Sunday April 4

Today was travel day and travel and travel and travel. We all (19 of us, 9 of whom are teenagers) met at the Atlanta airport along with a zillion other travelers, spring breakers, and assorted people wandering around. Conspicuously absent were airline, airport, and security personnel! We wormed our way through the international check-in gauntlet, each of us hauling massive amounts of luggage. I had my carryon bag, roller board to carry on, a large green suitcase and a HUGE FUCHIA suitcase (large enough to house a small family) which was about typical for our group. (Although, I confess, I won the biggest suitcase award.) Imagine maneuvering the serpentine route with all that luggage times 19! Anyway, we got checked in and through security and at the gate a mere 3 hours after arriving at the airport. I was upgraded to first class as I was boarding along with Karen and Bonnie. Needless to say, it was a pleasant flight to San Pedro Sula. Karen thoughtfully sent a drink to Fr. Jamie sitting in the bulkhead row in coach. I also wanted to share the joys of first class with the only priest in our group so I sent him one of my brussel sprouts! Neither of us shared our cheesecake.

We arrived in San Pedro Sula to a hot, humid tropical afternoon. We continued our 14 hour luggage hauling extravaganza. Remember, we had already hauled it around the Atlanta airport. Next we hauled it (57 pieces plus 19 carry-ons) through customs. Then we hauled it across the airport to the bus terminal to get luggage tags from the bus company. Because of our flight delay we watched the early bus leave without us (no problem – we knew this would happen and had arranged for seats on the late bus.) Once our luggage was tagged again and bus tickets in hand, we hauled the luggage back across the airport to hang out for a couple of hours. When it was time to catch the bus – you got it – we hauled it back across the airport to the bus. (I can only imagine how comical we looked to the locals doing this back and forth repeatedly…) We took a bus to the large bus terminal to wait for an hour (WOOHOO! No luggage hauling!) and then caught the nice bus (sort of like a charter bus in the US with TV, bathroom, A/C) for the 3.5 hr ride to Tegucigalpa. Wheeler, David, and the van drivers were there to meet us. We hauled the luggage from the bus to the trucks and let our Honduran hosts load it on. A short drive (15 min) to Erika’s and a minor luggage hauling under the covered porch to be hauled and sorted another day.

We had a Honduran version of spaghetti (no sauce – noodles and ground beef) which the boys snarfed down. A quick briefing on tomorrow’s schedule, Compline, and bed.


(I am writing this Sunday night but won’t be able to upload it till Monday…)

Kids are doing well, everyone is exhausted but excited to get going tomorrow.

Hope all is well back there!

Amanda