OK....Where do I start?
Everyone knows the trouble we went through last week with Hurricane Wilma and the
travel agency. We are hoping the TA will honor our request and refund us the trip purchase price back.
Jeff and I got tired of waiting so we went on line to Cheap Caribbean and found a half way decent price to the Bahamas. If the other TA would have just canceled our trip at the frist of last week we would not have had to pay an arm and a toe....not quite the whole foot pricing on our Bahama's trip. We just knew we were both off and wanted to go somewhere warm....
We booked the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach in Freeport, Bahamas on Wednesday night. I made sure with the TA that the resort was fine. After we booked I found out that Freeport had been hit, but supposely not too badly. On their website it said only one hotel was closed and all others only received landscaping damage.
Friday, 10/28 we get up and leave at 7:00 am. We stopped for Chicken Minis at Chick fillet and Starbucks coffee. Yummm...the Pumpkin Spice Late.
Arrive at Charlotte International Airport at 9:00 am. We made great time to the ariport. Found a good parking place and WROTE down where we parked....
While waiting for our 11:20 flight we heard a gentlemen and his family (family of 5) go up to the desk to check on status. He was in the military. They had flown up from Jacksonville, NC. Big military base there. Everyone except him had birth certificates and id's. He only had his military id. They refused tolet him board because it states very plainly on their site you must have a birth certificate. Needless to say that was quite a commotion. I guess I was ugly (no I did not say a word to anyone) but I could not feel to sorry for him because I sit and caught him in about 5 lies.
So I was a little concerned why he was lying. He was never allowed to baord. Th3ey did offer to fly him back and forth and allow him to go the next day. They all flat refused.
Ok the flight leaves about 20 minutes late but that was due to the traffic on the air strip.
We arrive to a very beat up looking island. We take our booked transportation to the airport. Now let me say we paid extra for a straight trip to the resort. But the guy did not do this. He stopped at one other place to let another couple off. Not very happy about paying for something I did not get. While at that time share place I am thinking oh geez our hotel has to look better than this......
We get to the Viva Wyndham. You talk about a let down. You know it was like a Motel 6 that allows dogs into the rooms. I swear I am not kidding. ANd you guys know how I love my mutts, but that does not mean I want to stay in a place that smells like someones elses dog!!
We check in and I am thinking where is the check in Bahama Mama the resort boasts about.....no waiting drink. We go to our room. Oh my gosh....
The resort has about 10 buildings. And everyone of them has been hit pretty hard on the roof. The pool is closed. They had just reopened the whirlpool and kiddy pool. No beach front bar. They were suppose to have snacks all day...no snacks any day. The food was I thought going to be nice.....the buffet was open air and the flies were everywhere....YUCK!!
I am thinking HELP me. I look at Jeff as soon as we get in the room and almost cry! I said I have to have a drink. So I proceeded to get a buzz.....
I could not even get a buzz!! Not that I did not drink enough.....We made ressies at the Italian restuarant for 8:45. Jeff passes our on the bed. So I go alone!! The food was nasty.
While in the whirlpool we meet 3 other couples. One left on Satureday. But the other two we palled around with the whole time.
Saturday, Dh wakes up to a major hangover.
So needless to say he does not want to do anything but sleep in the room. Saturday night though I did talk him into eating at the Orential place. Very good food.
Sunday we get up and go to Port Lucaya Markplace for a few hours. Meet up with a nice couple from Raleigh, NC and talk with them at Rum Runners. I finally have a good drink there. We leave and go back to the hotel and run into Ron and Cathy. Have lunch with them and we all meet up with APril and Bobby. We all decide to go back to Port Lucaya for the Jazz Festival. We go back to learn due to the hurricane not all of the muscians came. We go back to the square at the marketplace and drink!! Oh my gosh. I hardly ever drink that much. I had 3 drinks and I have no idea how many shots. I started sharing the drinks and pouring out the shots. I did not want to get sick!
We leave there at 9:00pm. But we had a great time. We all 6 danced and talked and just hung out. We get in the taxi and Jeff said he would pay for the taxi since Ron paid for it on the way up. We get to the resort and Jeff could not find his wallet. He had just had it. The taxi driver refuses to help us look. I mean Jeff had it in the taxi. It had to be there. April finally made the driver turn on the light. As soon as he did, he looked at me and said do you think I have it. I just was dumbfounded because that thought had nver entered my mind. I asked for his name and id and he refused to give it to us. We never found the wallet. Now let me say he had 90% of our money and all of our credit cards (they are joint card) in his wallet. He had his DL, his adjustors license, his wheels Inc card (this is a gas card for his work car) and his Social Security card in there. We cancel the Visa dn Mastercard.
Jeff did go back and file a report with the Port Authority and the Police. The Police tells him to come back the next day for the report so he can leave the country on Tuesday.
Then on MOnday I wake up to the fact that he has our ATM/Debit Visa card and his corporate Amercian Express in there. I call and cancel those. I had $100 and my Visa debit card. He spends $40 on taxis trying to get the report. We had not bought but one small souvie for the kids a piece. I am not sure if my card is working since it is linked to the same account. So all we have is $60. The police never gave us a report.
Monday we hung out at the pool ...oh did I mention I caught a dang cold on Saturday.....Jeff got it on Monday. LOL We had lunch and dinner with Ron and Cathy. We meet Bobby and April at the restuarant but they sat at a seperate table.
The weather finally turned out nice on Tuesday....lol...but at 2:00 am on Tuesday the power went out. No power on the entire island. LOL None.
So no shower with warm water and no hairdrier! We packed had a small breakfast and just hung out at the pool until 10:30. We had to check out by 11:00 our shuttle was at 12:00. We really were lucky because we did not have too much trouble leaving the country. n Customs the lady said to me honey you are not in the US anymore. My heart dropped I just knew she was not going to let Jeff leave. I could see him like Tom Hanks in Terminal now....lol
.... She then said the police here lie that we would never get a report and told us to go on thru. We were very lucky. Our flight was a good one and we got home by 6:30 pm Tuesday night.
Oh did I mention the resort never had a phone line while we were there. When we called on our cell Monday morning to Jeff's dads I found out my Uncle had passed away.
I do not think I ever care to go to Freeport again. I have to say so far this is the worse vacation I have ever had. Oh and Jeff agrees but you know what we meet some really great people and still had a good time.
I said my prayers several times after Jeff lost his wallet aht we would get it back. I just never prayed to get it back while we were still there. I also prayed pretty hard that we would both be able to leave with out any real troubles. I think we were lucky on leaving and guess what.....got a phone call when we sat down for dinner. They found his wallet and it will be Fedexed to us come tomorrow by the hotel. We are paying for ti but they found his wallet. And there was some money and from what security told him I think all of the cards and such are there. While I think we lost a little money but in the long run God still answered my prayers.
Love you guys.....
I probably will be home again tomorrow. I had to pick Erik up from school early. He is sick with this nasty cold.
and Selena . . . WELCOME BACK!!! :thewave: We SO missed you! I am glad you had fun. Make sure you let us in on the details asap!!
Remember we are here.
but when they get stressed . . . life seems to fall apart 
Whats up with that?!! Oh well . . . we deal with it, because we ARE rocks!!! 
Keep up the good job my friend!!!!! Get better, 
all of you and then go have fun and enjoy life. 
Glad you are back. We missed you! Karen
Have a great day all! 
