Outrunning Emily

Just got home from Belize - what a wild experience.

We love San Pedro (Belize) so much that after 5 visits so far this year we jumped off and bought a condo on the beach. Day of closing I mentioned to hubby - just our luck, finally own a slice of tropical paradise and watch, a hurricane will blow through. He said I was such a pessimist. Guess what? Hurricane blew through.

The week started out innocuously enough and we had a great time until we had to evacuate. We took suitcases packed to the bursting limit with bedspreads, curtains, blinds, kitchen stuff, silk plants, etc. for the re-do. Week was spent alternating between lining out workmen, fixing everything up, a little sun, a little sand, a few nights out eating awesome food (fresh caught lobster, blackened snapper were the best meals) and hearing Dennis Wolfe play while dragging our toes through the sand.

About Wednesday we heard the weather report that Emily was heading our way and looked serious. At first we considered staying and riding it out but the management at our place was 'strongly' encouraging everyone to leave. Not sure if it was so much for our personal safety or more the fact that with less people there would be easier on them, especially since there would be no power, water, food, etc. and limited staff and no guest/resident services.

So, on Fri. we changed our flights and started packing up to leave the next day.

Sat. morning we headed for the San Pedro airstrip a little before 11 - had reservations on Tropic Air but as of that morning all reservations were null and it was first come first serve. Line was enormous and no real information as to procedure. We stood in the heat for a good three hours making literally 6 feet of progress in the line, dragging bags and gear and sweating our you-know-whats off. Thankfully there was a guy in line behind us making beer and water runs.

Since there was no clear info as to which line to wait in or what to do, I tried going up closer to the TA office door but there was a throng of people there just trying to get info also. Hubby ran over to Maya Air and was gone for a long time but finally came back with boarding passes for the 1pm flight. At 2pm we finally got on a plane, supposedly heading for Belize International (where our flight to the states was leaving in less than 2 hrs). They closed the doors, headed down the airstrip and pilot announces "welcome to your flight to the Belize Municipal Airport" WHAT? Stop the plane! No way of course so we sweated out the sweltering flight - ran off the plane into the office - no bags. Of course the bags made it to International, but not us.

Oh wait, it gets better...

Standing at the counter, fortunately we got a Maya rep with some pull - he got on his radio, figured out where our bags were and said we could fly us over to International in 30 minutes - 10 minute flight. No time for that. Taxi driver comes up and says he'll take us, 20 minute ride - we tell the Maya rep they should pay for the taxi and they agree. Off in the taxi at breakneck speed - eyes closed and REALLY praying hard at this point. Man what a ride - taxi ride in Rome was a picnic compared to this one. Passing cars trucks and bicycles on left AND right side on small two lane road. Oh my.

Got to International, up to Continental desk - another line but up to front in about 20 minutes. Guess what? Reservations MIA. Seems that when we changed our flights the agent on the phone had us leaving on Fri. - not Sat. Guy at desk says - oops, you missed your flight, you were booked for yesterday and all flights are booked for today. ARE YOU KIDDING??? I had all the notes, conf. #, dates, everything written down (thank goodness) and was not leaving that counter without a boarding pass. He went back into the back room, comes back and taps on the computer some more, back into the back room (break time?) then back - FINALLY after (I kid you not) 55 minutes he had us on standby.

We race through to security and customs/immigration and of course, there is only one departure form in our passports (two of us - need one for each) and they don't have them at THAT desk - only at the ticket counter. Run back to ticket counter, frantically fill it out (no telling what info I put on there) race through security and get to gate as last ones are boarding - they've already called for stand-bys. Hubby goes through the line up to the front and says we're either on that plane or else (don't know what 'else' would have been but would not have been pretty.) FINALLY they let us through, we board and can relax.

Flight goes okay but late getting in so at Houston we race through the maze of tunnels, trams and lines, get through customs, no bags. They we're re-routed, natch. Wait 20 minutes, bags come, race again to recheck and clear immigrations, literally run to gate as they're closing doors for our connecting flight to home. Finally arrive at 11pm, still have an hour and a half drive to home so decide to stay at airport hotel and come in next morning. (This morning). Once our heads hid the pillow slept for 9 hours straight - hard bad bed with flat excuses for pillow but no prob at this point.

Drove in this morning and now here at home sweet home. God is good. Now worried about what will happen to our slice of island paradise and friends we've made there. Hope and pray all will be well...

Oh and one other thing - my sister and her hubby and three daughters are in Cancun right now and can't get out. I feel bad for even complaining about our experience while they're still there...