July 3, 2010 |
| Safely back in Honduras |
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Though it's nothing to do about Canada...
It's worn by our favorite Canadian!
Eh Larry?
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Due to complacency, laziness and general debauchery this blog site has been neglected whilst we frolicked here and there over the last several weeks. Hence a new style for this update! One long (boring) entry covering the recent past. It will meander backward in time. Good luck and don’t attempt to operate any heavy machinery during, or soon after, reading this diatribe. See your physician if permanent brain damage occurs.
PS - Pics, Captions and additional "fill ins" soon
Canada Day (July 1)
We went down island to attend our first Canada Day with Larry, Angie (both Canadians) and the rest of the Jonesville gang. Angie arranged for overnight accommodations at the Pirates Den Hotel along with an all day celebration at “Sundowners” (a local West End beach side bar). $10.00 a head with open bar (all day), Hawaiian (in ground) roast pig, free sailing, on small Lazer boats, and great Canadian music. There are many Canadians here; ExPats, tourists and, like us, wannabe Canucks for the day. What a deal! Stumbled back to the Pirates Den to air conditioning and cable TV. Watched Letterman and slept like babies.
Four days ago (Sunday June 27)
Up early to get to Atlanta airport by 7:30AM to make our 9:45AM flight (international BS requirement to be there two hours in advance). Oh well; we had great coffee and nice send off by Debbie and Randy (Pat’s) sister. Went through customs etc. and went to ticket counter. “Say what”? Oh….well OK. We’ll take being bumped to first class “thank you very much”. So off we go (mimosas in hand) luxuriating in the first class cabin. One could get used to this! It was a lovely flight if I must say so myself. Three hours later we had an uneventful (and enjoyable) touchdown in Roatan. After an hour long process we were cleared back in, renewed our visas, retrieved our luggage and headed for the taxi stand. All of a sudden I hear “Hey Randy”. Who the hell is calling me? We were expecting no one. Looking around we soon see Don Cameron (one of our good expat Roatan friends) standing there with a wide welcoming smile and an easy ride home. Things are really going our way. What a difference a day makes. We got back to HB, settled in and headed to the Hole in the Wall for a friendly reception from the Jonesville gang. As the sun was setting we sat back a bit exhausted but very glad to be home. Again we slept like babies.
Five days ago ( June 26)
Up early to get to Baltimore airport by 5:30AM to make our 7:30AM flight (same BS reason as above). Dan and Robin drove us over to the airport and we said our farewell’s at the Delta drop off. We were packing two check through bags each (lots of stuff to take to Roatan). WHAT? Must have been 300 people in line and milling about looking like dear in the headlights. We stumbled around passing by the “self check in” line because we have check through luggage. Tic Toc Tic Toc. We stand there a while only to find out that everyone must do “self check in” and, THEN, go to the back of the line to “check in”! Ok…so we move to the “self check in line” and await our turn. Tic Toc Tic Toc. It’s our turn. We follow the instructions (insert credit card and follow instructions). Step two insert passport (bar code up). Nothing happens. After several minutes of increased blood pressure a pencil necked geek attendant comes over and says we are in the Domestic “Self Check In” kiosk and have to go “over there” to the international kiosk. WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT? Tic Toc Tic Toc. Ok…we go over and work our way through the process and return to the back of the line we were originally in. Tic Toc Tic Toc. One by one every flight (which were now perilously close to being missed) had to be extracted (from the “baton death march like” line) and hurried through check in to make their flights. Tic Toc Tic Toc. Finally we are rushed through and get to the gate barely in time to make our flight. By now we are haggard, exhausted, sweaty and generally pissed off! OK…we’re on the plane and we move out to the tarmac and sit and sit.....and…. sit….and wait . Tic Toc Tic Toc. Then comes the announcement…”we have to return to the gate due to a problem with the breaks”. So back we go. We had to sit in our seats with the shades down to keep it cool (some of you know of my claustrophobia on planes right?). Tic Toc Tic Toc. Eventually we did actually take off at 9:30AM (two hours late) with little or no hope of making our connection in Atlanta. Wala, two hours later, we touchdown in Atlanta only to find that our Roatan flight has been canceled (due to weather they say??). We’re told to “Go stand in the customer help phone line”! So off we go and wait in line. Pick up the phone….“Hello how can I help you?” You can kiss me arse you Delta Dip Shit Prick (or, at least, that’s what I wanted to say). So, anyway, she goes on to tell me there are no flights until NEXT Saturday but their working on it. You’ll have to call back later. To make a long story short; we elected to call Debbie and Randy and stay at their house (there in Atlanta) and work it all out later. That simply leaves us with getting our baggage. Turns out there were two flights to Roatan and both were canceled. That’s something on the order of three hundred passengers (and their luggage). In keeping with Delta’s stellar performance they lost ALL of the Roatan bound baggage and would advise when they found it. In the hope of keeping our sanity we called Debbie to come pick up Pat. Debbie shows up with her grandchildren (Addison and Carter) and saves Pat from this travelers nightmare. I stayed behind to collect (await Delta finding it) our luggage. Three hours later I finally got the luggage, called Randy and asked to be picked up. Late in the day we all arrived at their lovely home. We salvaged the day with a relaxing dinner, great conversation and good wine. We fall asleep in a stupor. Oh yeah…Delta had, by this time, decided to have two new flights Sunday morning for all those who were stranded in Atlanta on Saturday. Through all the BS we had the unanticipated good fortune of meeting with Debbie and Randy (always a sure bet on comfort, fun and family connection). What a day!
