Category Archives: Barbados

Flips travels to the Caribbean

Winning the lottery when checking in

After a long couple of days traveling to Barbados, we survived a harrowing taxi ride to the Barbados Hilton. We wound up waiting in line quite awhile, as they were checking lots of flight attendants and crews out. But, once we go to the front, our checker-in guy got a funny look on his face, left with Carl’s ID, finally came back and informed us we had not only been upgraded, but we had what was basically the Presidential Suite. Two other managers came over to congratulate us and share fist bumps. It really was like winning the lottery, and we were sorely tempted to skip the cruise to stay in our four balconied set of rooms and monster bath suite.

Thanks, Hilton! It was the bomb!IMG_0019 IMG_0020 IMG_0023 IMG_0024 IMG_6770IMG_0011 IMG_0010 IMG_6777  IMG_6817IMG_6823IMG_8593

The next leg begins early

Leaving the hotel at 3:45 started this leg of the trip. No shuttle so we had to get a cab at the last minute. Not a big deal, it’s only a 3-minute ride from the hotel.
Next check in: I’m sorry we can’t find your reservation. You will need to talk to the agent. They start at 4.
While standing in line we met a nice lady with a German shepherd puppy going to Argentina.
Then a short wait for TSA to open, another wait for the coffee stand to open and then we are finally at the gate at 5.

The saga of the prescription glasses

After retracing our steps several times at PDX and turning TSA into my own personal investigative force, earning my a “Sorry, sweetheart” at my third visit, I resigned myself to a squinting holiday. Until we landed at Reagan Airport in Washington, D.C., when Carl reached into his jacket pocket and proffered the previously panic-producing pupil pals. Yup. Who would have thought to look there? Certainly not Flip, who proudly acts like he solved this mystery by his very own self. My I need Carl to help with luggage, so strangling is out. Let the play begin!