You're right, I guess I mistyped. Double-checking, it is a max 9 IAH->DEN.

Even better, it's a 737 max 8 from Miami to Manaus Saturday night. It's like running it twice! Only in reverse.

I was going to tell you that it wasn't so bad having that aircraft on your last leg as you wouldn't have missed any connections and your trip will have been completed (well, almost). But then you tossed in a surprise first leg adventure on your adventure.

Good luck and drop us a post card once in a while to let us know you have survived thus far and having a wonderful time. And don't even think about boarding that last plane to home! Boeing surely will have cleared everything up by then.

And then mark comes in with facts to deflate the adventure in your adventure. What a killjoy!

Hmmm, let's see. Choices are being stuck in Houston, or boarding an aircraft to Denver with a chance of the door plug coming off.

Guess I'm going to the airport!

Will try to post. Know for sure there's no connection while on the boat in the Amazon. Also, will have my travel laptop (i.e., crappy and underpowered, but clean on PII if it gets lost/stolen). So it might be tough. Also not sure how the internet is down there.

Final stay is Rio, right across from Copacabana beach, so that will probably have good connection if nothing else.

have fun and look forward to the stories

Bon voyage, Golddog.

Rio during Carnival?

Thanks, guys.

Nope, Carnival starts February 9. I think that would be too much for me. Not a crowds person, though it would probably be a spectacle to observe.

As mentioned elsewhere, I deal and play in a bar poker league, and a home game. They are fun groups, some decentish players. The playing of poker has lost most of its luster for me. I pretty much go for a night out, but really am just splashing around.

For reasons I can't explain, I've noted that I have a streak going. Last night marked my 14th consecutive time that AA has held up. Nothing super notable about this hand--I limped pre because there were two young, aggressive players behind me (figuring on the ol' limp-raise-shove trick). Nope, 5 or so limps, and I just took the betting up the ladder each street on a boring board, setting up a river shove to which all folded.

You know, the old "notice patterns where none exist" phenomenon.

------------------

Anyway, had my first win of the trip this morning. Last night's forecast was a low of zero, but when I looked at the thermostat, it said 17 outside. Still will be cold at the bus stop, but not terrible (obv I'm not packing a winter coat to go to Brazil--just going to layer up).

So, it should be about 20 when I get on the bus in a couple hours, and about 75 when I get off the plane in Miami tonight. Tada!

Tom and mark, I see it's cold for you guys. I think your areas are less well-equipped for cold/snow/ice. Be safe, stay warm.

Looking at United's app, plane's on time (2:00PM flight, so it's probably not even here yet). I hate the stress involved with last-minute, rushing to meet a deadline. Have a United club pass, so I'll get out there super early, ease through security, sit in the club a while, then wander down to the plane.

Oh yeah, took my first anti-malarial today. Bring it on, mosquitoes.

Thanks for the wishes. We've got a couple of 20* on tap, but after that it's an early Spring here. At least for a week or so.

Wishing you no major complications in your travel connections, etc.

Have a blast! I'm already looking forward the the TR w/pics.

Made it to DIA, currently in the United Club. Flight in a couple hours.

Pretty good flight, smooth. Not super direct, went by Wichita, Tulsa, Montgomery, then turned S, following the W coast of FL ro Naples, then across the Everglades.

Touched down at 7:29, got to the gate at 8:10. Kinda sad about that, but here.

Now to get bag & get to hotel.

Bag pick up was pretty fast. Checked to make sure I could avoid picking up the rental til tomorrow, then caught the shuttle to the Hilton Blue Lagoon. It's a pretty nice hotel, I guess.



But just a bit off. For example, they warn you that the fridge is not a fridge, and should not be used to store personal items. But, call down to the desk, and they'll bring a fridge (for an extra charge). Charge for parking (hence the rental delay). IDK, for $200+, shouldn't the things a Super 8 provides be included?

Also, the "blinds" or whatever you'd call them don't block out the light. Grrr.

I happened to notice a Pollo Tropical within walking distance. Always like a walk after a long ride, so went down there for a late dinner. It's ok FF, what is sounds like--chicken with flavor of the Caribbean.

Pretty tired this morning. Walked out to the McBurgers for a breakfast sandwich. Cool, breezy, high clouds; pretty nice out.

Wandered back, started packing up, thought I'd fire up the laptop to check things. It decided I needed updates, which are now up to 22% ( been running ~30 mins).

Ofc, it warns me not to shut off. Kind of bothered, because I set it to not do updates til I return. Probably just downloading malware.

At this rate, I won't have to bother with the rental car.

Well, that's interesting. Update finally finished, go to leave and the door handle comes off in my hand.

After calling the desk for help, found the little set screw and was able to rig it up enough to get out.

Hopefully the developibg world will be better.

It's a test to see if you are resourceful enough to survive in the Amazon.

I think you're good so far. Stay alert!

Figured I'd check my bag, then go.

