Travelling Tales

Monday at 5:00 pm - sitting with a beer.  Think all is set up again - finally!


Airport was packed when we arrived on Saturday morning - in the door at 7:00 am for a 10:00 am flight - there were easily 100 people in line for the flight - families, groups - luggage and more luggage!!  Showed our internet boarding passes and were sent to the short line - slow but short.


Now we are no less luggage ladden - 2 backpaks, 2 carryons, 3 large suitcases and a hockey bag.  When we get to the counter, Lisle's carry on is twice the allowable weight and his suitcase is 5 kilos overweight - all else is right at weight - we have the option - check the carry on at $175 and pay extra weight for the other suitcase, or repack to get the carryon below 10 kg and so long as the suitcase isn't over 36 kg we only have to pay $55 for the overweight bag.  So off to the side we go and start shifting from one bag to the other - we manage to accomplish this - other than looking like idiots packing in the middle of the airport!  It's 8:15 by the time we get to the gate!


On to the plane - departure time comes and the plane is 1/3 empty, and no one seems to be getting on - maybe a nice flight with some extra space - no such luck, they start coming in waves - families with 5 and 6 kids, all headed to Central America to visit family for the holidays! Two rows in front of us and the 3 on the other side of the aisle!  The one family has a dog!  The plane is full to capacity and because there are 6 or 7 in each group, they are seated apart and worried about the kids and calling to each other - - Papi, Papi, Papi.  We are off - 20 minutes late.


Then the dog starts - it is a little thing, fuzzy and yaps constantly - for the next 3 hours - even the headphones and loud movie soundtrack couldn't drown it out - DROWNING! There's an idea!  Finally mama takes it out of the carrier and it goes to sleep on her lap - I somehow think drugs were involved!


Land, get off, and find we are getting right back on the same plane - fortunately none of the families are going to Costa Rica!


Get to San Jose, through customs and baggage in record time - shuttle to the rental - into the car by 5:15 - very speedy.  So, I ask Lisle if we need the cell or GPS as they are in the carryon - no, he knows the way - except for the wrong turn that gets us to a dead end - let's try this road, no - how about this turn - - let's get the GPS.  OK, now it can't find the satellite!  So I say turn here - it is in the right direction - 1/2 mile later it joins another road - now we know where we are!


Hotel, check in, collapse.  Dinner - - oh, the hotel dining room is closed for a Christmas Party - guess it is Rosti Pollo!  Cerveza y pollo! and then bed