BTTI 16: Travel Day
Katie 
For this year’s Back to the Island I decided to go a day early on Monday, rather than going just for the length of the Hanson activities as I usually did. I left the house at 2:30am – because even though I was going in a day early, I felt the need to get in to Jamaica as early as possible!
For my first flight, I opted to sit in seat 1D so I could stretch out a bit. I was lucky and both ways I didn’t have anyone in the middle seat. The only downside is that usually I can sleep on the plane no problem, but this trip it was a problem. Maybe because I was reading a book I was having trouble putting down…
When I got to Baltimore, I met up with a few friends who were kind enough to go grab me some breakfast. The flight to Jamaica was uneventful. When we landed, I had a guy pushing my wheelchair that got us to the front of the customs line. Immigration was a bit slower going.
There was some confusion when we got outside, needing to fill out forms for our return transport. By the time I had figured out what I thought I needed to do, I was pulled away to get on the shuttle.
Our shuttle driver gave us a play by play as we drove, pointing out the resorts and shops on either side of the road and even pointed out Usain Bolt’s High School (it is purple) and that he lived 2 miles away and ran to school every day.
When we arrived at the resort, just over an hour later, we were greeted with drinks and cold towels. They couldn’t find my reservation, as I was staying the additional night with a different roommate in a different room. They gave me a room but I wasn’t convinced it was the right room so I walked around the resort a bit but then stayed in the lobby waiting for my roommate to show up to make sure everything was right.
The Street Team Leaders from around the US and the World met up for dinner – we had New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Canada and 5 US States represented, if I am counting correctly. It was nice to meet some of the leaders and catch up with the others. Afterwards we hung out in the lobby a bit.
I had turned in relatively early the first night because I knew sleep would be harder to come by as the Hanson activities began!