15 weeks to go. We have a flight!!!

Wow. That wasn't easy.

OK. So if you'd like to know how to book a flight from Chile to Finland with two pets, or you'd like to know what I've been doing with my free time of late, or alternatively you'd like to know why I have no money and more wrinkles and less hair and why everyone thinks I'm a shouty, up-tight, stressed-out idiot with 1st-world problems, well then read on.

• To fly with pets you have to make a reservation for the pets on the plane (most planes only carry up to 6 animals). 
• This means you have to call the airline and book over the phone (more expensive). 
• If the second airline is Finnair the nice lady on the phone can't make the booking and suggests you phone the Finnair office. 
• The number for the Finnair office in Santiago is answered by an initially friendly but increasingly angry receptionist at Bavarian Cured Meats who assures you that she can't help with your reservation. 
  

• You then get in touch with Finnair via Twitter who give you the helpline number which doesn't work from Chile. 
• Then ask Girlf. (bless her heart) to phone and she'll discover that Finnair can't help if the first flight is booked with a different company. They will recommend that you speak to a travel agent. 

• Try to remain calm. 
• Go to travel agent who will promise to send you an email with a quote for the flight within the next two days. 
• Two weeks and two phone calls later and you still won't have received an email. However, by now you should be familiar with most airline regulations/flight patterns/how to fly a plane and you'll realise that KLM fly into Finland. 
• Call KLM and they will try to sell you an Air France flight which is no good because the second flight is operated by Finnair (see step 3). 
• They then confirm that there is a flight, change in Schipol Amsterdam, which gets to Helsinki and is operated uniquely by KLM. Hooray!. 

• Then you have to give details of the cage sizes and the lovely KLM lady Mabel tries to reserve space for Cat and Dog on the flights. 
• Then the system crashes, Mabel has to restart the computer and then tells you she'll contact you by email.
• After talking with her supervisor Mabel will tell you that the reservation may take a couple of days before it's confirmed by Amsterdam. Meanwhile, why not look at the details of the OBLIGATORY pet hotel in Schipol which costs $200 per pet for a FOUR hour stay.

• Mabel duly gets back to you with the confirmation complete. Well done Mabel!
• Now look at your pets and try to convince yourself that it will all be worth it.