i was too tired to get into the travails of my trip, but all bright eyed and bushy tailed from my night`s rest in my new apartment [and no i didn`t swing any kitties in the apartment, i haven`t killed any yet either]
i got up at 3:30 yesterday morning had a shower, said my good byes and got the airport early, specifically because i knew i was overweight [i am too, but i was talking about the luggage]. you don`t pack 2 years worth of books and miscellanous shit and not expect that. now before i left i`d called the airline and informed them that i expected to be overweight what were my options, i was told it was two pieces at 32Kg each and i`d just pay whatever i was over.
obviously that`s not what happened, i got to the airport and apparently the baggage handlers union has stipulated they`re not lifting anything over 35Kg [77lbs], bearing in mind one of my bags was 38Kg and the other 33Kg, so theoretically i was over the limit by 7Kg. nothing is ever that simple, after much back and forth they finally agreed they would get me a box and i would transfer some of my stuff and then pay the overweight [bear with me there is a point to this sordid tale] i moved some books out of one bag into the box and then moved some clothes to the book bag, both weighed in at 32Kg and my box at 7Kg, just got over there and pay the charges. certainly. here`s the rub, they didn`t charge me for the overweight, they charged me a whopping US$60 for a 7Kg box, if my books weren`t in there i would have fucking left the box.
after that the flight and my arrival into jamaica were uneventful, a cakewalk even, which is why what came next should be no surprise. i cleared immigration and proceeded to the carousel to collect my luggage, a couple of minutes later, the carousel starts up and six pieces of luggage make the rounds and make the rounds and make the rounds and once more here they come. just those six pieces, no more, then the carousel stops. no more luggage. we`re just standing around wondering what the fuck is going on. another 10 minutes elapses, by this time everyone on the flight has cleared immigration and is standing around waiting on their luggage. a harried looking airline employee stands in front of the carousel and quietly announces that the cargo hold door on the aircraft is stuck [murmurs of dissent from the crowd] and the plane will have to be sent back to trinidad for them to open [open hostility from the crowd now] and we would get our luggage when the plane returns the following day. at this point the woman has backed right up to the carousel and the crowd seems ready to tear limb from limb when her walkie-talkie crackles to life and announces the doors are open. some time later. me with my two massive bags, box held together with twine [the airline`s courtesy only extended as far as the box, there was no tape to be had] and my four pieces of hand luggage trek to the customs agent.
i have nothing to declare so i walk to the nothing to declare line. the woman takes one look at me and sends me to an inspection counter. that was a breeze, the woman was really pleasant and could see the exhaustion on my face, she check my bag full of books, looked at my laptop and sent me on my way.
ok, i`m tired typing and i have to go see about getting cable/phone/internet installed at the apt. i`ll be back later
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