I left home early this morning to get to JFK airport. Since the construction has changed traffic, timing to reach the airport has become very unpredictable. My flight was scheduled to board at 10:15. It looked like I would arrive exactly 2 hours ahead. But a police car was blocking the main entrance road to the airport. We were sent along a side access road that forced 3 lanes into one. We could see the problem as we inched along towards the terminals. Overnight rain had flooded the main road. A few cars were going through the deep water. My taxi remained on the higher and drier ground. It took an extra 15 minutes.
The TSA pre check line was short. There’s no fancy lounge of any sort in the Jet Blue terminal but there was a place to sit and drink a cappuccino that was right across from my gate. As the boarding time drew close, I crossed over to the gate area and saw at least 30 wheelchair passengers lined up to board. There is one daily direct flight on Jet Blue to Guatemala. The airline was very efficient in getting them on board quickly. Luckily. I had a seat in row 2 so I boarded early just after the wheelchair folks. Extra legroom was worth it!
The flight was bumpy. But we landed on time. It’s 2 hours earlier in Guatemala so it seemed short. I breezed through customs and immigration. A driver picked up me and Lilly, a nurse anesthetist, who I recognized from a previous trip. We had a nice long air conditioned ride through the insane traffic that seems to be a constant leaving Guatemala City. The trip to Antigua took about 2 1/4 hours. It’s not a huge distance. It’s just stupid traffic.
Lilly and I had already decided that we would check in, grab a “welcome drink” at the bar and go to the restaurant, Porque no (why not…in Spanish). It’s a crazy tiny restaurant near the hotel that serves good food and has an atmosphere that is like a sailing bar and a college bar. No money tacked to the ceiling but lots of writing on the walls. Tasty food and a fun spot.
We returned to the hotel in time to meet some of the team who just arrived from the west coast. It’s like a fun family reunion. Lilly and I went back to the bar where we met Vito, who is the leader of our entire group. He ate a quick dinner while we had another glass of wine.
It’s been a long day. Tomorrow will be busy getting set up and seeing patients. Time to get organized and sleep.
The Adventures of Anne 