GETTING ME BONKEY DOWN TO DA ROCK

(Getting my butt down to Roatan)

How to plan to get to Roatan from Canada and not lose your mind? Let me tell you.   It took 5 bookings, 4 airports, 3 flights, 2 days and 1 PCR COVID test to get here.

I started by booking the direct charters from Canada.  First with Air Transat, then when the pandemic second wave started ramping up they cancelled the whole 2020-21 season and gave a flight credit only. Then I booked with WestJet for December 2020 since I had vacation to use.  WestJet cancelled all December flights so I rebooked a January flight. Then WestJet cancelled the remainder of the 2020-21 season. I did receive a full refund from WestJet.  Kudos to them for that.  Delta had opened flights starting March, going through Atlanta, so I booked one of those, and yep you guessed it, Delta cancelled all those flights.

Finally for the 5th booking I looked to American Airlines, it seemed the only option left as all the countries had tightened restrictions, Canada and US as well, requiring Covid testing to board any flight out or back.  Also the Prime Minister of Canada forbid any flights to the Caribbean or Mexico in order to protect from a third wave during Spring break.  So all the remaining charters going to those sun destinations were cancelled.  

Only the American airlines were still flying south. But there was the matter of the Covid testing. There are 2 types of Covid tests that can be used for flying.  Rapid testing (the fast cheap option) or PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction).  In Canada at the time of writing, there was only the PCR test available.  It had to be booked ahead of flying and results only valid for 72 hours; therefore, when you have 2 days flying to get there you need to pay the big bucks and get the 24 hours results turnaround test at $255. I booked my test with Securimed in Pointe Claire https://securimed.ca/.

So you guessed it, you book your flights, dish out money and book your test, dish out more money, not knowing if you will test positive or negative until the night before you are scheduled to fly.  Talk about stress. You could be positive and be asymptomatic. Well I was lucky I tested negative.  Went for the test at 8:30 am and got the results at 2:30 via email.

Next came the daunting job of the precheck (prechequeo), customs and medical paperwork required for immigration into Honduras.  https://prechequeo.inm.gob.hn.  The Roatan Travel Support Facebook page gave invaluable tips and dos and don'ts to get this done.  There is a 10 page user guide for filling the forms.  Submit and print the first 2 forms, highlight name and test results on the report for quick processing by the agents. I literally had to show my test results at every counter along the way in the 2 days of flying.

Then the race was on, leaving for the first flight to Philadelphia from Montreal.  Dorval airport was deserted; it felt like the apocalypse.  I had all the staff at the American Airlines check-in counter and airport security to myself. They checked and double checked all my immigration paperwork was in order and I was given my ok to get on. Flight into Philadelphia was uneventful.  I double masked, procedure mask first and cloth mask on top. Booked the Sheraton Suites Philadelphia Airport for the night.  Second day out at 3 am for a 6:30 flight to Miami.  That flight was jam packed, again I was  asked for all my immigration paperwork. I again wore double masks. I kept checking the time on my phone as I only had one hour between connections in Miami.  One delay and I would miss the Miami to Roatan flight and then would need a hotel in Miami, rebook a new flight and a new PCR test since mine would then be over the 72 hours allotted time limit.

Of course wouldn't you know it, the pilot announces there's a take off delay.  We were over the weight restriction and had to be cleared for take off.  We left 15 minutes late but pilot came on and reassured us that he would try and make up the lost time.

We got to Miami with just enough time to deplane and run to the next gate, where again they checked all the immigration paperwork. Finally I was walking the gangplank into the plane bound for Roatan, breathing a sigh of relief.  It was a very stressful 3 days and thankfully it would soon be over. 

Once I landed in Roatan, I was met by Roatan Concierge who had done all my grocery shopping for me and booked me a taxi to get to the East End.  

What a life saver, especially after the last 3 days !!!!  https://www.facebook.com/Roatanconierge/ .  Best part is, you can prepay your groceries with an eTransfer from your Canadian bank account. I would highly recommend this service if you want to take some stress off your Roatan travel.

Was met by a water taxi in Oak Ridge and made the final leg of my very long journey to Calabash Bight.  It was good to be here, finally.