Paddy in the Big Apple @ #BoDzBeeTzZ!: January 2014

This annual year end trip was to be a a journey with a few bumps in the road, outlined as follows:

[+1] Dec 22nd - The 11 hour direct flight (economy) in AA from JFK-EZE departed on time and arrived on time

[-1] Dec 23rd - On arrival at the in-laws abode (10th floor of apartment block), the power went out (common occurrence during the brutally hot summer in BA

[+1] Power restored 4 hours later

[-1] Power goes out again 8 hours later during the night with temperature = 35C / 95F

[+1] Dec 24th - Barely a car in sight on the 4 hour drive south to the beach town of Mar del las Pampas

[+5] Dec 24th - Dec 29 - 5 glorious days & nights by the pool / beach

[-1] Dec 30th - On return to In-laws abode in BA, yet another power outage

[-3] Dec 31st am - No water or elevator or power (remember 10th floor & now temperature = 40C / 104F

[+2] Dec 31st pm - Clean up & cool down with shower at sister-in-laws & New Years Eve celebrations with friends / family

[-1] Jan 1st - Protesters against the power cuts block the streets by burning garbage (can't say I blame them)

[-2] Jan 2nd am - The missus & I get stomach bug the day of our return flight (bedridden between visits to the potty)

[-1] Jan 2nd pm - Flight delayed 2 hours because of the forecast of snow storm Hercules

[-10] Return flight is First Class as explained 'here' and because of continuing 'squirt alert' neither wifey nor I can take advantage of the food/booze first class has to offer

[+3] First class baggage allowance is (3 x 70lbs / 32kgs) x 2 adults + 1 x 50lbs / 23kgs for the wee nipper + 3 standard carry-ons + 3 personal smaller bags - yes we maxed it all out to bring back a lot of stuff from BA left behind from this 'sabatical'

[+10] Jan 3rd am - Lie-flat first class seats are a god-send when you are feeling like crap and the proximity and ratio (2:16) of the first class toilets are a god-send when you feel like crapping x 5 times (refer squirt alert above)