Saturday, July 5, 2008

A Circuitous Route

It’s been a month-long journey, but we’re finally here in Costa Rica! We came by way of France and Massachusetts (again) on our way to San Jose. En route, Lucas managed to pick up chicken pox, which struck in full force as we were meandering through the market stalls of St. Tropez, and Kate came down with a nasty case of strep throat on the day before our Costa Rica flight (and about five days after our health insurance ran out). Let’s just say that we now have plenty of material for a Michael Moore “Sicko” sequel, but we’ll leave that for another day. On the bright side, there’s nothing like being sick at your parents’ house and realizing that Mom and Dad can still make everything OK:)

By the time we left Massachusetts at 3:00 a.m. last Saturday morning, we had four very heavy suitcases, and three carry-ons containing our most important possessions. While Patrick and I carried birth certificates, property titles, and expensive electronic equipment, Lucas clung tight to his backpack holding Nanou the stuffed dog, Dora the Explorer videos, and a Go Fish game. As we staggered to the ticket counter to check our bags, the woman behind the desk informed us blankly that the airline had an embargo on bags weighing more than 50 pounds - which applied to three of our four suitcases. After several moments of panic (which in Kate’s case was a “feverish panic”), we were told we could purchase a duffel bag and unload the excess weight from each bag into it. Although we were relived to have found a solution, it was quite an ordeal to rifle through and select the heaviest items from each bag with a line of 200 impatient travelers looking on behind us. It was kind of like realizing too late that you haven’t brought enough cash to the grocery store and have to decide what items to put back. If you don’t know that feeling, you’re lucky – it isn’t pleasant!

Thankfully, the rest of our trip was smooth sailing. After about 350 hands of Go Fish, and 20 trips to the airplane potty (with its really cool flush), we arrived in San Jose with all our bags. It was a circuitous route, but we’re really here. And this time, it’s for good. Hola, Costa Rica!

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