Our day began around 5:30 as we wake and prepare for a 3 hour drive to Charlotte. Susie was great and slept most of the drive there. We arrive at the airport, unload, and I go to drop off the car in long term parking. Traci and Susie stay behind with the luggage, and play some, getting the energy out. As we check in at the counter, we have a few problems. 1st they inform us that we’re not sitting together. Then, they can’t get all of our bags checked in. We finally realize that they’re trying to check me in as my dad (since they just had a layover in Charlotte also, and we share the same name).
Once that was straitened out, we headed through security and to the gate with plenty of time. After a little chaos before boarding (I ran to get food just as they began pre-boarding), but we were seated with plenty of time. The plane pushed back, then… nothing. We sat on the tarmac for 15 minutes, and by now, Susie was hungry and tired. We were trying to hold off nursing till we took off, hoping to help with her ears, but after another 10 minutes, we couldn’t torture her anymore. Shortly after that, we get the update that we were number 14 for takeoff (bit of rain delay) so it was going to be a while.
Finally we take off, Susie’s sleeping, and we’re happy. She ends up sleeping half the flight and wakes up happy again. The flight is pretty uneventful, as is the landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We get there about an hour late, but all luggage and baby stuff are present and accounted for. We’re met at baggage claim by my dad, and then outside by Michelina and Jeremy.
The weather outside is warm and humid as we cross the street to the parking deck to where our rental Caravan is waiting. We pile in, and we’re off to the other side of Puerto Rico where our rental condo is located (Playa Santa).
About an hour into the drive we stop for groceries and food in Ponce. Well we try to actually. We have a little “fun” finding the Wal Mart (it wasn’t on our maps). Once we complete our shopping, we stop for dinner at a nearby Ruby Tuesday’s (yeah, I know, we’re in PR and this is what we chose). Food was decent, but nothing spectacular.
Finally, we hop back in our caravan, fed and happy, and hoping to find the condo soon. The ride is long (again because of a few wrong turns), but we finally find it. We unload luggage, food, snacks, and one tired baby, hop in the elevator up to the 7th floor where our apartment is located. Surprise number 1, no central air-conditioning, which is apparently the way things are done in PR. We have individual units in the bedrooms, which we crank up. We hurriedly unpack, put Susie down for the night, and then head to bed. So ends day 1 of our trip.
Oms Family 