We experience Honduran punctuality. We leave Deep Blue at 7:30 for the boat ride into town. Our bags had gone at 6:30. The truck and van taxis were supposed to meet us at the Deep Blue Dive Shop to take us to the airport in time for our 8:40 flight to San Pedro Sula. We arrive at the dive shop and Shirley phones the taxi fellow. He is making another trip so he will be there as soon as he can. At least 30 minutes pass while we wait. He finally shows up and 7 of us pile into the van, leaving four behind. The truck is no where to be found and the van driver cannot locate the pick-up driver. We arrive at the airport, drive right onto the tarmac, unload and walk over to the airplane. As our group of 11 is over half the passengers, the plane will wait for the rest of our group. We hide in the shade of the wing until our final four arrive, load up the plane and take off about 30 minutes late. Mañana mañana.
CM Airlines
Murray and I have become more conscientious about airplane safety. We read the seat pocket card, sit close to the exits and pay attention to the safety briefing. The baggage compartment on the turbo prop is full so suitcases are packed right inside the door of the plane in a webbed compartment. When the co-pilot goes to close the door the handle won’t move past a suitcase and also gets caught in the webbing. He pulls the suitcase out, manages to get the door closed and stacks the suitcase, along with the airplane steps and a miscellaneous metal stand, in front of the door. Mur and I chose the seats right across from the door so we are watching all this transpire and we shake our heads. If we had to get out of the plane quickly, the suitcase, stair and stand would have to be pushed out of the way. How safe is this?? Standards of safety are not quite the same around the world.
As we take off, I look out the window at the water and say goodbye to the fish and the whale sharks (hiding from us), the balmy weather and azure water.
We fly north into the snow. Into a 15 cm (6 inch) accumulation for the day. Winter is finally here and Murray has to dig out his cross country gear that he put away before we left.
New fallen snow
We unpack, rinse scuba gear, do laundry and phone family. Murray will spend the next few weeks processing our pictures. Our trip will extend a bit longer while we do some post trip ruminations, but we are home.