An eventful final 48 hours
Trip Start
Feb 04, 2008
1
7
Trip End
Feb 21, 2008
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Our final 48 hrs signaled once again that my adventures are never over until I'm home, and then I guess truly complete once the luggage has safely been delivered!
We started our (long) 48 hr process to get home on Wednesday morning, taking a shuttle from Playa Samara to San Jose. This should have been a straightforward event, especially considering we were not travelling my prefered method of public bus. As it turns out, people can be demanding and particular no matter how they chose to travel to their next destination! Our introduction to Parrot-Nose (I am being nice, really) was when we transfered buses to complete our route to San Jose. The hairy armpit, aggressive, late 50-year-old (yes, she was German, and yes Kevan, I promise to never become Parrot Nose) demanded that her luggage MUST be put in the vehicle as opposed to the roof and claimed her seat in the front row as in any other seat she would be sick. So began a long 7 hour drive with Parrot Nose declaring her opinions about Costa Rican trade and poor roads, leaving our driver to confide in his dislike of "la mujer muy loco" at our food stop.
I thought we were in the clear of elaborate personalities once we had arrived at Costa Rican Backpackers. We hadn't so much as gotten in the doorway of reception when I heard "I know yoooooouuuuuuuu!"
Oh no, it couldn't be. It was. I had my own version of "Valentine" whom I'd met in Monteverde and was hoping that was the last I'd see of him. But he had found his way to San Jose, unconveniently coinciding with our departure. After some attempts to get us to ask about his "ATV accident" that brought him to San Jose or attempts for a dinner date, he finally left - although I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow showed up at work. Sharyn, I'll provide a description....
Thursday, we were on our way home, and after yet another encounter, this time in the airport, with a Valentine-twin ("Have you seen the Guardian? I'm the real thing.....real marine rescue corps") we were finally on the plane and for the first time in my life, I was looking forward to flying home.
About one and a half hours into the flight we started descending, and since we had just crossed water, this wasn't a good sign. An announcement was given, stating the reason for our sudden landing in Fort Lauderdale was due to the plane not being equipped for de-icing and therefore required us to change plans in order to land in Charlotte. Considering that it's FEBRUARY and Charlotte, North Carolina is not on the equator, I still have not pieced together how US Airways made that slight mixup. Regardless, around 7 pm we landed in Florida and began the long process to board another plane bound for Charlotte.
It started with picking up our luggage, going through customs, finding the next terminal and waiting until 11:30 p.m to board the next plane. We grabbed our packs, moved through the customs line and quickly dropped our bags off at the next counter, leaving me staring at my bag and realizing it wasn't my pack. Back through the line and past customs I went to retrieve my pack, only to be hauled aside after drawing the attention of 5 agents who delivered multiple questions, a bag search and xray since I suspeciously moved two packs...
We finally made it to our hotels at 0230, (where in Charlotte it was raining, no ice) only to be woken up at 0700 for our flight to Toronto. This time we had a plane equipped for de-icing :) Our bags arrived the following day and we're currently at home, with all our possessions, beautiful photos and memories of surfing and warm weather.
My latest discovery? When you actually WANT to get home on time, while travelling, just as at work, you will always, always be late.
Comments
Welcome Home!
Travel, good and bad, is always an adventure. Sounds like this trip was no exception. Thanks for sharing the rest of your trip and for being such great companions on the kayaking portion. I have added more about the kayaking portion of the trip to my website: www.yackman.com. Check out you and patas blancos!
Welcome Home!
Don
Polly
I was beginning to think that you actually found a spot without a culture of germans. I chose culture as the word to describe a group of our ever-present Europeans as it also describes a group of bacteria. Since some bacteria are actually good, many are very bad and a select few just cause nausea; it seemed fitting. Forgive me for mocking the black red and gold, I too am of german descent and would travel everywhere if I could. Also don't mistake descent for decent as very few germans show any decency at all especially on public transit or even at the beach. I believe Speedo must be a german company since only german engineers could find a way to get a 280 pound Berlin middle ager into such a small swimsuit.
Maybe Polly, your german friend there, should consider wearing sleeves.
'Elaborate personalities' :) ---- that's perfect.
What would a trip be without them?
(no need to answer that)
I will admit, a trip HOME without them would be quite acceptable.
To all the Valentines everywhere..... and in your case Cheryl, to all the stalkers everywhere--
worry not!! Cheryl takes a trip every year and takes a friend with her every time. You're bound to cross paths again eventually :)
You'll get that next chance to impress her (or at the very least, leave your lasting impression)
funny, the word 'impression' is also used for bite marks.
I wonder whose pack you swiped. Good thing it wasn't as far back as the shuttle to San Jose. I'm starting to picture what you would look like wearing Polly's clothes or worse yet, the opposite.
Maybe all your delays coming home are my fault, I wished your trip was longer :)
sleep well tonight
after 48 hours to get anywhere, you'll need it.
rich