The van is already waiting for us as we finish our breakfast, so we quickly head up to the room to get all the luggage and then check out. The ride takes us back past Fat Hogs Bay, and we wave good bye again to Seabbatical, still sitting at the dock where we left her the day before.
While waiting in line at the airport, we are able to go up and weigh the luggage. Of course we are overweight on a couple of them. We planned ahead, and have a duffel ready to take the excess, so with some quick re-arranging we have all the bags under 50 pounds, and just one extra carry on.
Our flight to San Juan is on time, but because the airlines have changed schedules so many times since we booked, the connection is still a little tight. We have some added stress, when our porter mistakenly leaves the secure area with our bags, and we are stuck going through and agriculture screening, then back through main security, and then back to the main ticketing and check in lines. I am not happy that the guy turned what should have been an easy trip through customs/immigrations into this huge ordeal. After security, I have to run ahead to the gate. The kids are starving and Tracy stops to buy pizza to take onboard. I’m waiting at the gate, to make sure they don’t close the door or give our seats away, and they arrive at the final boarding call. We are fortunate that the flight is not full, and there is ample room for our carry-ons and even room for us to spread out a little in the first two rows.
The rest of the trip is uneventful, with plenty of time in Atlanta for dinner. In Detroit our limo is waiting for us, and miraculously all of our luggage arrives.
After another very long day, we are finally home!! The house seems huge (and cold)! It’s nearly midnight and we are all tired, but now have a surge of adrenaline, and no one wants to go to sleep. I have to re-light the hot water heater, and spend some time checking things out to make sure everything is still ok. The furnace is gradually heating the house, but it will be a chilly night, especially with our thin blood. Finally exhaustion catches up, and we get the kids up to bed.
This cruise is officially over. Its been something I have dreamed about for a lot of years, and its pretty special to actually realize it. It may not have been exactly as I imagined it and we certainly had our ups and downs, but overall it was great!
Until the next adventure, so long from the Ross family, better known as the crew of Island Sol.
Mike, Tracy, Noah and Delaina Ross
April 28th, 2010
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