Okay!!
Sorry to be slow but I didn't want to post all this without sending my thank you's to the sources first!
1) Shacklebolt from TWoP who brought us the first Salvador info about the Elevador will be registering and coming to join in the fun--so please give him a warm RFF welcome and a big thank you! Without his post we might not have Salvador at all!
2) I had the great pleasure of talking directly to
Justin today about what all he saw in the Santiago airport. (
http://thenomadlife.blogspot.com/2008/05/my-flight-out-of-santiago.html)
He is unfamiliar with the race except for what he has gleaned from enthusiastic family--but he did an excellent job in telling me what all he saw.
Any errors are prob mine because I was writing a mile a minute!
He was in the airport on April 30th.
He saw teams, each accompanied by a camera and sound guy start arriving in the early evening.
They all appeared exhausted and after ticketing at different counters, some went for a bite to eat and some just crashed. He emphasized that he didn't know what they had been doing, but all seemed tired and dirty.
He saw teams arriving in 2 "waves".
The first prob 5 to 6 teams (some difficulty sorting out camera people from teams) arriving earlier maybe 4-5PM and the second smaller group of 1 or 2-3 arriving an hour or so later.
Re teams:
He saw 2 girls he called "the sisters" (but could have been friends also) dressed in blue shirts
2 younger teams --couples he thinks
One older gray haired maybe 45 yrs man (unclear here whether racer or production)
He points out that almost all the Int flights leave Santiago in the eve. He thinks most of the teams were going by 7+ or so. His flight left about 8.
He does recall a flight to Australia that eve, as well as several others (Houston, London, Europe)
He is going to look at a terminal map for us and let us know if he remembers more...and I hope he also will be coming here to join in the fun!
But sadly, no pictures...
much more in a second...
