(My big camera, the Canon, is packed, so all I had with me was the small Olympus, but I didn't take any pictures. So the next couple posts will be boring- lol)
Up early for breakfast with everyone. The ship has Disembarkment down to a science. They break everyone up according to when your flight leaves. So the ones with the earliest flights are the first ones off the ship. They have each group gather in a certain area (our group gathered in the Schooner Bar) and when it's time to leave, they have a crew member lead everyone off. Our group was scheduled to leave at 8:25 am. Our flight was scheduled for 1:15 pm. When you leave, you go into a big building where they have all the bags set out (but they are broken down by colors of luggage tags they gave you the night before). It wasn't hard to find ours. Then you have to go through customs - we filled out a form the night before, it asks where you live, if you are declaring any food or produce, an estimate of how much money you spent while out of the country, etc. We had a porter help us with the bags, and we just breezed through - the customs agent glanced at our form and just asked "Is this about how much you've spent?" and we said Yes, and he let us go through.
Then they put our bags in a truck and we get in shuttles for the trip to the airport. It was only a 15-20 minute ride. Once at the airport, we have to get our bags again to go through USDA Inspection. They scan your bags and I laughed when I saw the "Top 10 Insects" they are looking for plastered on the side of the scanner. After they looked at all our bags, we got little green stickers on them, and we could proceed to check in for our flights.
We found our gate and were sitting there by 9:30 am or so. We decided we wanted something to drink, so we did that and soon L found us. (B&C are spending another week in the Caribbean, on St. Lucia, so their flight wasn't until later in the day.) His flight was scheduled for 2:45 pm a couple of gates from us, so he sat with us. About 11:00, I looked at my Blackberry and saw that I had a couple of unread e-mails. They were from Delta - BAD SIGN! Our flight had been delayed until 3:15 pm. and the funny thing was, there was no announcement or anything at the gate we were sitting at. The board still said it was to depart at 1:15 pm. I read it to T & L and the guy behind me said they had gotten them, too. Most of the other people sitting at the gate had no clue unless they heard us talking about it.
Luckily Larry's plane left on time, so I gave him a big hug and told him thanks for the trip (for about the 100th time in the last week). Todd walked him over there and he got on his flight with no problems.
So, since our flight was delayed, that meant we'd miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. The email said they had re-booked us on another flight out of Atlanta at 8:15 pm. (The flight from San Juan to Atlanta is almost 4 hours.) We eventually left at 3:15 pm, got to Atlanta and went to the gate where the email said our 8:15 flight was leaving from. There was no one at the counter, but we saw a machine that said "Have you missed your flight?". All you had to do was scan your boarding pass and it would print another boarding pass for the flight you are re-booked on. OK. Scanned Todd's and it said he was on the 9:50 pm flight. Scanned mine and didn't read it because we were panicking - the late flight meant we wouldn't get to DFW until 11:15 or so and the shuttle from the hotel where the car is STOPS at 11:00 pm. The lady got to the counter, I gave her the things the machine printed out and told her the email I received said we were supposed to be booked on the 8:15 flight. She said it's full, but we'll put you on standby. Well, not much else we can do, so decided to get a sandwich and something to drink. While sitting there eating, Todd decided we might as well stay at the hotel for another night since our luggage probably won't get to the airport the same time we will. I called and had them reserve another room for Sunday night. I looked at the papers we have and noticed mine said I was on the 8:15 pm flight even though Todd's said he was on the 9:50 flights. Went back to the counter and showed her, so she printed me a boarding pass and said Todd was the first one on Stand-by for the 8:15 pm flight. We decided if I have to go first, I might as well, and Todd would take a cab to the hotel if he needed to. Turns out we both got on the flight - I sat in row 6 which was first class :D and
Todd was in coach. Not the best, but at least we were on the same flight!
So we get to DFW and down to baggage claim. I see the Delta worker with some bags that have been there a while and noticed one was Todd's! Apparently it made it to DFW on our original flight (how, we can't figure out). We waited until all the bags were out from our flight. Of course, mine was no where to be found. Spoke w/ the Delta guy again and told him we're staying in DFW tonight, so if it gets here before 9 am, deliver it to the hotel. If not, they'll have to get it to us in Georgetown.
Luckily, the shuttle from the hotel was still at the airport, so they came to get us and we got to the hotel just before 11 pm. We were hungry, so ran to get something to eat and back to the hotel. We didn't get to sleep until after midnight. The front desk called at 1:45 am to let me know the bag was there (YAY!!!), so I ran down to get it and went back to sleep.
We slept until about 8 am on Monday. Todd figured traffic would be bad, and we weren't supposed to be at work until the afternoon anyway, so no rush to get up and going really early. The hotel had hot breakfast for everyone, so I had scrambled eggs, bacon and bagel/cream cheese. And off we went for the trek back to Georgetown.
I called my (new) boss on the way home to see if it would be OK if I just wait until Tuesday to go in and he said OK. (YAY again!) We stopped to get Brute on the way home (I missed him SOOO MUCH!!!!) and something to eat. Todd ate quickly and left for work. I unpacked everything and got laundry separated and started, then got my menu done for the week and went to get groceries.
And we're back to reality...... Todd hasn't been feeling well, actually both him and L have had sore throats and coughs. Not sure where they picked it up, but I'm feeling fine. I'm hoping they both are feeling better soon.
Next post will be about the cruise, traveling and what I'd do different next time.
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