Chapter I - Airport Adventures

It is impossible to tell you how much we needed this vacation. It had been four years, since our last real vacation. We slowly ticked the days off until they were in single digits.

Then Houston seemed to fall into a space-time wormhole because every day seemed 48hrs long.

About three days out, the Queen realized that we were leaving on Sunday and was ready to go then! She felt useless at work. Hell! I had been more than ready to go (Read: Really USELESS at work) for a MONTH! Regular posters (boardies) at the negril.com message board had seen my posts.

Finally Sunday morning (Saturday night) arrived and we drove in darkness to the airport at four AM to catch their seven-something AM flight on Air Jamaica (AIRJAM) direct to Montego Bay (MOBAY). This was a relatively new service. Air Jamaica out of HOUSTON! Unheard of! Unthinkable! So after a little mis-start. (I parked at the wrong Parking lot at the airport). We made their way to the shuttle bus that would take us to the terminal. We were checked in at AIRJAM by 5:45.

I wondered, "Why do they make you show up TWO hours in advance for your flight?" This was pre - September 11. Now we had time to kill and I hate to waste time in airports.

Did I mention we were exhausted?

We plopped down in a couple of seats at the gate. The next thing I am aware of is the Queen shaking me, "They called our row, C'mon".

"Ya Mon," I responded and took off down the Jet way.

The plane was loaded forthwith and we took off with a hearty, "No Problem, mon!" Next stop Montego Bay!

Do you know that REAL food is served on Air Jamaica! Real hot entrées! “'Pon my word!” Complimentary RED STRIPES or CHAMPAGNE as well! I was in party mode but still, you know, 8:00 am is still a little early so I opted for coffee and juice with breakfast. I later thought I should have had the Red Stripe, as the coffee was awful!.

Jamaica does not do daylight savings time, so at that time of year TEXAS is on JAMAICAN time. I didn't even have to change my watch. Hell, once the Queen and I were through customs I took the thing off and didn't look at it again for days!

We arrived in Montego Bay with no problems, cleared customs in about 30 minutes in spite of large crowds.

A band was there just like I had heard from the message board..."Welcome to my Island!" they sang.

ALL RIGHT... TexasT’s and the Queen HAD ARRIVED!!!