January 2010 Trip Report...

[mjn109]

Hello All!!!

Since I am just now getting to a computer, I was pretty much boycotting them for the duration of my vacation, my husband, FFgoo, and I will post a trip report soon.

We had a great time, which is to be expected, and yes the week flew by, and we are SO not looking forward to the "crying room" tomorrow...I will definately will be the blonde, sunburnt 30 year old woman there crying away LOL!!! We have heard that it is absoluely frigid at home in CT so whoopie, just can't wait to get there!

Will post a report soon, it will be a tame one, rested alot on this trip. Hope you all are well!

[Arubalisa]

Safe travels!

[Andrea J.]

anxiosuly awaiting your Gandelmans report

sorry the week is over so quickly
andrea

Originally Posted by mjn109

Hello All!!!

Since I am just now getting to a computer, I was pretty much boycotting them for the duration of my vacation, my husband, FFgoo, and I will post a trip report soon.

We had a great time, which is to be expected, and yes the week flew by, and we are SO not looking forward to the "crying room" tomorrow...I will definately will be the blonde, sunburnt 30 year old woman there crying away LOL!!! We have heard that it is absoluely frigid at home in CT so whoopie, just can't wait to get there!

Will post a report soon, it will be a tame one, rested alot on this trip. Hope you all are well!

[purpleangel]

Glad you guys had a good time! How can anyone not have a good time in paradise?

Be prepared. It is absolutely frigid here in CT. Wind chill could reach below zero.

Have a safe flight home!!

[Andrea J.]

i am going to post "how can someone NOT have fun in paradise" will put it in its own category. in the my aruba story section it is the story of my cousin's wife that cannot have a good time ANYWHERE.

Originally Posted by purpleangel

Glad you guys had a good time! How can anyone not have a good time in paradise?

Be prepared. It is absolutely frigid here in CT. Wind chill could reach below zero.

Have a safe flight home!!

[mjn109]

Hahaha! That' s a great idea Andrea J!!! Although we had our "squabbles" as families usually do, we did have a great trip.



We are getting a few things done around the house and going to get the dog at the kennel, then we'll do the report.

[Andrea J.]

i bet u wish that you were back in aruba.
glad that you are home safe and sound.
your dog will be happy to be home.

[mjn109]

Ok, so now that I am back in CT freezing my butt off, here goes nothing.

My husband, my sister, her boyfriend & I left on Jet Blue out of JFK last Saturday after some de-icing-was touch and go for a while there-I was getting to Aruba one way or another! They didn't have a gate for us when we arrived in AUA so we deplaned on the tarmac and were bussed over to the building.

Arrived one hour late but so did our parents arriving from Boston so it all worked out ok! When we went down to immigration after getting off the plane and before the bags (I think that's what it is) there was a MAJOR traffic jam! I mean big jam! As we were going down the escalator, people were shouting "DON'T COME DOWN, DON'T COME DOWN' well, we are ALREADY on it! What can we do?? Everyone was all jammed up downstairs. I was yelling to go up the staircase because that was the only open spot and by husband was yelling to hit the emergency switch to stop the escalator but mob mentality took hold and NO ONE MOVED!!!! We were coming down no matter what no choice at that point, and we made our way thru the crowd, but it was ridiculous! Finally an airport official came and hit the emergency button but not after some woman kept trying to stop coming down the escalator by climing back up and subsequently falling! They opened and ushered us down to the line that the Dutch passport holders use so we could get through but it was INSANITY for about 10 minutes. Welcome to Aruba!

Got the rental car and off to the Marriott Surf Club we went. The line was WICKED long so some of us waited and some walked around. Checked in, bags settled in and cleaned up. Tradition is to have dinner at Champions since we are all just exhausted from long day of traveling. Discussion of the weeks events always at that dinner, fun to talk about the weeks prospects. Early to bed.

Up and at em early and off to the beach for us kids while the parents go to Lings for provisions. Boy was it crowded! New chair tag system takes some remembering to bring them back in w/you at end of day. Lazy day of sunning and swimming. Had dinner at Aqua Grill that night-a first for everyone. Ordered the grouper, not much of a fish fan, but figured, when in Rome, it was good, little over cooked, but better than under like my fathers. He sent it back, after 10 mins they said it would be another 10 mins he said never mind. Took 15% off his meal. Nice walk back.

Basically the same for Monday, dinner cooked in the room that night. My sister & her boyfriend went to Hadicurari next door for dinner, really liked it.

Tuesday was Baby Beach-current very strong, hard to stay out and snorkel for sis and I but the boys did good. Father went thru the rocks out to the waves, rode them back in, had fun. Then to Boca Prins for lunch. Ran ito an employee of my fathers there, what a coincidence! The new windmills are exciting and quiet! DH & I went down town, just in time for everything to be closing down for the day-we didn't know it all closed up at 6pm or so. So we walked around and ended up eating at Iguana Joe's. The sangria makes everything good!

Wednesday, my husband and I rented a wave runner from a vendor on the beach while my sis & her BF rented a jeep & explored the island. The parents were a bit tamer hanging by the pool. The wave runner was alot of fun-a boat picks you up in front of the Ocean Club and takes you all the way down by Chalet Suisse to the beach there. Put on your life vests , hop on and off you go. A little terrifying at first, but you get the hang of it and it was a blast! The boat ride itself was worth the money, it was relaxing, the music was fun and of course, the view!

My aunt & uncle have a house nearby so we met them for happy hour at their place then dinner at Casa Tua-the pizza is SO good! Since we were all pretty burnt from the sun and quite possibley all the Amstel Brights, early to bed that night too!

Thursday, very windy, palapa in second row, not bad at all. The one in front of us was not thatched though, it had sheets instead of thatching, kinda strange. Dinner at El Gaucho-always good! Sangria is amazing, steak amazing, service very good. My mom is not a fan of the mariachi, so with the same death eye that she probably gave us as kids to not press our luck, they stayed away. El Gaucho night is the one night that everyone really lets loose and relaxes, its too bad we always do it so far into our trip!

Friday, front row palapa, NICE....until people start setting up camp and smoking cigaretts in front of you. But not to much you can do about that. Lunch at the Ocean club beach bar, always good, good service, quick with the iced teas we so need to rehydrate after El Gaucho! Dinner at Texas de Brazil.
Now, I didn't know that restaurant was like it was-do NOT fill up on the salad bar! Save room for the MEAT! My sisters boyfriend is a marine reserve and boy can he eat and not gain a pound ( I am envious) so this WAS the place for him. I don't think his card was turned red the whole time! We were also celebrating my sis's bday later this month, she ordered a banana cake for dessert and the waitress brought it out w/ a candle and the staff gathered around to sing happy birthday. It was really nice!

Basically, a great trip had by all. Heard that either A-rod or Jeter were in the Ocean club this week- heard the same rumor last year but never saw him. My parents are still there so maybe they will see the Yankee - whoever it may be!

Sat on the tarmac in AUA yesterday for an hour waiting for a trolly truck to push us back from the gate, a bit frustrating, because at that point, you just have to go home. I am sure that if I forgot anything or if he wants to add anything, my husband FFgoo will do it! Not happy to be back in CT but hey, gotta make a living some how!

Talking St Kitts for next year....only time will tell.

[Arubalisa]

Sounds like a lot of fun on your trip.

Are they still searching each carry on and patting you down before you get on the plane?

[CandyC55]

Just living through you, can't wait until March Surf Club here we come.