Slept well all night despite my sore throat. Got up at 7 this final morning, then went to the buffet breakfast again about 730. At 0900 we were pretty much packed up and ready to go. Our shuttle to LIR left at 1030, so we checked out about 1010 and that was that. Weather this morning was mostly clear and sunny with wonderful breezes and temps in the 70’s, expected to climb to low 80’s. Forecast for the next 10 days was pretty much the same.
We were the only passengers in the big comfy van to the airport. The driver stopped on the way while we were still on resort property to show us some monkeys in a tree. We hadn’t seen any otherwise while we were there.
they are hard to identify as monkeys in this shot
It was an hour and a half drive to the airport. No traffic really, but no freeways either, just normal backroads, mostly 50mph or so. Roads are so so condition, some poor some good. There were sugarcane fields everywhere, one of their major crops. We also saw a couple bull ring stadiums. The one below appears to be unfinished.
We pulled up to the airport drop off and right away a “blue shirt” opened the van door for us and immediately started leading us with our bags to the Delta check in kiosk, and he wheeled our bags over to the line to check our bags, and stood there with them while we were assisted by a Delta rep in checking in at a kiosk with our passports. Once we had our boarding pass, then we proceeded to check our bags. The nice “blue shirt” gentleman was smiley and kind and gently asked for a tip. We gave him 10 bucks. But there were lots of those blue shirts waiting to assist departing passengers. We easily could have done all by ourselves if left alone, but that’s how they make their money. We didn’t want to be rude. Us rich americans.
Once bags were checked, we headed to immigration to get our departure stamp, then thru security, which was light by TSA standards(bags xrayed, no removal of shoes or belt, no empty pockets, just walk thru scanner) and on we went. We had about a 2 hour wait, and again, middle of the afternoon is when all flights in and out of LIR appear to be. The airport was crowded & busy. Its a tiny airport with only 5 jetways. But they are working on an addition to add more terminal space.
DL 356 LIR-ATL was at 2:14, and about 1pm the plane landed, another A320. At about 1:40 we boarded promptly when called, under Sky Priority. Some passengers were being chosen for random security inspection as they pass thru the gate toward the jetway, which surprised them, but we weren’t one of them. We had seats 16B&C which were exit row over the wing so we had first class leg room with 3 seats. Wendy in the middle, me on the aisle. A guy from Calif sat at the window and immediately closed the window shade. I don’t know why, it was middle of the day. I didn’t say anything but it pissed me off, unable to look out. At least Wendy had movies to watch on this plane. Otherwise it was uneventful flight to ATL and then a long walk from the plane to customs, and a long wait(with ALL of the other inbound flights there) to get thru customs. But we otherwise sailed thru again. Went straight to our next gate for the flight home, then found a Subway and got a sandwich to tide us over as there would be no food on the flight unless we purchased.
DL 1107 ATL-SEA was at 9:06pm, a 757-200, and we were in row 33, again an aisle and a middle in a very full flight. I got up to pee a couple times, Wendy too, and the man at the window didn’t get up but once the whole 5 hr flight. Wendy had movies to enjoy, I listened to my podcasts again and tried not to cough too much. My cold was definitely getting worse. Landed about 1130, and it was after midnight, about 1230 when we got our bags and met Carolyn for the ride home. Went straight to bed. Glad to be home!