As of 2:20pm this afternoon, Dan and I were on our way to Buenos Aires, with a "quick" layover in Houston. Unfortunately, United Airlines continues to have other plans for my life, and after the elusive "reciprocity fee" almost kept us from our boarding passes, a plane malfunction at SFO ensured we missed our 9pm layover from Houston.

So, good news, we made it to Houston. Bad news, we're here for 24 hours.

Given how long I've been looking forward to this trip, and how hard it is to get this much time off of work, I am crushed we are losing a whole day in Argentina. Not to mention, we won't get any of our bags back until we land on the 27th, and I am not looking forward to spending 24 hours in Texas, in the same underwear, with no makeup or medications.

To "compensate us for our trouble," United Airlines gave us $7 vouchers for 3 meals at the airport, and nifty "single use" toothbrushes. Oh, and the $57 hotel room is comped . . . so . . . yeah.

The irony is, I was expecting terrible traveling conditions and delays in Argentina, but it goes to show, travel can suck anywhere.

This could be a really really lame situation (and it is) but the first lesson of the trip is, "Make the best of it" -- if only because it beats the alternative.

On the way to the hotel shuttle, Dan and I met this couple who had ended up in the same boat as us (i.e. stranded in Houston) en-route to a wedding in Florida. We caught a cab together over to our hotel, scrounged for dinner in the ridiculously depressing "snack store" and ultimately--thank God--found a place that delivered Chinese food and beers. Now we're watching "Get Him To The Greek," and I'm learning how to use my new squarespace site. So . . . not really how I expected to spend the evening, but tomorrow's a new day.

Until then, Happy Holidays from Houston Texas. If you have suggestions of what we should do tomorrow in Houston, post em to the comments :-)