My legs are failing, my lungs ready to explode, my side is ripping apart. I am running like an impala being hunted by a cheetah down a moving sidewalk in Miami’s International Airport. My heavy pack is bouncing around on my back and my rollie suitcase is faithfully staying upright and keeping up. I am yelling “EXCUSE ME – COMING BY ON YOUR LEFT” as I catch up and pass other slower moving travelers.
A snow storm in Toronto, late departure and de-icing has caused us to be over 2 hours late arriving in Miami. By the time our Toronto flight’s doors are opening, our San Juan flight is boarding. We have to traverse almost the entire airport going from Concourse J to D. If we run at hurricane speed we may make our connection.
After that extreme exertion, we find the doors at the gate closed. We are not the only people left standing on the wrong side of leaving. As sweat continues to drip down our faces and backs, we scurry over to the American Airlines desk to see if there is another flight today.
The fellow at the desk is extremely pleasant and puts us on standby for the 5:45 flight. Standby with a priority rating no less. He also covers off the possibility we do not get on that flight by booking us on the 8:30 flight. It sounds like we will make San Juan tonight as planned. We feel like we have won the lottery when our names are called to board the flight.
Jump ahead….here I sit in our spacious abode in the Gordian Terrace on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. AAAHHHH!
The island is extreme in hills, friendly in people, gorgeous in scenery and crystalline in water. We have arrived in Virgin Gorda!