Finally: Home to Utila!

I can't believe I've been here one week today. August is the hottest month in Utila, and I've taken to wearing not-so-charming sweatbands on my head to keep the sweat out of my eyes. Mid-day the sun bakes into every pore, so it's good to be out and about earlier or later in the day. That said, I'm loving it here!

My daughter made the trip with me and spent five wonderful days here as I became acclimated to the island. I should have been blogging each of those days, regaling you all with the wonders and mysteries of Utila, but I hesitated being rude to my daughter, since we will not be seeing much of one another in times to come.

Travel to Utila went fairly well. We flew Delta from Milwaukee, changed in Atlanta, and arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on time and with no difficulties. I was made to buy a return ticket to the states: apparently Honduras wants you to leave in three months. However, I intend to apply for residency, so an extremely helpful Delta employee helped me buy a refundable ticket back to the states. It was a very expensive ticket, hence the refundable factor.

Arrival in Honduras was a little bit of a culture shock. The airport was not as efficient or high-tech as in the states. There was a long line to get through customs, but an airport official kept scanning the lines and picked out the elderly, disabled, women with small children and, I believe, a few beautiful women to move to the fast exit line.

Our driver, Ralph, was waiting for us with his "taxi": a Kia pickup. Driving in Honduras is a real challenge. They drive on either side of the road...lines mean nothing...and while Ralph got us to the ferry in La Ceiba safely, there were times when I just closed my eyes and prayed.

The trip from San Pedro Sula to La Ceiba took over two hours. We stopped at a nice restaurant where we had an excellent buffet-style meal, although the restrooms left lots to be desired. The poverty of Honduras was evident throughout the drive. Many homes were little more than shacks. Surprisingly, the more affluent, well-maintained homes were built right next to the ramshackle residences with month's worth of trash strewn about. People mostly walked or rode bicycles. Dogs roamed the streets, their prominent rib cages giving them a skeletal look. Horses...overloaded with bundles of sticks or fruit from the African Palm, which is processed to make palm oil...looked emaciated and sickly.

We just made the ferry on time. Ralph took care of checking our luggage, while I bought tickets to the island. The water was calm and the almost-one-hour trip, uneventful. I felt a sense of euphoria as I disembarked the Utila Princess. I had really done it! Jan was waiting for us with her golf cart, and she drove us first to the grocery store, and then to the Sandstone Apts.: my new home. Victor, the caretaker, speaks only Spanish, and Jan, Monice and I speak only English, so a lot of pseudo-sign language took place.

After being up for the past 16 hours, and travelling for 12 of those, we were too tired to unpack all but what was needed for sleeping. Also too tired to prepare a meal, we had bought a bag of nachos and some cheese sauce along with two bottles of wine at the store. I unpacked the "Life's a Beach" wine glass, and we retired to the deck outside with our treats. We toasted my new life as we listened to the sound of the surf.

Final Preparations

It was a whirlwind final week in the states. If I'm totally honest, I was worried that I wouldn't get everything finished in time. But then, this move has been "charmed" since the very beginning and two things worked to my advantage.

First of all, I was scheduled to work on Tues. and Wed., which would have really added to the time crunch. However, at the last minute I was told I would be unable to drive the school bus because my federal medical card had expired the previous week...a two-day bonus!

Secondly, I was informed by the apartment manager that I was not required to shampoo the carpets...a chore for which I had set aside an entire day. Lucky, lucky me!

Still, it was a week packed with so many last-minute details. My driver's license was about to expire, so I had to get to the DMV to renew. Sure that it would be a long wait, I was surprised that it took just over a half hour to accomplish.

The mattress, which my son had loaned me after the sale of my bed, needed to be returned, and although I had been able to slide it down the stairs on it's side, I knew it needed to be carried out to the car...something I would be unable to do alone. Good friend, Orton, came home with me after meeting me for a final cup of coffee at Victor Allen's. Between the two of us, we managed to get it in the Prius. I returned Orton to his pickup and the mattress to my son.

Packing: we've all had to do it, and it isn't much fun! Two suitcases to check, one to carry on, and a tote bag complete with laptop. With today's restrictions, I had to carefully choose what to put in which bag. When finished, I worried that the two bags to be checked were overweight! Well, that would have to wait until I got to my daughter's house, where there would be a scale available. Turns out I was worried for nothing!

Cleaning: oven, stovetop, fan, cupboards, pantry shelves, bathroom, vacuuming, scrubbing floors (my knees complained long and loud...yes, I got down on all fours to give it a thorough scrubbing!). I made so many trips down two flights to the dumpsters that I lost count. You could have eaten off any surface in that apartment by the time I was done!

Returned my Prius to the car dealership. One signature, hand over the keys, done! I am a key-less person now...no car, no home, no more putting up with bad drivers on the road. I'm not sure if people have to lock their homes on Utila or not, but I do know there will be no cars and no bad drivers. There's bound to be a downside, but for one more day I can pretend Utila will be a paradise...the perfect Eden.

