Escape to Paradise - Day 5

The last day was definitely a little sad.  It was odd knowing that Craig was staying another day and a lot of other people had three more full days.  Part of me was jealous, but it was nice to know we had an exciting weekend ahead, so the letdown wouldn't be as bad.  But still, I had never been anywhere this exotic and it was a little sad to cut it short.  

I did manage to get myself up a little earlier than usual that morning.  I made sure to take a picture of my room slippers, which were part of the room amenities.  They were pretty flimsy so I figured they were disposable and we were free to take them home, but I left them until Craig confirmed with our butler, and he brought them home for me.  Did I mention we had a butler?  He was assigned to us the whole time and I figure it's got to be a tough job because you're seemingly always on call.  Ours was a very sweet Creole man named Junior.  He was so friendly and just periodically popped up to say hi.  We've decided you probably only get to be a butler (to Americans, anyway) if you have a very good grasp of the English language.  We had a few language challenges during the week, mostly with waitstaff and one hostess.  It's funny, because when I was in Montreal, I remember people greeting me with both a "bonjour" and "hello", and my understanding was that the way I responded would indicate what language they'd speak to me.  But on this trip I felt like I should be saying "Hola" or answer back in whatever Spanish I could remember (which sadly isn't a lot), just to be polite.  I have to say, I could probably read labels and signs better than I expected, and any Spanish labels (namely my morning yogurt) were some of the few reminders we were in another country.  Anyway, butlers needed to answer a lot of questions so I think good language skills were extra important, and that's probably one of the main things that separated them from the rest of the wait staff.  They were all mostly very friendly when the language issue wasn't making things difficult.  We didn't use our butler much--mostly to track down our tardy luggage the first day, our delayed room service before Coco Bongo, and a couple other random questions.  Normally they make reservations if you need them, but I can only imagine what some people ask of them.  Anyway, the slippers...

I tried to enjoy the view from the balcony as much as I could.  It was just so idyllic.  

Ocean in the distance in one direction...

...crazy palm tree in the other

We decided to go to a nice breakfast that morning.  Before we went we stopped in the excursion office.  I had originally booked my airport shuttle, but I had found out two other wives (who also happen to be sisters-in-law) had a flight leaving 15 minutes before mine and I preferred to ride with them for safety reasons.  I can't exactly remember now but I think we actually had to stop in twice--once to add them to my shuttle and then again to just cancel mine because it turned out they booked a cab and were leaving extra early.  But at least since they knew I had paid for mine already they didn't make me pay, and it was good to have other people to go with.  Even with the two of them the one said she felt that much better with three.  The process was a little confusing but all worked out in the end...enough, anyway.  

Our breakfast was supposed to be in the Italian restaurant we ate in the previous night, but apparently it was a cleaning day so they set up shop in the French restaurant instead.  

My handsome date

We should have done this more because the spread was amazing.  This came out as an automatic appetizer:

Well, the mimosa was separate, but there was a full plate of fruit and this amazing shelf of goodies.  There were two croissants, two rolls, one cinnamon roll, one giant cupcake, and every spread you could want--butter pats in the little crock, and all tiny jars of jellies, peanut butter, and hazelnut spread.  It was so cool, and of course I brought the cupcake with me for dessert.  

While we were eating, another couple from our group got seated near us.  It was the couple with the most adorable pregnant woman I'd been admiring all week.  She looked so cute every day, and God bless her for hanging out with a bunch of people practically marinating in alcohol all week.  We had a great chat and learned that she was once a Bandette dancer, which is how they met, but they didn't get together until much later.  They both have kids from other relationships but this is their first together.  She was familiar with Rochester via her ex so she was interested in hearing about where we live and where the kids went to school.  It was a nice chat since we hadn't really talked to them much that week.

Our breakfast was really great--my eggs benedict was amazing, and Craig liked his eggs and English muffin too.  We headed off to get me one last iced coffee, and when we came out, we came across Curt, the owner.  Of course we felt it was important to stop and chat with him, but I was nervous about time because I didn't have long before the wives' cab was leaving and I still needed to pack up a couple last things.  I made sure to thank him twice, and while the conversation lasted a couple minutes longer than would have been wise, we finally broke away...but not before the one long-time assistant coach suggested Craig should write an autobiographical book for Curt.  That was a sore spot because Craig nearly destroyed himself trying to write the three-peat book years ago.  It stressed him out to the point he got shingles.  So hopefully that idea doesn't go anywhere...ha.

