Costa Rice, The Flight Home

Monday we just took it easy. I stayed up late the night before and got up early so that I could go to bed early and be up by 4:30.

I spent the day mostly just enjoying my grandsons. They are so cute, and so smart! When it was time to go to bed Malachi hugged me really hard and said "I'm going to miss you so much." I cried, but not until he was upstairs.

Tuesday started very early, and it went smoothly. I packed the night before (except Steph's camera which is still there!) so I didn't have much to do to get ready. Sara woke me up, we spent a few minutes talking and I got up. The taxi driver was right on time, which was great. Since John was still in Equadore we decided it would be best if we just let the kids sleep, and that I take a cab. I think it was a very good choice. I know Sara thinks that, too. :)

The ride to the airport was very pleasant. Sara had asked the driver if I could sit in front, so I sat there saying goodbye to Escazu, and surrounding areas. The driver spoke no English, so we had nothing to say to each other. I wouldn't have minded trying, but I think he was a bit shy.

I got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and after luggage, security, & customs I found the right gate and sat down with my book. It was pretty quiet there. People started to come in and the place filled up pretty fast. It's not a huge airport, and there were 150 of us on our flight.

Got onto the plane just fine and was very happy to have an aisle seat. I didn't say hi to the two men next to me because they were complaining, loudly, about something, so I figured I'd talk to someone else, if I had to talk.

About 20 minutes after we boarded the pilot came on and said that there was a problem with one of the engines and that the mechanic had to put some oil in. About 20 minutes later he started to taxi and there was this HUGE bang from the left wing, and a metal on metal grating sound that was very loud. The man next to me, who was frequently putting his head on his arms and sighing loudly (and occasionally swearing and comoplaining), started up with some very loud and rude complaining. I understand the saying "the ugly American" now, perfectly. We started to move back towards the airport (we really weren't very far away), and the pilot came on to say that there was definitely a problem with an engine and he would get back to us with more info as soon as he had it. At this point the man next to me started in on a flight attendant. Her name is Carol, and I've never met a nicer person. She is just the sweetest thing! She apologized, and he just kept going on and on. I was on the verge of asking if he'd never had a car that broke down on the road. I mean, really! It's a piece of machinery. Personally, I'd rather it be working well while flying around. But the flight attendant said to him "I'm just glad it happened on the ground, and not over the ocean." I said "Amen!!" He got pretty quiet.

They rolled one of those metal staircases right up to the door, and asked us to disembark. We were ushered into a gate that was not in use and asked us to sit tight, have lunch on them (it was 9:30 am.), and wait until they had instructions from the airline. They said it could take a couple of hours. Which it did. We were told that the engine needed a part, that they had to get from the States, and that we'd be taken to a hotel where room and board would be, again, on them. There were about 10 people who had to get home asap, so they found them flights on another airline. We were taken to a hotel that was absolutely beautiful! And it had everything. Swimmong pool (my room was right off of it, and it was the most beautiful patio/pool I've ever seen in person), hot tubs, jacuzzi, gym, tennis courts... I was able to make 4 calls to the States, with no charge, and use their pc's in the computer room, using the internet, at no charge. Had a fairly decent meal and just had a very relaxing and fun time. I started to get to know some of my fellow passengers, and the whole crowd, and I mean all but maybe 20 ended up in the bar, which is wide open to the outside, and had seating for about 20. They scrounged and got more tables, and chairs, and played their music too loud and everyone just sat around talking and laughing and having a great time.

We were told to be ready to leave the hotel at 11:00, which was later changed to 11:30, but we'd all turned in our keys by then. So, about 100 people sat on the floor, around the bar, and gift shops, and spilled out onto the sidewalk. We talked and laughed and had a really good time again. One guy whipped out his banjo and started playing. Another guy saw him and took out his guitar and they started to jam.

Well, we were picked up and taken to the airline and were told that if we all got through everything quickly enough the plane would take off at 3:20. A bunch of people were still waiting to check their luggage at 3:00 so we knew that wouldn't happen. But we didn't mind. The complainers had left our group the day before, and I can say in all honesty, they weren't missed. Everyone else had such a good attitude about everything and we just had so much fun. Little did we know that it was going to get better!

When we boarded our newly fixed plane, around 4:30, we were told that we'd be taking off shortly. We were also told that there had been an odd, but interesting, request by one of our fellow passengers. He wanted to organize a talent show when we were safely up in the air. Everybody clapped and yelled and some whistled. Then the pilot started to taxi to the runway and there were no bad or scary sounds so we all clapped and cheered. Then we took off and the clapping and yelling continued, then we were at cruising altitude and you could feel the excitement in the air.

One of the passengers got up and introduced himself in a unique way. He asked how many of us had ever read any of the "Chicken Soup For The..." books. A bunch of us raised our hands, and he said that he'd written the "Chicken Soup For the Workplace" book and a bunch of us cheered. LOL Ok, we had been having a great time since the day before, but we were starting to get homesick, so we were very happy to cheer for everything. Anyhow, this man organized an entertainment for us that was so unique, and so good. We had the best time. I think it lasted about 45 minutes and we saw and heard:

The banjo player who played one song, then played a second and sang along. He was so good!!
He was followed by a singer who sang blues. He was also very good.
Then we had a 12 year old tell us jokes.
Then we had a lecture, from a wildlife preserve person (sorry! can't remember your actual title!) on mountain cats.
There was a young woman who stood on her head and drank a glass of water.
A baby who laughed on command and was SO ADORABLE!!!
Another blues singer who was spectacular! He was my favorite, and probably the favorite for most of us.
Then, we told him there was a young man who could play the harmonica and he said no way, he wasn't going up there because he'd only been playing for 2 weeks and didn't even know any songs. But, he'd be happy to accompany someone. So, we ended with the banjo play, the guitarist, and blues singer (the 2nd one) and the guy with the harmonica, and they jammed for about 5 minutes. It was THE BEST FLIGHT EVER!!!!

I have, of course, left out a lot because it would fill a book. But, I will never, ever forget Frontier Flight 87 that was cancled, or Frontier Flight 2025 that brought us home the next day.

BTW Sara, on the shuttle bus to our hotel on Tuesday, I sat by and talked to a man who, with his wife, lives in the states for half of the year, and in Costa Rica the other half. He said they live across the valley from Escazu, and that they've been to the same falls a few times. I asked if he'd ever been on the road when it was fine, and he said the rocks were the after effects of a big earthquake they'd had 2 years ago, and the result was that there were tons of rock and dirt slides. They just don't have the money needed to fix the road.

We got to Denver late, and we'd all missed our connecting flights so they put us up at a hotel again. Small, but still very nice. The Denver airport is HUGE!!!!! Even though there was nothing wrong with the hotel, it felt lonely and dull. I was anxious to get home. When I saw Steph, I was so happy! All I could think was "I'll be home soon!!"

So, that's my great Costa Rica experience. I will never regret going. I had so much fun and it was so great to spend that time with Sara & family! I actually kind of miss the valley. Life was very different there. They have a slower, more gentle approach to life. I sometimes wish we were like that. And yet, yesterday I was in my car and was mad because it was taking SO LONG for the stop light to turn green. Then I remembered Escazu and realized that I was being a major dork!

Goodbye C.R. I will miss you!!!