The goodbyes have been numerous, emotional, and even painful. Many friends and coworkers hugged and cried with me. Even my boss teared up, and we've only known one another for this past school year. My daughter, Monice, gave me a killer farewell party, complete with hanging lanterns, palm trees and reggae music. Even though it rained off and on, most of the time the sun shone and friends and family ate, drank, and shared stories and a few good laughs.

Today...which is also my 65th birthday...I said my goodbyes to son, Jamie, his wife, Aimee, and my three-month-old granddaughter, Ruby. They took me out for breakfast for my birthday, we visited and took pictures, then parted tearfully. My heart was breaking as I watched them drive away. They are thinking of visiting in March of 2012...before Ruby is walking and can sit on their laps on the plane, and while winter snowstorms are still wreaking havoc in frigid Wisconsin...which isn't too far off.

Now it's off for an early bedtime, since we must leave for the airport at the unholy hour of 2 AM. Look for the first photos of Utila on Tues., Aug. 23, along with a story or two about our travel. So long Wisconsin, and goodbye to the US of A!

Almost There!

It's hard to wrap my mind around literally "being" in Utila just two weeks from tomorrow. My entire life for the past six months has been "planning" this move. It will seem strange, I believe, to enter a different phase of this monumental change.

The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. I saw my primary care physician for a physical, ECG and blood work. She was very thorough, and gave me a folder with copies of pertinent health care records to bring with me. I also had my annual mammogram. My doctor laughed when I told her that the American doctor on Utila is rather unconventional...apparently never wears shoes, even when seeing patients!

I've had some tearful goodbyes already with people I don't see that often. Today was my last day driving the senior citizens to church on the bus. They gave me a lovely card, and as an added bonus I shared some of Al's birthday cake at St. Luke's...yesterday he turned 100! Everyone wished me good luck and safe travels. They are such lovely people, and I will miss them.

I met my friend, Audrey, when she was a resident and I was the office manager at The Carolina Apartments. She has lupus and deals with a lot of pain and fatigue. She's had numerous falls, which have necessitated hospital and nursing home stays. Early on I offered to drive her places, and we occasionally went out for lunch. Each Christmas I would pick her up and drive her around to see the lights and decorations. She was so thankful for each and every kindness, and I loved being able to help her out.

I spent an entire day exploring the many thrift stores in the area for shorts. I've never been one to show off my unglamourous gams, but I think I need to get used to it since I'll be living on an island. I also found a few sleeveless tops...something else I don't normally wear, due to the "bat wings" we older women develop! I'm counting on having a brand new body after several months of walking around that 25-square-mile island!

I also bought a few new bras...the kind with extra "lift". It's that older-woman thing again...everything heads south. These bras were absolutely extraordinary! One is black with tiny white polka dots...one is very fine blue, green and white stripes...the other is leopard print. Even though no one will see them but me, I'm going to feel like a very hot, sexy, old broad!

I stopped at Smart Motors, where I leased my Prius last year, to tell them I would be returning the car on Aug. 19. I was prepared to hear, "You'll have to pay through the nose since you're returning the car early.", and was flabbergasted when they said I wouldn't owe them anything!

I then had the presence of mind to call my insurance agent and tell her to cancel my car insurance on the 20th and cancel my homeowner's insurance immediately, since I no longer have any furniture left.

Yesterday I began to clean out my pantry, cupboards and refrigerator. I threw out a bottle of salad dressing with an expiration date of May, 2009, and flushed partially-filled bottles of rice wine vinegar and sesame oil...which had only been used a few times in the past 5 years...down the drain. There were also numerous items, such as the white balsamic vinegar, which had never been opened, so hopefully someone will buy those for a song or two at my final moving sale on Friday.

Still lots of last-minute details to take care of. The last week will be the busiest. On Sat., the day after the moving sale, my daughter is hosting an "Aloha Party" for me at her home. On Sun. Lou, a friend and co-worker, is coming to pick up the second...and last...dresser from me. I guess I'll be forced to pack then, since I will have no place to keep my clothes. On Mon. St. Vincent de Paul will come with a truck to pick up whatever remnants are left over from the sale. Tues. and Wed. will be my last work days, and Wed. evening is the "Welcome Back" meeting at the Transportation Center. Even though I'm not returning, my boss has said I can attend the meeting in order to say 'goodbye' to my friends and co-workers. On Thurs. I will renew my driver's license at the DOT, but only for cars...no more bus driving. I probably wouldn't even need to renew, since I won't be driving anything anymore, but I figure it can't hurt to have extra ID. While I (probably) will be spending the day at the DOT, the carpet people will come to shampoo the carpets.

I've already done a lot of the cleaning...filled nail holes, used the Magic Eraser on any marks/smudges on the painted walls...but I will have to scrub the bathroom and kitchen. On Fri. morning I have scheduled my apartment checkout. My daughter will help me load her car with my luggage, then follow me to Smart Mothers, where I will leave my car. Then she will bring me to her place for the weekend, and together we will leave for the airport in the middle of the night Sun., for our 6:30 a.m. flight to Honduras. I hope to find the time to blog one more time before I leave...we'll see how things go.