I was a little frustrated that I ended up short on time and couldn't really enjoy my last few minutes, but thankfully I had planned well and packed up almost everything ahead.  I rushed back to the room, grabbed my last couple things and my luggage, and headed up to the lobby to meet the wives and the cab.  They cut off my bracelet on the way to the car, and that was that.  Booooo.  We hopped in a typical cab and I found myself wishing for what I assumed was a far more reliable resort shuttle.  The cab ride was...interesting.  I'm pretty sure the cabbie beeped at about half a dozen people in the 30 minute ride.  It was a little harrowing as people don't seem to merge or change lanes with much care.  I chatted quite a bit with one wife, who was actually the one I sat next to on the flight down but rarely spoke to.  The other one wasn't talking, but come to find out her stomach was off and she gets carsick, so she was using all of her energy to just hold it together.

Once we got to the airport, they had to get printed boarding passes because they never got digital ones.  That meant I had this view for about 20-30 minutes while they waited in a long line. 
  

It looks pretty nice, but the airport was so warm.  They apparently don't use (much) air conditioning in this part of the terminal either.  It was more enclosed than baggage claim and was maybe a little cooler than outside, but they mostly rely on giant fans to keep the air moving.  It was very warm and that was the start of a few sweaty hours.  

My original shuttle was supposed to leave at noon for a 3pm flight, but the wives were nervous and wanted to leave at 11am for their 2:45 flight.  The excursion folks had explained to us that in that size of airport, leaving the resort three hours ahead (instead of being AT the airport three hours ahead for most international flights) was sufficient, and actually helped keep crowding at bay.  So, with leaving extra early we had some time to kill, even with their wait at the counter.  And of course when we got past security and customs (which wasn't bad at all), we realized that killing that time wasn't going to be quite as simple as usual.  

The gate part of the terminal was nice and modern with stores and restaurants, but it was busy.  We first stopped at a little open area store to get drinks and snacks, and I eagerly snapped up a bottle of Country Club to take home to Carter, just like I had wanted to!  We wanted to go sit in the gate area, but because of the airport's odd setup (you go to a bus from the gates, not the plane), there were just a ton of seats all around the general gate area, and there were not three together anywhere.  So we had to grab a spot in the bar and order drinks instead.  Small price to pay for seats, I guess.  We ended up having a nice chat now that the other wife was feeling better.

Before we knew it, it was time for them to go to their gate.  I guess I sort of forgot that I was really only 15 minutes behind them, because once I left them there I had to rush through getting food (Pizza Hut!) and rush to my gate, where I found a giant line already boarding, but awkwardly so.  I was in boarding group B and apparently I could board but it felt like cutting this giant line, which was awkward.  With most flights people sort of hang back until their group is announced, but not here.  I had my hands full with food (my bags were packed totally full), I was sweating profusely, but I worked my way up.  I found another couple in the same boarding group and declared I was going to just stick with them.  We had a nice little chat once we got on the tarmac bus to the plane about our respective resorts and our experiences with the weather (which oddly were slightly different despite being in the same city).  Once the bus arrived at the plane, we had to go on the glass enclosed ramp to board, which just enhanced the sweat.  By the time I got on the plane I was so disgustingly sweaty and couldn't wait to eat my pizza and just sit there.  Luckily the plane air conditioning cooled me down quickly and my pizza was good.

One of the tarmac buses

My seat, however, was not good.  I finally had a window seat, which was nice, but my seatmate and I noticed that the control panel for the armrest electronics was popped out, and sure enough, the headphone jack didn't work.  Which meant that my in-seat screen was mostly useless.  For a three-plus hour flight.  Greaaaat.  Not only that, but the WiFi wouldn't work either (my seatmate was trying without luck as well), and after this pleasant view upon takeoff, all I looked at for about three hours was the ocean.  Darn it.  Not sure what I was thinking...I definitely should have picked better.  Maybe the other side would have had a shot at coast views sometimes.  This was pretty, though.

The ocean was mostly visible the entire trip.  There were points of thin clouds where I wasn't sure, but usually I could see ripples eventually.  The clouds were mostly typical, nothing too exciting, but at one point I did look out and see this pretty rainbow in the middle of it all.

I'm not even really sure what I did to kill time.  I looked out the window but it was so bright I kept it closed a lot of the time.  I listened to music.  I played a few phone games.  I waited for the right moment to get up and use the bathroom (once my two seatmates were already up).  I had a plane snack.  I tried to nap, with no luck, probably because I was masked and my ears hurt.  I guess I mostly watched the map view on my screen.  It was long, but I guess a little peace wasn't the worst thing.  But I was beyond happy to see Long Island come into view.  The view of New York City was a bit smoggy, but if you look close you can see it in the distance.
  

