."
[I approach the gate desk.]
"Ma'am, there's a problem with your ticket to Managua. I don't think you're going to be able to fly."
Me: "There shouldn't be a problem, I checked-in in London. I have my boarding pass here *frantically searches for boarding pass* and I have a receipt for the my flight on the app."
Gate clerk: "Ma'am, I think we're going to have to send you back to London. Ma'am, *looking at her screen* did you do something wrong back home?"
Me: [keep calm, keep calm, keep calm, for God's sake keep calm]. "No..."
*Mentally prepare to fight to clear my name of as yet undisclosed crime.*
Gate clerk: "Oh ma'am, I'm just messing with you! You looked so tired, I thought I'd have a little fun, I got you good! There's no problem with your ticket, I just have to reprint your pass is all. Oooh, I love havin' fun with the customers!"
Me: "..."
So, in short, I've made it to Nicaragua!
I've been planning this trip for so long, I can't believe I'm really here.
Started this morning with the most amazing plate of eggs and I've been chatting to an amazing lady in her 70s for an hour about politics and why she moved from the US to Ecuador.
Heading into the city soon to get the bus to Esteli for the first stint of my trip. Hoping to enrol in Spanish school tomorrow :-)
Travel tips:
1 You have to pay $10 dollars at immigration at the airport, so have it ready.
2 I stayed at Airport X hotel in Managua, a $5 taxi ride from the airport - very friendly, very clean, great showers and breakfast included for $48 dollars a night for a room.
Hasta pronto!
Xx