Back home after too short a visit


Our travel day (Friday) starts at 4.30 a.m. in Carrefour and ends at 2 a.m. in Stamford. In between we ...
   ... pack & load the Isuzu

   ... drive an hour to the Capitol Lines Bus Depot in PaP
   ... wait there for 2 hours for the bus
   ... ride the bus for 8 hours, including a 2 hour delay crossing from Haiti into the DR
   ... take a cartoonish cab ride to the airport (more below), almost missing our flight
   ... are rescued by JetBlue
   ... relax in the luxury of an A320 for the 3 hour flight to JFK
   ... zip to Stamford with my sister-in-law driving 
   ... have 2 glasses of wine and some chili
   ... collapse into bed

It is hard to leave Carrefour. As I step through the gate and onto the street at about 5.30 (still dark), there to the left of the door are almost a dozen people waiting for the clinic to open at 9. Just imagine crouching on the street for 3 1/2 hours with the hope of receiving some medical care! 

The drive to the bus depot is a typical PaP adventure. Up, down, around and stopped. But we make it only to wait at the depot interminably. Finally, our gear is in the undercarriage of the bus and we're ensconced in the back where every bump is accentuated beyond belief. Kind of hard to sleep.

The highlight, or low point, of the journey is getting across the border and into the Dominican Republic, a 2 hour ordeal. First we sit at one place. Then, we sit at another. Then, we get out with no guidance about what to do. Then, we take our bags to the inspectors who immediately say they are not interested in looking at them. Then, we stand outside in the parking lot. Then, we get back on the bus and sit some more. Then, the bus starts but gets jammed in traffic ... for another 45 minutes. Then, we finally brake free and continue for 4 hours to Santa Domingo.

Arrival in SD is a real relief. I get off the bus and ask a group of men if Hugo is around. Hugo is the bus company owner who has become our good friend and supporter. The man I ask says, "Yes, I'm Hugo." So, I explain who I am--we had spoken on the phone a couple times--and thank him for all of us. I also extend good wishes to him from Gus Schlegel who has worked so hard with Hugo.


While I'm speaking with Hugo, Joanne is getting a cab. We jump into a cartoon character taxi. That is to say, a tiny, boxy white vehicle with a small luggage area, cramped back seat, and impossibly uncomfortable front seat. The driver starts the motor, backs onto the road, and we speed away at about 35 mph. The drive-time to the airport is an hour ... at normal speeds of 50 or 60. I'm thinking, 'Gia, we might have a problem here.'


Putt, putt, putt we go as all other traffic zips past. Eventually we're on the major highway to the airport (I check my iPhone GPS to see where were are and where we need to go). We're slowing to 25 mph. I notice the red engine oil warning light comes on. The driver downshifts. I advise Stephanie Millien, who speaks Spanish, that I think we have a problem. She queries the driver who agrees. The downshift helps so we speed back to 30. We pass the "be at the airport at least and hour early" point and continue to wonder if we'll be spending the night on the side of the highway. If ever there is a time for divine intervention, it is then. Miracle of miracles, we actually arrive at the airport!!!  but, only 20 minutes before the flight is scheduled. If there is one picture I wish I had taken, it's of that cartoon cab.

JetBlue to the rescue. Although there is not a soul at the JetBlue counter we find a ticket agent in the back office and explain who we were. "Oh, you're with the group that brings the 94 bags every couple weeks." Yup, that's us. 


We're ticketed in an instant and told where security is. Even the security people are nice and whisk us through. We run to the gate and are greeted by more JetBlue people who know exactly who we are. In another minute, we're buckled-in on the airplane. Then, Rose, a stewardess, approaches Joanne and me and invites us to sit in Exit Aisle seats. "I know you're tired so sit here. You'll have some extra leg room." We talk a bit with Rose who confirms all that we know about JetBlue and how terrific they are. She loves her job and really appreciates JB's commitment to community and social responsibility. As I have said before, if you have a choice of travel, please consider JetBlue.


My sister-in-law picks us up after we get through customs. We finally arrive in Stamford. End of travel story. It's wonderful to be home, and yet, quite surreal. Haiti is still there. The clinic is seeing people today. The two little cats are wandering around the disco. The children who are hungry and sick will be there tomorrow, too.