November 27, 2013

Leaving a place that has been home for two weeks can generate mixed emotions. Packing and reorganizing suitcases are never pleasant activities. We need to check two and three times to be sure we leave nothing behind.

Face it. The last day for us is work. Moving luggage from one place to another, checking out, creating a schedule, making sure all the people who helped us during our two weeks are recognized, seeing all the friends who are arriving, taking the last of the many photos and relaxing. Yes, you can get a glimpse of what Mary Ann has to deal with.

Interestingly, our experiences this year are much different from prior years. The check out process was easy. There were minimal adjustments to our bill. Our luggage was well tended to after it disappeared from our room and reappeared when we hailed a cab to leave. Nothing to it!!

The shuttles are frequent and flexible. As crowds increase, the number of shuttle carts increases. Sure, some of the shuttles are full during the most popular times of the day, but communication systems between the shuttle drivers and bellmen seems to keep people moving. We did not have to spend more than four minutes waiting.

Our lunch at the Si Snack, which is next to the Custom Made Burger Restaurant, was terrific! A shrimp cocktail in a delicious sauce was just right for Mary Ann, while I had the Spinach and roasted Pineapple salad. Both had generous proportions of Avocado, and chips were there to soak up the rest of the sauce.

When we finished our meal, we sauntered to the main lobby of Tower I to catch the shuttle. Yes, you guessed it. The first one to pass by was full. But, as the full shuttle left, another one drove up. No wait. No anxiety. Off to the Sanutario we went, where we presented the bellman with our check-out confirmation. In a matter of minutes, our luggage cart was in front of us and the cab rolled up too. Nothing to it!

This year marks the first time we felt relaxed as we left. There was plenty of time to get to the airport, the taxi was air conditioned and our luggage was stowed.

No, this year’s emotions were about the friends we met, the good times we had with our family and the fact that we were unable to meet in Harry, Mark and others in person. This year truly set the stage for years to come.