Who wouldn't want to stay on a nice island with warm climate and nice beaches, but it was time for us to leave. Unfortunately for us, the island had different ideas and getting back to Port-au-Prince wasn't going to be so easy.
The Abaka Bay resort that took us from the mainland to the island stilled owed us a boat ride back to the mainland, even though we spent the final night at Willem's house. It turns out Willem needed to leave earlier than us to go to the mainland for business purposes, so he took a different boat as we were schedule to take the Abaka Bay boat at 11am. Willem had a boy escort us to the trail from his house to the resort, and he picked the route that was both the shortest and the most physically taxing. We climbed up and up and up again, while carrying bags. As soon as we reached a highpoint, we would look up and see another hill to climb, and it would happen again and again. We just about finished the bottle of water we were going to use for the entire trip home in about only ten minutes. When we finally reached the highest of highpoints, we saw the resort just below us and it offered some magnificant views of the land, but overall wasn't worth the physical toll to get up there.
We had scheduled to have the boat take us at 11am to catch the 12:30pm Transport Chic bus, which would have been more than enough time to get there and get a good seat. That was the last bus leaving Cayes for the day and I needed to be back the next day to catch my flight to America, therefore it would have been bad and expensive news to miss that flight. Plus, we were just about out of money, so if we missed the bus, we didn't know how we would be able sleep at Cayes or buy new bus tickets if no refunds were available. The ride to mainland by speedboat is only about fifteen minutes. We first sat at the resort outdoor bar to have juice and water to cool us down from the demanding walk to get there. We arrived a few minutes before 11am and were anticipating to leave soon after we finished our drinks. As 11am passed and it became 11:15am and then 11:20am, so we asked when are we going to leave, we needed to catch the 12:30pm bus. Then the person we made arrangements with gave us the great news that they didn't want to make multiple trips with the boat, and were waiting for another group waiting to go to the mainland as well. To top it off, the other group first needed to eat lunch and then be ready to go.
Something seemed wrong when she started yelling at the hotel staff in creole, and eventually I found out the trouble we were in. Luckily she had the idea of purchasing our return tickets in advance, otherwise there was no way we were going to be on time for that 12:30pm bus. Had the boat left at 11am, as we scheduled with them, the time it would've taken to drop us off at the mainland and return for the other group, would have been well before they were even done with their lunch. It was a case the Abaka Bay management didn't want to use up the any extra gas in the boat's tank. She called the bus company to inform them we'll likely be late and see if they could hold up the bus a little, but that was only going to last us so long. Around 12:06pm she asked one of the hotel staff to ask the group if they were done with lunch and ready to leave, fortunately they were. As we all rode together on the boat we explained the situation we were in and why we were in such a ruch. They were nice enough to offer us a ride back to Port-au-Prince in case we missed our bus and gave us their phone number, but our goal was still making the 12:30pm bus.
The boat was getting closer and closer to the dock, and as soon as it seemed we'll be alright, the boat's engine cut off and we were stalled in the water. So close, yet so far away. It seemed as if everything was against us catching that bus. The driver eventually got the motor running again and we finished our way to the dock. The next challenge was finding a moto to drive us a few minutes to the bus station. There was one moto who was already about to take a lady, but after explaining our pressing time needs, she was nice enough to defer the bike ride to us. Once we reached the bus station I was happy to see the bus was still there. Just like on the way to Cayes, since we were late I had to take a cramped seat up front next to the driver. By the time the bus started moving the time was 12:45pm, so we got very lucky they held the bus up that long for us. On the road back there was quite alot of traffic caused by a UN truck that was smashed by another large truck apparently. The delays set us back about an hour, but it wasn't a concern as we were still going to make it back that night and I would be able to make my flight the next day.
I guess my birthday gift to Ile a Vache included drama and action as well...
The Abaka Bay resort that took us from the mainland to the island stilled owed us a boat ride back to the mainland, even though we spent the final night at Willem's house. It turns out Willem needed to leave earlier than us to go to the mainland for business purposes, so he took a different boat as we were schedule to take the Abaka Bay boat at 11am. Willem had a boy escort us to the trail from his house to the resort, and he picked the route that was both the shortest and the most physically taxing. We climbed up and up and up again, while carrying bags. As soon as we reached a highpoint, we would look up and see another hill to climb, and it would happen again and again. We just about finished the bottle of water we were going to use for the entire trip home in about only ten minutes. When we finally reached the highest of highpoints, we saw the resort just below us and it offered some magnificant views of the land, but overall wasn't worth the physical toll to get up there.
We had scheduled to have the boat take us at 11am to catch the 12:30pm Transport Chic bus, which would have been more than enough time to get there and get a good seat. That was the last bus leaving Cayes for the day and I needed to be back the next day to catch my flight to America, therefore it would have been bad and expensive news to miss that flight. Plus, we were just about out of money, so if we missed the bus, we didn't know how we would be able sleep at Cayes or buy new bus tickets if no refunds were available. The ride to mainland by speedboat is only about fifteen minutes. We first sat at the resort outdoor bar to have juice and water to cool us down from the demanding walk to get there. We arrived a few minutes before 11am and were anticipating to leave soon after we finished our drinks. As 11am passed and it became 11:15am and then 11:20am, so we asked when are we going to leave, we needed to catch the 12:30pm bus. Then the person we made arrangements with gave us the great news that they didn't want to make multiple trips with the boat, and were waiting for another group waiting to go to the mainland as well. To top it off, the other group first needed to eat lunch and then be ready to go.
Something seemed wrong when she started yelling at the hotel staff in creole, and eventually I found out the trouble we were in. Luckily she had the idea of purchasing our return tickets in advance, otherwise there was no way we were going to be on time for that 12:30pm bus. Had the boat left at 11am, as we scheduled with them, the time it would've taken to drop us off at the mainland and return for the other group, would have been well before they were even done with their lunch. It was a case the Abaka Bay management didn't want to use up the any extra gas in the boat's tank. She called the bus company to inform them we'll likely be late and see if they could hold up the bus a little, but that was only going to last us so long. Around 12:06pm she asked one of the hotel staff to ask the group if they were done with lunch and ready to leave, fortunately they were. As we all rode together on the boat we explained the situation we were in and why we were in such a ruch. They were nice enough to offer us a ride back to Port-au-Prince in case we missed our bus and gave us their phone number, but our goal was still making the 12:30pm bus.
The boat was getting closer and closer to the dock, and as soon as it seemed we'll be alright, the boat's engine cut off and we were stalled in the water. So close, yet so far away. It seemed as if everything was against us catching that bus. The driver eventually got the motor running again and we finished our way to the dock. The next challenge was finding a moto to drive us a few minutes to the bus station. There was one moto who was already about to take a lady, but after explaining our pressing time needs, she was nice enough to defer the bike ride to us. Once we reached the bus station I was happy to see the bus was still there. Just like on the way to Cayes, since we were late I had to take a cramped seat up front next to the driver. By the time the bus started moving the time was 12:45pm, so we got very lucky they held the bus up that long for us. On the road back there was quite alot of traffic caused by a UN truck that was smashed by another large truck apparently. The delays set us back about an hour, but it wasn't a concern as we were still going to make it back that night and I would be able to make my flight the next day.
I guess my birthday gift to Ile a Vache included drama and action as well...
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