Island in the Sun

 Well we made it! Although our flight from Barbados was delayed two hours, and three of our four suitcases were lost, WE MADE IT! I am vowing to NEVER fly LIAT again! It's cheap and I know why.

When we checked in for our flight in Barbados, they told us two bags would go on our plane and that the remaining two would fly “Standby.” They let us choose which two bags to send on our plane…why they even bother to do that I do not know. When we packed our bags we each put the things we needed for the first night in one bag (sheets, towels, basic stuff) and asked that those two bags be sent on the plane.

Our plane landed in Grenada around 9:00 pm AST and as soon as we got through customs I see one of my bags going around the baggage carosel. I run to grab it and realize it is the bag I sent “Standby.” At first I was overwhelmed and happy that both my bags got sent on the flight…but then I realize that this is the ONLY bag of the four CW and I packed that actually made it. We waited in line for an hour to let them know that our bags were missing and then another hour to pay taxes on our computers (a whopping $22 USD for mine).

We got to our dorm around 11pm and then got the next surprise…a double bed. Normally we’d be ecstatic about not having to sleep in two twin beds, but since they affirmed on numerous occasions that it would be two twin beds, we bought two twin mattress pads, two twin blankets, two sets of organic twin sheets…not that we had any of it with us anyways, since our bags were MIA (and I’m not talking Miami International Airport, although they must be a partial owner of LIAT, the way they lose baggage). I was amazed because from the look and feel (and maybe the lack of an identifiable bad smell) it’s a BRAND NEW MATTRESS! No icky plastic or anything. So we roughed it on a bare mattress (although we cranked the A/C and slept fully-dressed so we didn’t make any direct contact with the mattress).

Luckily as I type this, CW is on his way to the airport as they confirmed receiving two of our three missing bags, with the possibility of the third being there as well. We bought sheets, towels and pillows, so tonight should be much more confortable.

P.S. The picture of the beach was taken right off our dorm room balcony! More to come...

Somewhere, Beyond the Sea

Well, we’re about 68 hours from departure and things have gotten quite interesting.

First off I got an email from Orbitz.com last night letting me know about a pending Union strike in Grenada that could potentially leave us stranded in Barbados on Monday, as it would basically shut down the entire economy and transportation systems on the island. I was stunned, but more so by Orbitz for being so on top of things and sending me the email. Otherwise we would have never known! How do I feel about it? How would you feel about being stranded in Barbados? Much worse things could happen like, being stranded in the States, for example! I’ll take it!

Then CW and I started reading more about the luggage allowances online. We are flying with US Airways and then on a Caribbean-based airline called LIAT. So far no reviews have been great, but it’s cheap and it’s a short flight from Barbados into Grenada (with a 15-minute layover to re-fuel on Canouan Island). Last night we read updates to their website and learned that instead of the three rolling bags we each planned on taking (one to carry-on and two to check), we can only take two and they must both be checked…there goes my great idea to bring all our sheets, towels, pillows, and whatnot in a carry-on bag. So now the possibility exists that if a bag were to be lost or delayed, we will be sleeping on a nasty plastic dorm mattress… So either we will get stuck in Barbados, arrive in Grenada with no sleeping materials, or arrive unscathed in Grenada with all baggage in tow. I’ll let you know how that works out!

Itinerary
1. US Airways #4056 Washington (DCA) to Philadelphia International (PHL)
Departs January 11, 2010 7:55 AM (EST) Arrives January 11, 2010 8:53 AM (EST)
2. US Airways #885 Philadelphia International (PHL) to Bridgetown Grantley Adams Intl (BGI)
Departs January 11, 2010 10:00 AM (EST) Arrives January 11, 2010 3:54 PM (AST)
3. LIAT #787 Bridgetown Grantley Adams Intl, Barbados (BGI) to Canouan Island (CIW)
Departs January 11, 2010 5:20 PM (AST) Arrives January 11, 2010 6:00 PM (AST)
4. LIAT #787 Canouan Island (CIW) to Grenada Point Saline Intl (GND)
Departs January 11, 2010 6:15 PM (AST) Arrives January 11, 2010 6:45 PM (AST)