In Aruba and finally on line

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Hi there, friends and family,

We had an uneventful drive to the airport in Pgh, arriving at the parking lot before the 4 am shuttle.

Uneventrul going, but upon unpacking the car, Jean asked "where's my 31 bag I always carry on the plane?" It's no doubt just inside the family room/garage door.

Panic as we tried to remember all that was in there, and did we need those things:

earphones and reading materials/kindles/Ipads for the travelling, locks and keys for the still-to-be-locked (PTL) suitcases, thumbdrives (uh oh) for Jean in case there's LME work etc., binoculars (what's that bird over there?), mints and snacks for the trip (oh well), half our cash (oh well, $3.50 charge at the ATM).

The good news is that our panic didn't last long, we hadn't accused the other or gotten crazy. And off we went.

The arrivals hall, for those who have been here, was PACKED solid. Piece of good luck tho - our incorrectly filled in immigration form got us put into a nice special line, ha ha. Got our car, no problema, and came to La Cabana ahead of time, and were able to check in, get towels, do basic unpacking, and out to Arashi before 4 (which should have been check in. we had noticed an unusually calm sea when landing (no little white caps as usual), and the winds are WAY down due to the storms in the other parts of the Caribbean, but the waves were rolling at Arashi and the surfers were having great fun. A local said that the sediment was churned up and suggested we try our usual "infinity pool" entrance at Boca Catalina. Within 30' from the shore the sediment was settled enough to see well, but of course it was getting toward sunset by then so the photos weren't great.

It felt wonderful to be in the ocean again, and such a warm ocean. No sightseeing snorkeling boats -- they pulled out around 4 - just a few locals' boats.

We DID see one turtle, which was rare for not-morning.

Then after showering we got to shower, change, and buy groceries, and again, never having arrived on a Saturday, we never experienced shopping that late on a saturday at Superfoods - which was picked over!

Came home to eat sausage rolls and crackers with a variety of cheeses and spreads.



And now it's Sunday, and we walked the beach (again, with lack of usual breeze, it was hot!) for about an hour, had breakfast and went to our lovely New Life Tabernacle church. The speaker was still going when we left at 12. It was more like why they should start attending a particular discipling class, so.... Very soon we meet friend Frances and her friend and husband, we hope, for a drift snorkel at Mangel Halto. Let's hope the new current situation doesn't take us too far.

Wifi in room terrible as usual.

Love for now

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