Once we landed I surprised to find we were back to bus life to get to the terminal, and I got stuck waiting for the second one.  Once we got to the terminal we had to go through immigration, which was a wait but the process was quick and easy.  Much to my dismay, once I got through I followed the only signs that made sense and came to the realization that I had to go through security again.  Darn it.  I did get a glimpse of the super cool, architecturally famous TWA terminal across the street.  Had I had more time and fully processed the idea that I had to go back through security anyway so I was free to go, I might have wandered over there for a few minutes.  I have long wanted to see it.

But I was flustered and annoyed and my mom happened to call at that moment, as well, so I just went through the motions and got in line.  It was a pretty long, crowded wait.  As I got to the scanners, I realized in horror that because I had to go through security again, Carter's Country Club soda was a goner.  I was so sad...and annoyed.  But that was only the beginning.  

When I got into the terminal I needed to find food.  I went toward my gate to be sure where it was, but there wasn't any fast food nearby.  I noticed en route that it was starting to get dark outside.  It felt so bright when I had arrived, and now it was rapidly getting dark.  Talk about a time warp.  My sense of time was off all day.  There was a market right at the center hub of the terminal that had a few made-to-order food places and some grab-and-go.  But when I looked at a map there was a Shake Shack down one of the three hallways, so I wandered down that way, only to discover that it was still under construction.  I wandered down another hallway, and there wasn't anything there either.  I had no choice but to go back to the market, order a sub, wait about 10 minutes, and then head back to my gate to eat.  I saw plane wrapped with the New York Jets logo outside--might just be a regular Jet Blue plane since they sponsor them, but it was neat to wonder.  I was relieved to get on the plane, get my suitcase stowed right above my seat, and settle in.  It had a working screen and a jack IN the screen itself.  Whew.  I also got the WiFi up and running.  My seatmate came in shortly after me.  She simply sat down--I don't even think she had a carry-on--and promptly closed her eyes and fell asleep for the entire flight.

I half-watched the movie Migration on my screen, in between watching out the window and flipping to the map.  I did see the biggest plane I had ever seen out on the runway before takeoff.  It was a two-level Destination Dubai plane, which is apparently an Emirates Airbus A380.  Crazy stuff.  It was SO huge.  My picture doesn't do it justice because there's nothing for scale, so I won't bother sharing it.  But it was pretty amazing.

The flight itself felt very short.  The takeoff view didn't have any fabulous city views, but there were so many lights in the suburbs.  It was pretty.  Again, this doesn't do it justice because it's blurry, but you get the idea.

As we flew, the pilot announced we had to fly around some thunderstorms near Rochester.  Our original route looked like we'd come in south of the city.  I never get to see the city or the University of Rochester campus, and it looked like this would be no different.  But with the storms, I wondered if that could change things.  We flew over Binghamton, which was fun because I got to message Heather in flight.  As we got into the Finger Lakes, suddenly I saw quite the flash out light outside my window--lightning!  I wish I could have gotten that on video, but alas, this was the best I could get:

It was a good show the rest of the way in, although a bit unnerving.  I recognized when we flew over Irondequoit Bay, and to my delight, we did fly in past the city.  My pictures didn't turn out, but it was cool to see all the city lights and colored LED-lit buildings.  Bonus points that we also flew past U of R so I could see the Rush Rhees dome as well!  Better in daylight, but this was cool too.  I landed right around 11:30 and immediately called my mom.  I got off the plane pretty quickly, more relieved to be home than I might have expected.  I walked through a mostly quiet terminal, although another flight landed right around when ours did and was emptying into the terminal at the same time.  I came down to a busy luggage claim (yay for carry-ons) and walked out to a very warm night.  Did I mention it had been as warm, if not warmer, at home?  They'd had hot, humid weather in the 90s most of the week.  Crazy to think we were that close to the equator and yet it was hotter at home!  

Much to my surprise, the pickup area was a complete traffic jam!  At 11:30?  In Rochester?  What the heck?  I had called my mom to tell her what number pillar I was standing near, but in the end I called back to ask her what she was near, and I walked to her.  I loaded up right in the middle of the traffic gridlock, and off we went.  Jacob had come with her.  We had a nice chat on the ride home, and then of course Jacob was talking my ear off once we got back.  It was sweet, I guess.  He said later that I seemed very relaxed on the way home.  We were awake long enough to wish him a happy birthday!  How do I have a sixteen-year-old?  (Speaking of which, in all the rush, I haven't done a birthday letter.  Oops, coming soon, I guess!)  I headed to bed on the basement couch, since my parents were still sleeping in my bed.  

It was a whirlwind, but I made it home.  Now to settle back in, get Craig home, and get ready for the next adventure!