The Journey to Brazil

Our trip began on Tuesday as we met around 11 am in York. After some final packing we loaded our 28 crates onto the bus and headed out at 1:30. The trip into NYC to JFK airport seemed kind of long, perhaps due to traffic but we got to the terminal around 6:00 pm. We moved the crates twice across the airport as the American Airlines personel couldn't agree if they should go as regular luggage or over-sized luggage (which would have required TSA to open up and inspect all 28 crates). Fortunately, they were able to go as regular luggage.

The flight was delayed an hour but we finally flew out of NYC around 11 pm and landed in Rio about 10:45 am this morning. Brazilian customs took about 3 hours as they decided to open and inspect and ask questions about every crate.

We then loaded a Brazillian Air Force bus to the AF base - only 15 minutes away. After another hour or so, it was on to the Air Force plane.  All  of the crates were loaded into the back and all the mission people (now teamed up with the Brazilians, Danes, and Dr. Koji from Japan that we met at the airport). The plane was the type of plane used for parachutists, so we sat along the sides on canvas netting seats for the 2 hour flight to Jequintinhonha.

We arrived at 6 pm on Wednesday (2 hours ahead of Pennsylvania time) to a warm reception from the local Rotarians and towns people.  The rural airstrip near the town is nestled into the sugarcane fields and there were many curious people standing out in the fields watching our Brazilian airforce plane land.

We settled into our hotel and rested a little and then enjoyed a dinner with the local Rotarians. Tomorrow....time to get to work.