WEATHER: Hot 29C
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: My packing is getting back into shape
BUMMER OF THE DAY: Realizing what else fell out of my bag at the airport
WORD OF THE DAY:The Island.....
It’s my last day today in Barbados. I’m now ready to leave and get social again.
Breakfast wasn’t that great yesterday morning and I just couldn’t be bothered to go down there for another one. So I started packing, which I am getting back into the swing of things again and everything again has a place in my bag. It was then that I realized what else had fallen out of my bag at the airport when I arrived. The bottom zip of my backpack was undone and a pair of my shoes and a pair of my gloves were going around on the carousel when I arrived a week ago. Thank goodness it wasn’t dirty laundry or something more embarrassing (not that I have anything embarrassing packed). When I looked in the bag I couldn’t for the life of me think what else was I had packed in there. Well my travel umbrella is a missing item and also my little purse that had my Swiss army knife, scissors and some little bits and pieces from my trip. The umbrella was no loss, but losing that pouch is a real bummer. Damn the airlines for making me check that stuff in. So far that is all I have discovered. I am hesitant now to put anything of value in the bottom in case it happens again, but it must have just been unlucky with that being my 52nd flight and the only time that it has happened. I could by some padlocks I guess, but I haven’t travelled with them the whole trip, not one lock on one bag and I have been fine. I’ll see how it goes on the flights tomorrow.
I have a BIG travel day tomorrow. I fly from Barbados to Ottawa via Miami and Chicago. It doesn’t sound or look that far but:
My flight leaves Barbados at 7.25am – 4 hour flight – 3 hours layover in Miami
My flight leaves Miami at 2.25pm – 3.5 hour flight – 3 hour layover in Chicago
My flight leaves Chicago at 8.50pm – 2 hour flight – arriving into Ottawa 16 hours later…….
This is one thing I won’t miss is the airline travel and the next 8 flights will be trying to say the least as I pass through American airports. They really are the toughest I know, for reasons I know. And I just HATE going through Miami Customs. Their line system sucks and I always pick the wrong one, the slowest, and the one that has more couples or a problem. I’m going to have to go through there again tomorrow, but hopefully as I am flying American Airlines they will be able to check my bag all the way through. I have a feeling Miami works like LA, even if your bags are checked all the way I will still need to collect them and drop them at the transfer desk located outside the baggage claim hall. I’ll let you know.
I spoke to Zeme this morning till I ran out of credit. I hate being cut off without getting to say goodbye. He is back to the Australian Consulate again tomorrow, so fingers crossed he now has everything he needs. It really is great to hear his voice. I am now thinking worse-case scenario and he doesn’t get his visa then it will only be an additional 6 weeks till I get to Ethiopia, but hopefully it won’t come to that.
Geez I hope it doesn’t come to that. Really……..
So self-pity day all now done and dusted. I’m putting it down to Mother’s Day and being on my own. I’d like to thank Dave, who had a shoulder to cry on and a pat and virtual hug ready for me. Facebook chat can be a lifesaver at time. I am living the dream, so I toughened up today, picked myself up and am now ready to move on. I can’t tell you how excited I am too see friends for the next 5 weeks. Airport pick-ups, drinks with mates, home cooked meals. There is just one section where Aimes and I are driving to Montreal for 4 nights, so that is a hotel-stay otherwise homes and friends. Homes and Friends. I did get a Happy God-Mothers text message from Shelly and the girls which were super sweet and I also got a message from Sandy Anne that we have tickets for the George Michael concert in November. AWESOME!!!! The last concert that I went to with Shelly was Kenny Rogers or Bon Jovi in November 2010. We love concerts and I understand that the girls are off to Prince (Symbol) this week, now he would be awesome to have seen live.
My Ethiopian Blog is looking great. I think I am going to stick with the name Bernie’s Ethiopian Odyssey. Just to keep the theme of this blog and the new one. I really did like Expat in Ethiopia as well and I just couldn’t decide so I ran with the matching theme. If you want to have a bo-peep at it, go ahead. I won’t be blogging in it till I get back to OZ with the preparations of getting my stuff ready for the move, but there is a lot of information on there so happy for people to have a look. www.berniesethiopianodyssey.blogspot.com Feedback is always appreciated.
Dinner has been a hodge podge of what I had left in the fridge. A packet of beef 2 minute noodles, 2 chicken hotdogs zapped in the microwave, 3 pieces of chocolate, a vanilla popper and around 300ml of Mt Gay Rum which that won’t all be consumed tonight. I’ll leave it for the cleaning staff. I have just about everything packed and my alarm set for 3.30am. The drive that bought me from the airport a week ago said he would come and get me to take me back and that he would ring and reconfirm today. Hence to say there was no phone call. The flight is leaving 45 minutes later than what I told him anyway, so I will get ready for 4.30am as that was the time he said he would come, just to do the right thing, I’ll wait 15 minutes and then get reception to call a taxi. Either way I’m not to concerned, I know I will get a ride in the morning and the airport is only a 15 minute drive at that time of the morning I am sure I won’t have a problem.
The computer was used for last minute confirmations with Marc re: picking me up from the airport tomorrow night, duty free allowances for Canada, washing machine facilities and address and contact numbers should I need them for him. The last message I received was from a family friend in Darwin, they were my ‘family’ when I was growing up in the Territory and they were at the cemetery visiting their mum who passed away last year and she said that they stopped by mum’s grave site and placed some flowers on there for me and said hi. It really made my day, especially this year; I seemed to have been hit harder than previous mother’s days. So it was a great way to turn off the computer and head to bed to get 4 hours sleep before I had to get up for my travel day.
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