Six days ago (June 25th )
We're back at Dan & Robins on Nabbs Creek and it's our last full day in the states. We took the HB mobile back to York yesterday and tucked her away for another year. We spent the night at Zachs. Today Zach, Amanda and John Hutton dropped us off on their way to Fenwick Island. We had a nice visit Friday morning on the new pier. It's always hard to say "good bye". We take comfort that we will all be together again soon and that our video phone calls make the distance apart bearable. They got underway and we were down to only one more tearful goodbye. We spent the day doing a bunch of nothing save enjoying the hospitality which comes naturally with Dan & Robin. We enjoyed another great meal on the new pier, whiled away the evening and, eventually fell back aboard KaChing (Dan & Robin’s trawler (with A/C and TV)) for a good night’s sleep.
Twelve days ago (June 19th)
Today was the 2010 opening day for the Margate Yacht Club. The yacht club has been stationed here at Dan & Robins on Nabbs Creek for, at least, the last thirty five years. Roy Anderson (former property owner) was the "bed rock" of the club. While our membership has dwindled our spirit, and that of the former membership, is alive and well. The weather was perfect with a gathering of around twenty five people. The day is spent spinning yarns, catching up with friends, planning cruises / raft ups and generally enjoying the day and great food. This club is especially dear to Pat and I as we were members back in the mid seventies when we owned an old wooden sailboat "WhiteCap". My parents, Jack and Kit Routson, sponsored us into membership. They were long standing members during those years they plied local waters aboard "Mona Lisa" (their 42' motoryacht). There is a lot of history here and we relish the time we've shared with others. We always look forward to the next event which brings us together again. Safe passages and fair winds gang. See you next year!
Pics Here
Fourteen days ago (June 17th )
Melancholy, bittersweet, jubilation, sorrow, anxiety, joyful, anxious? How does one describe it. We’re down to our last week in the states (last day in York) and our emotions are running high. Time certainly does fly by. Our “whirlwind” tour has allowed us to see many of our family and friends. To say that it was a blast doesn’t quite cut it! We’ve packed quite a bit into just three weeks. Our stay has also provided us with clues to just where we might be heading in the long run. We love it here, in the northeast, and will continue to return. That said, and as mentioned previously, our connection to friends and family is the only thing we really miss. That will never change. Something has, in fact, changed however. Perhaps we should say something’s been confirmed. Two years on the water has taught us that living inland is no longer a viable option for the future. The “urban” pace, northern latitudes (with chilly winters) and massive congestion just seems too “foreign” to us now. Add to it the separation from navitigable waterways and the decision is clear. When we return to terra firma it will be in the US Southeast coastal region. Somewhere from which we can easily “escape” to the Bahamas for the winter months. Somewhere, hopefully, where both Zach and Em are close by. There’s plenty of time to work it all out. It will all come soon enough. In two days we will return to our temporary “home” in Jonesville, Roatan. Funny how quickly one can connect to a place, it’s people and culture when the environment has a natural feel about it. Simplicity, slow paced and beautiful. We’re fortunate to be able to cross back and forth between these two diverse worlds. As is said “variety is the spice of life”.
Pics Here
Nineteen days ago (June 12th)
Lindsay and Aaron get married! It was a beautiful wedding held on the family farm in Glen Rock. Spring Valley Farms has beaucolic rolling hills, pastures, willows, pines and a gazebo looking over a large pond. It is a enchanting location for a wedding. The weather was a bit overcast but that did nothing to dampen the spirits of all in attendance who helped send these two on to this next leg of their lifes journey. For us it was like a reunion. Our dearest lifelong friends were in attendance. Nearly two hundred people in attendance and it's almost as though everyone knows everyone. As always; the food was great, music and dancing, laughter and a strong sense of "family". A good time was had by all. Good luck Lindsay and Aaron! Hope Belize was wonderful!
Pics Here
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2010
Slow Days.......
2009