She has arrived!

*Update* The airport found her bags and drove them GASP! to us. We were amazed as our area is a little remote and we didn't expect them to arrive on our doorstep. That rocked! Of course we just came back from Kmart with all sorts of stuff that will now be returned on Sunday...

Junebug is here!

Unfortunately her bags are not...yet.

More on that later.

The airport down here is pretty small. We were there last night at 8pm, and it was pretty dead. Here is an airport entrance, this is the only gate where people arrive:

If you fly into St. Thomas this is the door (marked Do Not Enter) you walk through once you're off the plane:

As you come through the doors you pass by this cart which is usually manned by two women serving up rum punch (virgin or otherwise). Unfortunately they don't serve it at 8pm...

Here is a shot of Junebug and her fellow passengers waiting for their bags; they are only three carousels in the airport - and this room is open to the outside, so even with many fans blowing if you arrive in the afternoon you will be hot and sweaty while fighting off tons of bag-searchers who are also hot and sweaty. Fortunately for us this was the only flight in at the time so the room was not crowded.

Here's a shot of Junebug, hands planted on her hips as she waited (in vain) for her bag:

After watching the last five unclaimed bags circle and circle we finally realized her bag was not coming through the plastic strips and we made our way down to the American Eagle office. We got in line with seven (!) other people who were also waiting for their bags. And then we all waited. And waited. There was an open sign on the closed office door, and the light was on - but there was nobody manning the desk. The Man and I understand the island way and both of us split up to (politely) inquire about the person(s) who should be in the office. I found a nice woman who explained to me that the people who work in the office were probably out on the runway as they're also in charge of plane safety when a plane arrives. Don't ask me what plane safety means. And why they're in charge of it.

Around 9:15 (she arrived at 8pm...) the women returned to the office and we all filed claims. Apparently there is another Amercian Eagle flight arriving from Miami at 4pm this afternoon, and that is probably where Junebug's bag is. Cool.

We left the airport and went to a small restaurant in Frenchtown for a bite and some drinks. We know the bartender and the waitress so she met them, and after dinner we got back to our house. I set her up with some clothes, soap, toothpaste, etc. and after a quick chat we all hit the sack around 11:30.

This morning we checked the computer and her bag is tracked to be on the afternoon flight. Our plan today is to hit the beach, so I'm taking Junebug to KMart so she can pick up a bathing suit and we will relax out the rest of the day.

Here's one last picture of J & I in the airport:

Cross your fingers that her bag arrives!