Thursday, September 14, 2023
As usual, I had a restless night. Not great since I knew resting/sleeping on the plane would be hard if not impossible. Got on up at 5:45. Got Pumpkin inside at 9:40 and we were on the way to the shuttle office.
We were supposed to leave promptly at 11:00 but the driver was late to work. Hadn’t had that happen before. But this type of snafu is why I build in extra travel time to the airport. You never know. We left at 11:20. I had hoped we would go straight to the airport, but we had to make one auxiliary stop on the way. Added time to the ride. Glad it wasn’t all 3 auxiliary stops.
Still, the worst ride we have had to the airport in a long time. Traffic slowed and for some reason, the driver got off the interstate. I thought she was going to get back on the Interstate a few miles down the road. Instead, the driver drove down through a few lights, and then turned around and got back on the interstate at the same exit. Time. Wasted.
Traffic just poking along and then it starts to rain like crazy. Foggy conditions. Trucks spewing water from their tires. My hour built-in cushion was now used up and we were no closer to the airport. My stress level was sky-high.
Finally arrived at the International Terminal. Rain coming down so hard that it blew in under the awning – soaking our bags. Great start.
The International check-in person threw me by quizzing me about a return date from Amsterdam. I finally had to pull out my cruise itinerary to show them that “yes” we were going to leave Amsterdam and come back to the United States. They said Customs would want to see that itinerary. Okay. We are not the only passengers in the U.S. to ever do a Transatlantic cruise, so I feel certain the Customs agents in Ft. Lauderdale are used to it.
After that episode, going through Security was relatively easy (our bags didn’t go through the “naughty” line) and we were eating lunch in the Food Court by 2:45.
