Eclipse Travelers: Stories from A to Z

The departure from Salt Lake was delayed nearly two hours. Instead of boarding at 9:45 pm as stated, we sat around at the gate with no information except for “Delayed, waiting for the plane, just wait here.” 

It seemed we were all going for the same reason. One retired couple planned to stay over and get residency in Chile. The other eclipse travelers were only staying five to ten days. They seemed jealous of Forrest and me and our three months. 

“Lucky!” they said. There was a camaraderie among those of us at the gate, perhaps since there were so few of us and we were Americans going for the eclipse. 

Forrest participated in his friendly but laid-back way. I said very little, still dealing with my grief issues that exhibited themselves as extreme reserve and introversion around people outside my family. I could not seem to engage normally with people anymore. 

We all got so tired of waiting

Around eleven, a crowd of other passengers showed up from somewhere, and finally we were allowed to board. Next stop, Atlanta, then overnight to Santiago. 

In Atlanta we had plenty of time before having to board. Since Forrest and I were tired of sitting, he suggested walking to our terminal instead of taking the shuttle like everyone else. 

It was a long walk in what felt like the bowels of a deserted airport. I would never have tried it on my own, fearing the isolation or afraid of getting lost. With Forrest in charge, it was nice. The exercise felt good, and he never loses his way. He is like his dad that way, with a built-in GPS system.

Our plane was a grand one with its four rows across. A sanitized blanket in plastic was on each seat, topped with a packet containing an eye mask and earphones. Passengers seemed jubilant and celebratory. 

Forrest chatted with a young man behind him who was from Chile. He spoke excellent English and had been asking people around him why they were headed to Santiago. He was amazed by how many were going all the way to his country for the eclipse. 

Finally, as the cabin lights dimmed after takeoff, everyone settled down. The flight attendants served food, a sandwich, a drink, a little packet of crackers and cheese, and pudding in a plastic cup. In the early morning, they came by with a breakfast meal.

I was delighted by the food, the eye mask and our location on the side aisle. We had the window and aisle seats, no middle seat like the two rows in the center. I felt blissfully free and deep down happy. 

Forrest slept through most of the flight while I watched movies, sleeping only when I could no longer hold my head up. This beautiful plane could have flown for an additional eight hours, and I would not have minded.