So it is appropriate to write a long overdue blog post!
A day, three flights, three countries, 7 hours worth of layovers, countless hours spent in customs, dozens of forms and two airplane meals later.... we made it missing only one bag!
I was expecting the worst, I mean really terrible things so I was pretty pleasantly surprised at how far my patience and flexibility got me!
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| Ross's 50 lb checked bag! |
Mom, Dad, Kyle, Ali, and Cassie packed in the cars to drop us off at the airport. Everyone helped to lug our bags down and get them all checked in. I was really happy at how quickly we were able to get it all done. Then we sat and mad dawged our bags until we saw the cart with them move out to be put on the plane. Haha. Not sure if having them out of my sight was a good thing or a bad thing! :/
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| With my mom & dad. Miss them already! :( |
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| Siblings! Rissa, Ryan, and Jen were there in spirit! :( |
Shout out to Ali for the pictures, totally stole them from her! If you think I look tired at this point in the trip -you have no idea! Obviously I deemed this not to be a make up worthy day(s).
The thing I can't stand about having to check in 3 HOURS early is just sitting in the airport thinking about all the things you forgot or errands you could be running when not but two hours before you were running around trying not to forget your toothbrush. Ugh. So instead I watched people get off planes and guessed where they were coming from or where they were going. Also, I helped I girl from the Dominican Republic who was trying to talk to Ross in Spanish. And wow, I am rusty. She might have been better off talking to Ross!
At midnight ish we boarded the plane -Miami bound- in the sweet comfort of First-Class. I kinda felt guilty watching everyone walk past... but I was still hungry for my First-Class meal. Can you tell from the photo?
They give you a fancy warm dish with mixed nuts! Yes, I am a dork for taking pictures.
Our fancy little meals we had, with mini salt and pepper shakers that really cracked me up.
It was a pretty good flight, we got pillows and blankies but the seats were kinda uncomfortable so we couldn't sleep much. We arrived bright and early in Miami, ready to board our next plane to Trinidad!
We rode business class from Miami to Trinidad and they had incredible seats! We could lay totally flat! Also, they had great movies like The Avengers. It was a really hard choice... sleep... or The Avengers. But since I couldn't get those huge earbuds in my tiny ears, I fell asleep after a little bit of watching. The plane ride was too quick. We also got fed but you know, that whole being treated like a princess thing gets old fast. Hehe ;) I loved looking out the window and our plane had a screen that showed the path we were flying! So I kept updating it to see us flying over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It was really pretty cool.
My favorite part was when the pilot came on and said we were preparing for landing and I couldn't see any land!! All I saw was a funky strip of land that I can only figure is the weird top part of Venezuela. Like, I just saw South America out of my window, no big deal.
And we landed in Trinidad. Sad to say my experience with the country was mass confusion. Ross and I were trying to figure out what the heck we needed to do with our bags since we were changing airlines. Everyone told us something different and our heads were spinning. When we originally checked them back in L.A. the lady said they would go straight to Grenada. Long story short... we collected our bags, went through customs and immigration, left the airport, had paid a porter to haul our bags for about a 5 minute walk back into the airport. We waited in line again to re-check them and I about passed out when the lady asked me how many "additional" bags, beyond one each, we had to check and pay for. Luckily we cleared up that confusion and got all of our bags, fee free, checked in again.
*HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF*
And then waited for a few hours in the airport to board our plane to Grenada. All around the airport they have these posters warning people to not carry drugs in their luggage and how their families will be hurt if they do. I know it isn't funny but the posters were all super dramatic and it reminded me of sixth grade drug prevention classes we had.
I read some of my new book The Poisonwood Bible (funny timing?) and looked through some of the 2007 Caribbean travel guide I bought for $1 back home. It was funny to slowly see the airport fill up with students. We knew exactly what plane they were getting on.
(wow this post is getting long)
When it was time to board we went out on the tarmac to board (first time I had ever done that -I felt like a president or something and I just wanted to wave once I got on the stairs). It was so tiny! And I fell asleep right away and before I knew it we were already landing in Grenada. It is only about a half hour flight.
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This picture is actually taken after the fact -it was too dark when we arrived, but this is taken with creeper zoom, from Saint George's campus, the airport is that close!
The airport is complete and absolute chaos. There were students everywhere and it was getting late so everyone was cranky. There were lines going every which way and everyone was clueless. Three hours later, 1 lost bag form filled out, a passport entry stamp, and $120 dollars in customs later we exited the airport relieved we made it and embarrassed that our poor friends Amber and Peter had been waiting so long for us.
But honestly, the biggest blessings of the day were Amber and Peter. I cannot thank them enough for what an instrumental role they have played in helping us get an apartment with a fridge... AND a full size bed (better than a twin!) AND hopefully an oven. Amber has been there, emailing me and comforting me every step of the way, answering my millions of questions and just being absolutely the most helpful person I could have ever hoped for! She even got my keys to my apartment!!!!
They live in the same complex so they gave us a mini tour on the way to our new home and gave us the keys and made sure that our internet worked and even outfitted us with some toilet paper! Woo hoo!!! It was a long day but having smiling faces to greet us made it all worth it.
I'm excited for what new adventures will make the trip even more worth it in the long run, (two-years and beyond)!
**Be Smart Travel Tip: Pack a few days worth of clothes in your carry on and sheets so you can make up your bed quick when you arrive. Also a towel, some travel size toiletries, and a shower curtain and hooks! Oh, and apparently some toilet paper**
***We only ended up missing one of our bags! Because when you fly on a tiny plane like Caribbean Airlines, not all the luggage flies on the plane with you, so it takes a couple days to arrive at the airport for pick up!***
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