Trip to BIM

My flight had to be postponed for 6 days due to the fact that I had to wait to get back my passport and then I wanted a couple more days on top of that. The flight change fee (50- 75 USD) was waived because I was student but I still had to pay a rescheduling fee and some other fee (I forget what exactly) when I chose my new date (totaled to under 4000JMD). I was to leave with my two roommates and another classmate on my original date but, as we all know, things come up.

So I was sort of a last-minute packer and that ended up really getting to me when I had to try n pack my life into 3 suitcases and 2 carry-ons in a matter of hours. During that time, I checked in online and had a near meltdown when I realized I could not print my boarding pass. Alas, I decided to deal with that at the airport. Mi money pay so dem TRY sawt it out.

Anyway, I said my goodbyes to all the people at my house that wouldn’t be tagging along and my bestie who came to see me off. She started crying- bait! Lol. Then I and those who were gonna see me off packed ourselves into 2 cars. I travelled with my little brother, my cool kid and Mini-me. Mini-me stuck to me the whole way there. It had just started hitting her, what was happening.

When we got to the airport (NMIA), we went to the line for those who did web check-in and I explained what happened and was handed my boarding pass. Then came problem number 2- overweight suitcases. Now the lovely Caribbean Airlines lady was happy to tell us when they were overweight but wasn’t so obliging to disclose when they were under the limit, and, as such, able to take more load. I turned my body to the side so I could give her a proper side eye. After we sorted all that out- away from the line, as requested- my luggage was checked in and I was told my departure time was 6:35pm. *raises eyebrow* When I booked it, the time was 5:20 though. Still, I was happy because I got to spend more time with my loved ones.

Eventually the time came for them to leave and the tears came a running- I’m such a girl! Mini-me took it the hardest. She bawled and they had to hug me while she held on and even after they took her away, she had to come back and hug me again. I wasn’t ready for them to go but it had to happen. I’m tearing up as I write this. I hugged and kissed my cool kid last. This journey was NOT going to be easy.

On to security check and blah. So I recall my family members making remarks about someone who everyone was staring at and trying to decipher the sex of that person. I didn’t pay it much mind ‘til heard airport security debating this. “No, man, a your own dis. Is a man” “Bwoy, mi nuh too sure enuh, some ooman have small breas’”. The laughter increased and the gaping stares were even less disguised as this individual came closer. There was a sigh of relief from the male security guards when they realized they did not have to search….this person.

The person in question was wearing ridiculously tight jeans pants, pink slippers and a pink blouse, had long, pink fingernails and clearly subscribed to Vybz Kartel’s skin treatment method. The best part was the long, blonde weave plaited in two.

So I wait in the line to head to the waiting area upstairs. When I’m at the front, I see the person in question with their back turned and I take up my phone to…tweet, yes, that’s what I took it up to do. However, by the time my cam—Twitter app loaded, the person’s male companion blocked the view, erm, signal for the phone. Still, the person saw me and walked up to me and said “ You wana learn? I can teach you how to be a bitch. I can be a super bitch” With my most innocent, puzzled look, I asked “Pardon me?” The person replied “I can teach you how to be a REAL bitch, a super bitch. Do you understand what I just said?” So I gave my brightest smile and replied “Congrats!” and turned away. I guess I was condescending because the male companion began shouting “Shi know wha shi dida do enuh!”. Moving right along.

I’m upstairs waiting and moving around with my luggage and trying to decide what to buy to eat on the flight, if needs be. I had eaten curry chicken and white rice prepared by my grandma when I got to the airport- I wouldn’t have her cooking for a while so I wasn’t going to miss dinner in the midst of all the last-minute rush to leave the house. I decided on buying Burger King. I refuse to comment on the increase in prices at the airport. Hsst!

While waiting, I realize that all the announcements on the intercom are to tell us the time or they begin with “This is not a boarding call”. If only Caribbean Airlines would have explained why all those people were in the waiting area, if not to be called for boarding.  I saw TWO airline employees in the 150 minutes I was waiting. They were kind enough to put the information on the flight board (whatever those tv’s in the airport are called) though and I learned that my flight was delayed for yet another hour.  I ate my fries and drank my soda while wondering if all these people were for my flight. At about 6:45pm, a boarding call was made for a flight to New York and a crowd shuffled their way to the boarding area. At about 7pm, our flight info changed from delayed to boarding soon.  At 7:40 pm (the ETD- Estimated Time of Departure- for my flight), we still sat in the lounge area. Fifteen minutes later, our boarding call was made- well, those in executive class were called first. I rushed to get as close to the front of the masses as I could because I wanted to shorten my waiting time in line. I took the stairs- I am not friends with escalators.

The wait in line to board wasn’t that long- about 10 minutes. Nothing eventful happened except me getting frightened by the drug-sniffing dog- that creature was HUGE- and me being amused by a Jamaican woman and her two Bajan kids who were d epitome of ENAGY!

I went in with a very perky attitude even though I was super tired because I have been hearing horror stories about potential bad treatment. I believe a smile helps to ease things along much easier. Positivity, I say! Anyway, I went to my window seat (praise the Lord for web check-in), got help putting my carry-on in the overhead bin. There was no one in the middle seat and an older gentleman in the aisle seat who made conversation with me a couple times during the flight. It really hit me that I was leaving my loved ones behind and I started to cry again. I thought about sleeping through the entire flight but I really wasn’t sleepy so I decided to read one of the books my cool kid got me as a present. Thanks again, my love! I took out The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It’s not quite like the movie, I discovered. Not sure how I feel about that just yet.

Everyone else slept on the flight except me and the flight attendants and, I assume, the pilots. We reached safely, without any incidents and walked to customs. It was late so we got through really fast. I had a hard time finding a porter to help me carry out my luggage and I, as I later found out, tipped him too much.

Travel tip for BIM:  The custom is 2BDS (1USD) per bag

Another travel tip for BIM: If asked what someone’s accent sounds like, do not answer.

Luckily, my roommates had made friends with a taxi man in their week here and he was sent to get me in the night for a reasonable fee (25BDS). I got in, called my fam, tried to tweet then went to bed.

Final point to note: BBM service operates over here the same as it would in JA. If your service is to be on for another week or 2 or 3 in JA, you will still have it in Barbados. If you’re a person that relies on BBM, you’ll be fine where this is concerned. As for making calls and such, unless you have the means to roam, you will have to get a Barbadian SIM card. The rates within a network (JA Digicel to/from BIM Digicel or JA Lime to/from BIM Lime) are the same as if you were calling within your country. However, local promotions (Gimme 5, etc) are not retrievable internationally.

Peak: My apartment here is really nice and comfortable and so is the neighbourhood. We live three houses down from Rihanna’s mommy. I’m already making plans for Cheers Part 2. What a post that would be!

Peak 2: I got a fun-sized Twix on the plane- so much better than the in-flight meal though that wasn’t so bad.  Mawd!

Pit: Leaving my family and my Cool Kid

I've been here for almost a week now and I miss the people from home SO much. My roomies say I'm not opening up to this experience enough. I do participate, I just often have to be dragged. So sue me! Better yet, SUMO me. DWL. Pic time! There are only 3 for this post.

The view from my seat on the plane in JA

Simple pleasure afforded on the plane

This sign made me smile when I came off the plane