I always joke with justin that he gets stuff for free and I never do. Usually, the the stuff he gets is drinks at bars, but I really feel like I get nothing. I hear about girls who get their bills paid for by guys they're dating, who get their drinks paid for by randos at bars... One girlfriend once told me that "pretty girls shouldn't pay for their drinks." That just wasn't me. I always pay for my own drinks.
Victor, at the hotel, told me that I would need 3 hours at Belize airport prior to check in. My flight was supposed to take off at 5 pm... He told me I needed to take the 1 pm flight from Ambergris Caye if I wanted to make my flight. He tells me he'll call a taxi for 12:30, but i should be there by 12:15.
I'm annoyed that i have to leave the pool and my friends the hotel around noon for a 5 pm flight. But it was overcast and windy anyway, so I got at much overcast sun time as I could before I left and sucked it up.
The Belizean monetary system is very easy. It's 2 Belizean dollars for every American dollar, and they use both currencies concurrently without any exchange rate. You can pay for anything in either currency at any time. No one has a problem changing currency at all. I didn't want any more belizean dollars in my possession, though, so I wanted to carefully change a USD20 into belizean so I could pay the taxi driver and not get any beLizean currency back. So I asked Victor how much the taxi was.
"Oh, we bring you to the airport for free." KA-CHING!! Free airport transfer. Would probably have cost me USD5, but whatever. Free is free. Free is nice.
I had decided to fly from Ambergris into Belize international. It was an $85, 20 minute flight, versus a 45+ minute water taxi and a cab to the airport. All in all, the cost was about the same. All I could think about boarding this teeny plane on this overcast day was "this is how Kennedy died," but the three old ladies i was on this plane with didn't seem to mind a bit. I applauded when we landed on a tiny, dirt landing strip and the Golden Girls laughed at me. The pilot dropped the old ladies off at Belize Municipal airport, and then the plane went back up in the air, just me and the pilot, off to Belize International.
That's right. My own private jet. For 10 minutes. We're gonna call that "free."
I get off the plane in my miniskirt, on the airstrip, as each of the throngs of airline employees, welcome me to the airport, because evidently, that's what belizean men do. They say hi and smile. I felt like royalty, stepping off my own private jet with my own pilot.
I got to the airline 3.5 hours early, which was not pleasant, as it turns out that the airport is small as hell and I DID NOT need that much wait, Especially since the flight would wind up leaving an hour late, anyway. I also didn't need to eat the pulled pork burrito that was not "thai spiced" as advertised; just doused in American-style barbecue sauce.
I get to houston at 8:30pm and I'm FAMISHED. On line at customs, I already had chosen the Red Roof inn for about $100, which included a free shuttle to/from the airport, but I figured there might not be any food at the hotel at that hour, and it'd probably be bad anyway. I should eat at the airport. Maybe I can get some soul food.
A woman chases another woman down right next to me yelling "excuse me! You have my luggage!!" How people don't check their luggage tags to make sure they've got the right luggage is beyond me. Idiots.
I had already left customs, so I had to go back into the airport, to get a proper meal before I book my hotel.
The guy won't let me in. Because my flight isn't until tomorrow. I very calmly say that I am hungry, and I don't have a car or hotel, And I really need to eat. He calls his supervisor.
Supervisor says he can't let me in, either, unless I have a "day pass" from United.
I go to check-in, and relay the story. The lady says she can't issue day passes, and she doesn't know why they send people over to ask.
There is a foreign woman with three kids losing her shit next to me. she evidently missed her flight because she was confused on where to go. the united staff basically looked at her like she was a moron, and didn't really seem too keen on helping her figure out what to do with her three kids that evening.
Airports make people stupid, and stupid people angry.
I am frustrated, but I stay calm. She asks where I came from, and if I missed my connection. I said that the plane was late from belize, but I had an overnight connection anyway. My plan was to either try to move my connection flight up, or rent a car and drive to some good restaurant in Houston, and nap in the car before the flight. Or just suck it up, and get a hotel for the night. Being that I didn't get out of customs until 9, I decided to get a hotel.
She says "oh belize? That was mechanical trouble, right? That's why you're here overnight?" I say no, and She shushes me. She gets me a hotel for free, and vouchers for a free meal. I tell her she is an angel straight from heaven.
I still can't get back in the airport, so I can't use the vouchers, and more importantly, I'm still starving.
I get to the hotel and immediately run to the restaurant in the hotel. I'm expecting it to be nasty. I order what turns out to be an ENORMOUS plate of nice fajitas (everything's bigger in Texas,) grits and beans comes on the side. Surprisingly delicious. He asks me twice if I want a second whiskey and ginger. I decline, both times.
I then find out....The airline vouchers CAN BE USED AT THE HOTEL. WHAT?!?
I ask for the check, and the waiter asks me if I'm sure I didn't want a second drink, ON THE HOUSE, to take to my room. I look at him, right in the eyes, and say YES! YES I DO!
I guess pretty girls don't have to pay for their drinks after all.
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