Traveling Alone...

I've decided that I definitely do not enjoy traveling on my own.  Today I am headed back to the US from Aruba...am so ready to be home, but not so ready for the long flight that will get me there. 

Leaving Aruba proved to be a little more complicated than I envisioned.  I did the "pre-check" online..thinking that would get me quickly through the line.. However, I totally forgot that this is Aruba...and like the many other islands I have lived and traveled to...everthing is done at a more leisurely pace..at least it felt like it!

Finally, after going through the line..at this point my parents are still with me.. The lady informs me that my gate is #7 and I need to immediately follow the signs and make no stops on the way..in other words... "book it"!

At that moment, I began to feel a little nervous about making it through customs on my own with 2 huge suitcases weighing  50lbs. each. According to what I was accustomed to in other islands...after you check your luggage in..you then go to the other side..pick it up and take it through customs before putting it back on the luggage belt where it is then sent to your plane.  I took a cart with me...thinking that I would definitely need it. As I entered the customs area..they instructed me to leave the cart.. Yikes! My mind is racing as I go through the line which later I realize was the Aruban customs.  I'm thinking as my carry-ons go through without a glitch that just maybe they do it differently here and I won't have to lug my suitcases at all! 

I follow the directions from the customs agent to follow the yellow signs...and realize as I reach the end of the long hall.. Aruba is no different! Entering the US Customs area... I once again have to take my shoes off... Put all my belongings on a the "radar" belt and step through the human scanner.. Ugh! Then to my dismay, I'm directed to go down a hall and into another room where I see my huge suitcases sitting amongst the others.  Knowing that the clock is clicking... I gather the energy to start pulling. Then I recall someone telling me that you can buckle 2 suitcases together...essentially just making it one gigantic suitcase..but more manageable. So..feeling good about my "idea", I join the suitcases and start walking towards the doors. Well, the doors that I arrived at were for some reason locked! I can see through them as people are going to the US Customs agents..but they wouldn't open! Frantically, I look around at the empty room and see
other doors at the other end of the room. Now I'm truly beginning to feel stress...and am afraid to check the time.  I once again begin lugging the suitcases across the room, through the door and follow the path to the agents. By the time I arrive to where the people are waitng in line... I am flushed and breathing harder than normal.. Partially due to the 100lbs of suitcases, but probably more so because I am really nervous now! Anyone who knows me...knows that I can turn beet red in seconds..this was happening.

The agent finally calls me and I yank my luggage along and present my passport along with my flushed face and who know what my hair looked like by this time! He was very nice and got me through quickly and then directed me to follow another US Customs agent. In my mind, I'm thinking... Wow..an escort to make sure I don't miss my flight.. Oh how very wrong was I! This guy starts asking me where I'm from as we walk quite quickly while I am, by this time, dragging along my load that now feels like it has doubled in weight. He, of course, does not offer to help but proceeds to direct me to a roped off area with a table where he asks me to put all of my luggage on and open it.  He said these were random checks and it would be me they pick! Aaaghh! I heave-ho both 50lb suitcases onto the extremely high table..my face is now beginning to radiate heat waves..no joke! He tells me to open them as he questions me.. "Do you have any plants, meat, fruit?"...etc..etc.
By the time, he was done and I had gotten the suitcases closed up, down on the ground and connected again...sweating was added to the list of how my body was reacting. This was misery! In the meantime, several people had come by thinking that they had to come through "my line" as well...but am sure they were much relieved as the agent waved them on. For some reason, this beet-faced lady felt like she'd prefer the ground to open up and swallow her right there!

Finally, my interrogation was over...and I found new strength as I raced down the hall to gt rid of this luggage...please! I see the Delta luggage belt in the distance and nothing looked sweeter at that moment! So glad to get rid of these heavy weights... I practically threw them onto the belt... I actually think I gained muscle in that short amount of time! ;)

Now to gather the courage to look at my watch... Ahh.. Thank you  Lord! I actually would be able to sit a breath a few minutes before boarding. I find a seat in a corner...so as not to disturb others with my panting while I fanned franitcally trying to "un-redden" myself. I imagined people were staring at me wondering if I was on the verge of exploding...my imagination does run wild at times! Though at that moment...maybe not!

I barely get to where I feel that now my face is normal..and my "zone" is called.  I get in line only to feel my the heat creep up again... They are taking out certain passengers to "check" their luggage. I begin praying that I will not be chosen and start Lamaze breathing so that my red face won't trigger them to "suspect" anything and choose me.  Well, I think God must have been enjoying the laugh today because I was once again directed to a table where they dug through all my carry-ons... Then was told to stand to the side where they did a body search as well.

Needless to say... I have been humbled today and will seek never to travel alone again! I have also learned never to laugh at one's traveling companion who has been subjected to all those "checks"...