Sunday in San Juan, noon

Sunday in San Juan, noon

Saturday at sea was the last chance to do whatever it was you wanted to. Many, many people spent most of their last day at sea down in the bowels of the ship, doing laundry. We are carrying home three bags full of dirty laundry. Instead, we ate, packed, strolled the decks, went to the debarkation lecture, hit the steam room (with the floor to ceiling windows over the ocean) and rested, rested, rested.

Sunday is the saddest day of the cruise. I am SO not ready to be done! We were tied up at the dock before dawn. Our luggage was taken off and thoroughly sniffed by contraband detectors. (Big shiny black dogs wearing sunglasses and spiked collars, and carrying machine guns. They wouldn’t let me take pictures.) Then we were reunited with our frightened bags who all promised to be good forever after, and made our way through all the back and forth lines through Customs and Immigration. We passed!!!

We dragged our bags out to the taxi and cruised to the airport for more back and forth lines through security where we said farewell to our bags again, then took ourselves through the x-rays. And again, we passed. Unfortunately, while I was putting my hand lotion and lipsticks into a clear plastic sandwich bag, I misplaced my boarding pass. It was in my shoulder tote, but that’s sort of a black hole – and I nearly had to dump the whole thing on the floor to find my pass. I just hate it when I do that. However, the San Juan security folks were very patient and kind, and DH was a pure SAINT, and all’s well that ends well. And thanks be, we had lots of spare time to solve all possible problems. There is a three hour wait till the plane starts loading. Time to sit, knit, catch the breath.


Sunday in Orlando, 5:42

The flight from San Juan was smooth and easy. Orlando has been a clusterfuck. Can I say that on a blog? There has been some weather, so some flights have been backed up so some people are missing connections. And, there is a flight to Bogata, Columbia that was due to leave two hours ago, and is still under the car of the mechanics who are fixing the flaps. Flaps are VERY important to a plane. Unfortunately, many of the people who are waiting feel that they are too important to be kept waiting. "When will it be fixed?" they demand in several languages. And the incredibly patient desk clerk never once screams, "How the hell should I know? I'm not a freaking mechanic!"

So the stress crackles around us like heat lightning, and we have 9 more hours till we touchdown at home. No worries, though. I am with my darling man, and I have wi-fi access. Add a kitty, and I could survive anything. Next stop, Dallas Fort Worth - then Portland Oregon and home!!

Tomorrow, I will catch up on everyone's blogs from the past week. Hope life has been good and you have left lots of interesting things for me to read.