Hurricane Season

Yes - once again its upon us. And as usual, I am totally glued to stormCarib

I've been a keen "observer" and stormCARIB has been my weather lifeline ever since Fidel went down to the Islands 3 years ago - worried for his safety and the safety of friends and the acquaintances I've made since then and many years ago when I sailed the Windwards.

Its a reality, and from a travel perspective, it can/could really skew things up at any point within the next 3 weeks or so (our individual travel to SXM - me from Paradise & Fidel from Stacia, our week there, then the flight to the USA)

I learned some sort of a lesson from this last year as I flew out of Paradise during Dean .

Stupid me - always erring on the side of the worst, but this time because of carry-on comfort, as air travel is becoming more of a hassle, I actually did a dumb ass move in my packing; I became complacent !!!!

Why ?

In my case last year (with a good many years of flying travel experience under my belt - in Kanukistan and outside of the country) with lessons learned, my complacency was partially due to knowledge and experience about border screening and multiple connecting flights: the less you tote, the more comfortable and speedier you are in getting to where you have to go next. And overhead compartments are now a laff as everyone bring on "tons" of "carry-on", so if you are in the last bunch last to board, you are screwed.

And now with even greater baggage restrictions - carry-on will be an arena I don't want to fight in.

Ahh yes.....

Last year I didn't pack my usual "in case you get stranded kit" in my purse. It was the first time I had never done this, because in my 25 years of seriously regular flying I've never been stranded.

An then there is this silly carry-on liquid thingy... I used to pack my toiletries bag in my carry-on....

I ended up stranded in Toronto because Dean played havoc with the eastern NA flight schedules ( JFK hub) and US Air and Air Canada were total assess...

So without even a toothbrush, as my luggage, which should have stayed in Toronto, made its way to Sint Maarten, I stayed in Toronto for the night ( and thats another story)

(total assess ...except for one lovely Air Canada employee, even though it wasn't his job or problem, who managed to help me get flights booked for the next day, as I sat frustrated and weeping to myself, largely because I couldn't call Saba or Sint Maarten on my cell and had to call Dad to relay messages and I couldn't get hold of him and had no idea where or what was going to happen next or even where my luggage was... and it had been 8 hours since I left home and still really hadn't gotten anywhere and no hope I was going anywhere.)

Ever used hotel provided tooth brushes ? I've had to a couple of times for various reasons. They are gross because the bristles fall out when you brush your teeth

EWWWW......

So Gert

A million thanks for the work you and all your correspondents do. You all are a blessing in disguise and there are probably more people(like me) than you know , using the information you all provide. In my case last year... as I found out later, a lot of flights were cancelled ( rerouted, and that whole domino effect) so they could be used to get help get people off and help to St Lucia & area.

So blogger friends and readers - donate to the page, if you can... it may help save lots of lives.

Gert posted this video. Look at it here or go to his site. An interesting mixed perspective about the reality of living on one of the Islands and hurricanes.

On the Dutch side of Sint Maarten ( or it just might be in the French side) - there are time share vacation spots destroyed from a 1995 hurricane that went through and trashed them. They are still standing, but the courts are still fighting what to do with them, who owes what, etc.

I have taken pictures and the area looks like what I imagine a bombed city might look like. This area is not totally inland, but its not tight on the coast...... its rather creepy.