Up at 4:15 am to get to the airport at 5am. Smooth sailing through Security and check-in we feel on our way. Not so much.
Firstly we were delayed in Calgary about an hour and a half but made it to
Dallas, our first layover, to just have time for Kayt to stand in line to
board and Stefan to get something from "Cousins BBQ" to take on the plane.
A wonderful collection of Southern US food all seasoned with a chemical version of smoke that made it on the border of inedible. But we were "hongry" so we devoured it whilst on the plane. We were worried that we were fragranting the plane with our food selection but we were in the back back back of a very crowded bus so I am sure no one minded.... Actually most were more concerned that the air con was not working and we were stuck in a giant tin can absobing the dallas heat from the sun and reflected off the Tarmac. It was torture. We sat on that
hot crowed cattle car of an airplane for over an hour while they tried
to shut the door! After a long hour+ they told us they were going to
have to deplane and find another plane and gate for us to go on.
One more long line and in the light of the heat we just endured, Kayt escaped
to change into a summer shirt and skirt. Another hour later we were ready to head to
Miami. The new flight thankfully the air con in well working
order and Kayt regretted my change as we both froze the whole flight!!
We knew
by then we would be missing our flight out of Miami to Trinidad but
wondered if there was enough of us missing it for them to hold the
plane. Not so. Even though that flight was delayed as well and still
on the ground when we landed they took off just in time for us to see it taxi away from the terminal!!! By this time, arrived in Miami hours
late, we have the squirmiest baby on our hands and have to spend
another 2 hours waiting in a line up for them to give us hotel and meal
tickets and arrange a flight for us to get to our final destination.
On a side note, around this time Stefan's Uncle and Cousin are waiting at the
Airport in Trinidad to pick us up! He waited and waited until around one in the morning
when there was no one else left in the airport.
We
are wiped... arrive at the hotel they put us up in around 9 pm take a
look on the menu and realize that the only thing on the menu the same
price as our meal ticket is a side green salad:) So we eat.... and
crash. The best news was that we were on stand-by for the next morning but that all the flights were full booked until Friday Morning! Stefan likes Miami but seriously we are supposed to be vacationing in Trinidad.
Determined to be the first in line (later... we found out that doesn't
matter in the least) we wake before the birds and go sit at the airport
for another 3 hours. At the last minute we get the best news of the day that we were in
fact getting on the flight. Once on the highly coveted flight we sit on
that plane for about 2 hours while they tried to fix another
maintenance problem!!! Thankfully this aircon does work. At last... it takes off!
Now up in the air reality that we had only packed for a single day of travel hits. We are on the last diaper and still have two hours of flight to go... no problem we just changed her and it is time for her nap... we are fine... Murphy decided to pay us a visit and bawooosh!!!!!! The whole flight was probably
wishing for parachutes at that moment and we didn't have anything to
change her into! So Stefan spots another baby on the plane and we begged for a diaper.
We reach! but, where are our bags? We hadn't seen them since 5 am in Calgary yesterday.... with fingers and toes crossed (and serious doubt in our
heads) we find our luggage, thankfully in tact.
Stefan's wonderful
family meet us at the gate and take us to our apartment where they have
groceries in the fridge, playpen and car seat organized. Dropped us off
to get settled while they went and picked us up two rotis and cold beers. Nothing has tasted better.
We
are beat but so happy we are here. Asia was an absolute star the
whole way charming people everywhere. Once here she ran around the apartment like we had filled her
bottle with coffee instead of milk. She is just happy to be released from the confines of a car seat, seat belt or our arms and in a
onesie and bare feet. Trinidad looks good on her.