Found the GOL check-in desk. Nobody's around, but there are a couple self-service kiosks. No luck.

Figured I'd try at American, who is a partner. Tried, the helper came over and we decided that no, I have to check in with GOL.

I explained that there was nobody down there, but it's still way before the flight. She advised to come two hours early.

Back down here, has a sandwich and a coke, then tried the kiosk again. Seemed like it went through, but the last screen was half English, half Portuguese.

Got my dictionary out, seemed like it was telling me to wait for my boarding card. Waited, but nothing printed.

Hopefully somebody shows up in a few hours.

Skipping the rental car.

Also, MIA's wifi sucks.

People from GOL showed up about 1:15. While in line, got to talking to the young woman in front of me. She's a professional in the travel business, going to Manaus to try to arrange/get started on a rewards trip for some company (she couldn't say).

Living in Detroit, originally from Brazil, so she we able to give me some good ideas of how it will be. Anyway, that was a nice way to pass the time in line.

Now through security, about 1.5 hours til boarding. Should arrive just before midnight, The itinerary has me going on a tour of the city at 0700. While Manaus is small, figure I won't get through customs and checked in before about two, so will try to catch some Zs on the plane.

Miami's airport is outdated compared to Denver. For us, there's outlets everywhere, and the wifi is strong and reliable. Not so much here. For example, the first attempt at posting this, couldn't find the server. Apologies if this is a repost

Good flight to Mansus. Landed about 11:30, customs a breeze, met Sena who took me out to a car. 20 minutes here.

Still pumped from the travel, but it's almost 1 and we go for a tour of the city at 9:30. Might take a minibar beer, but it's Stella. I can get that anytime I want.

Just coming in, seems like a nice, kind of boutique hotel.

First, windows Photos sucks. It remember the sub-folder I created for this trip. shows me that's where a new import is going. Then (after failing once) puts them in the folder above the one I created and it showed me. WTF, if you're going to bother to remember it to display, [I]use that ****ing path/I] to import to. It really is that simple.

Anyway, had a window seat yesterday, which is not my favorite. But, saw this interesting effect (didn't really come out too well) where the top layer of thin clouds turned color.



As we were getting close, I saw the reflection of the moon on the top surface of the wing, but it didn't get low enough to get a picture of it. Might have been kinda cool to see it off the wing.

As mentioned, pretty nice place.



After breakfast, took a walk around the opera house, where they were having a car show.



Lots of old VW beetles, and some other stuff.



There was also a street fair sorta thing down the hill



Back to the hotel, where Sena and his driver came a little later and we went for a tour of the city. Several stops, where he told me about the building we were at, or a park we went by, or all the different kinds of things for sale in the market.



This market was imported from Edinburgh (or maybe Liverpool). We saw some of the original steel, with the point of origin stamped on it.

In one park, he pointed out an interesting plant--when you touched it, its leaves kind of folded up. Can't remember what he called it, something like sleeping plant.

Our last stop was the opera house, which is opulent.



Quite the history--from 1850 to about 1900, there were fortunes to be made and they did so. Then it collapsed. Apparently, today's industries are electronics, something else I don't remember, and tourism.

Afterward, I went upstairs and laid down for a little bit, then went down to the street fair. Found a coke, and a young guy making sandwiches, so that was a good lunch. Wandered into a grocery store and bought some beer for the boat.

This was down at the end of the street, near the river.



In the afternoon, went for a pretty long walk. Just wandering around, saw these sad-looking chickens but mostly just urban stuff.



Manaus reminds me of Buenos Aires or New Orleans--kind of European-looking buildings, lots of graffiti and trash about, general decay of the place.

Also, it's hot. And humid. But the people are real nice, even working through my language barrier.

Tomorrow at 11 Sena comes to take me over to the boat, so won't be updates for a while.

Wind just started blowing outside, not sure if it's raining or is going to, so there evening's agenda (as always) is to play it by ear.

the Spanish colonial influence arrived in Manaus around 1500 or so
research conquistadores Pizarro and Orellana and imagine how much things changed after they 'discovered' the amazon and tried to find El Dorado

as for hotel fridges
if a room has one that you can't use without paying
tell the front desk you need to refrigerate insulin
works pretty much every time in las vegas, could be other places as well

On my tour yesterday, I think Sena said Manaus founded 1669, so what Red's saying makes sense.

Also nice use of quotes. It was here, all the indigenous people knew about the Amazon. They didn't discover it.

Anyway, going to the boat at 11, will be out for a while.

Maybe those chickens have figured out that the best way to survive is not to eat.

Yep, a free range chicken in Brazil has to be light on it's feet, ready to move move move, fast.

@Manaus airport, going to Iguazu via Sao Paulo.

Boat trip was good. Saw lots of birds, some animals.

Got to Sao Paulo for connection ok.

Glad it’s going good so far. Looking forward to hearing about it when you have the down time.