Our group is composed of 11 peeps from the SW Region of Ontario, 5 peeps from Sault Ste. Marie and 1 from Calgary. Even the best laid plans can present flaws, and as Murphy's Law has been proven factual time and time again, Murphy did not disappoint us.
To begin with, the Sault flight was delayed from a late afternoon arrival in Toronto to facing the possibilities of having to DRIVE, that's right, drive down sometime after 9:00PM due to a mechanical data issue. Apparently the radar navigation system is an important instrument on a plane's dashboard. As stressed and as helpless as the SW Ontario crew were feeling about the clock turning 8:15 PM with no sign or word from the north, those magical elevator doors opened to the sorriest sight of a Sault sighting! Relief was felt by all, and it would be an understatement to say the celebration began right there in front of the elevator. As our welcoming committee converged in jubilation at the elevators, apparently the guy in room 10** wasn't nearly as relieved as the rest of us! How could he not realize the miracle that arrived right there on his own floor? Furthermore, how could his sleep be anymore important than our celebration!? Needless to say the "social gathering" swiftly moved back to our dining room where Glorious Richard (my newest best friend) fed and hydrated our new northern friends.
Word quickly spread throughout the hotel of our desire for a 6:00am shuttle to the airport - which was apparently in direct completion of a wedding party desiring the same shuttle at the same time the next morning. Being the conscientious and courteous travelers we are, we opted to board the shuttle at 5:30 so as not to upset the wedding party. Bright eyed and bushy-tailed, there we were, waiting for our shuttle to arrive, well almost everyone... not to mention any names but the BILL needed to be paid and the MELons needed to be prettied up!
Have you ever arrived to an airport to be the first in line at baggage check? Well, I can now add that to my list of life-long achievements! Trust me when I say it doesn't really payoff, especially when you learn after the 2 or 3 bus loads of ORANGE shirts arrived that you were suppose to register your itinerary and passport in the once dormant kiosks! It was here at the baggage check that I finally sighed my first gasp of relief. My checked and carry on luggage squeaked under the radar by a grand total of 0.8 pounds!
After surviving the long tedious line up for java and sustenance, we bounced between gates 80 and 76 a few times. (I swear some guy in security was behind the walls watching a monitor saying something like, "Hey Joe, watch this! Look at those fools! I have them under my spell! Let's change the gate number one more time, and see if they'll scramble themselves back to their point of origin!")
Once finally settled for one last time at gate 80, a special surprise for our Aunt Linda was orchestrated by cousins Bev, Donna, Mel and Aunt Ann. Linda disappeared to the washroom and when she came out we greeted her with this little display of our affection...Bikini shirts for all of us! Let me tell you, we suddenly became the hit of Gate 80! Swarms of travellers were ready to trade their tickets in to be on our plane! Frankly, with all this sexiness, I can't blame them at all!And then it happened: our departure was established for 9:30 and at 9:15 we were prompted to begin boarding. Travellers in all shapes and sizes, snug as bugs, wedged cheek to cheek to cheek, seat belts secured in the "I can't breath" position, excitement at it's peek, and, we wait, and wait, and wait. Through my pinhole window I see rain, men in winter coats and attire scurrying like ants and all I can think of are my impending warm thoughts of beach, sand and sunshine. Now a small delay may be viewed as a pause of inconvenience. I'll define a "small delay" as say 10-15 minutes. It's funny what 1.5 hours will do with impending excitement. In fact, at the 45 minute mark human kindness steps aside and some how makes room for what I might class as the WTF (Where's the Flight) Syndrome. A rather vocal display from a certain passenger (no, not from out party!!) began to brew. All as I can say, thank goodness he didn't take to the loud speaker... oh wait, he didn't need one, he was doing okay without it! I kept looking behind me as I was rather certain this was going to result in the Air Marshall revealing themselves - if not the SWAT team - after all we were flying Sunwing! An additional 45 minutes after that and several frustrating announcements by the flight crew, our delay was remedied. Apparently our "cardboard and rubber egg, pretend cheese and "you'd swear it was bacon" sandwiches finally arrived for us take off. That's right, we were delayed because they couldn't coordinate our in flight grub - and trust me when I say, it was NOT worth the wait! Our wheels left Canadian soil at 11:06, and we placed them on Curacao soil at 4:46pm Curacao time (5:46 in Ontario.)
The processing in Customs was a breeze, baggage was a dream and within a handful of minutes we were embracing the 34+ degree humidity - no signs of winter garb nor freezing rain. We once again loaded our luggage onto our waiting shuttle and meandered toward our hotel, the Renaissance in Willemstad Curacao. The hotel is beautiful, the staff are very courteous, and it didn't take long for the drinks to be pouring!
Unfortunately, with a very long day of early wake ups, airport politics and delays, by the time we arrived at the hotel, discovered our rooms, established our "home away from homes" and descended to the bar where we were to meet, I have not seen much of our surroundings in the daylight. For all I know, there may not be a beach, or an oasis waiting for me, this could all be a big ploy to lure me into a paradise that does not exist, but it's not winter here, and I have traded in my boots for sandals. As for the paradise, well, I'm afraid you, like the rest of us will have to wait until tomorrow to discover paradises beauty. Until then, I'll be forced to navigate the resort's beauty by starlight, with my Blue Curacao, Coconut Rum and Pineapple beverage - 'cause hydration is imperative in this evening heat.
Until tomorrow...
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