The Trip Down South (june 8)

So my 14 hour trip down to Panama began rather interestingly. I get to the airport and they tell me that I cannot pay to check a 3rd piece of luggage. WHAT?! In all the reading I did about travel to Panama, on many different websites, the State Dept warnings, etc…I saw nothing about luggage embargoes. However I had to do what the folks behind the counter said so I rearranged some things and ended up leaving my whole jewelry box behind and a few articles of clothing that were around the jewelry box for padding. Yes, that means I only have the pair of earrings in my ear (which are rather boring) and no bracelets, necklaces, rings, nothing. Flight to Newark was fine. Then, began the fun part. I had to sit in the Newark airport from 8a to 4:55p when my flight to Panama City left. So for that 9 hour layover I: read the latest James Patterson book (6th Chance – very good!), ate lunch, talked on the phone, and watched all of Akeeylah and the Bee on my computer. Next thing I knew it was time to board the plane so that whole day spent in the confines of the airport actually wasn’t that bad. The flight was rather uneventful. I was hoping to get first class (which is what my ticket was created for) however they claimed the open seats were only for Elite upgrades and I had to sit in Coach. Oooo you know I was hot about that but again, what could I do but listen to the folks behind the counter. They served us some side Caesar salad and hot sandwiches. Of course both sandwich options had meat on them so I did not eat anything but the salad but whatever; I was not that hungry anyways. Upon my arrival to the Tocumen International Airport, I met my mentor/sponsor/buddy Eugenio Pinero, Jr. bka “Junior.” He welcomed me and guided me through the customs procedures which was a very warm gesture because I surely did not know how I was going to get through it lol. Junior informed me that as Consular employees, the department in which I’m working with the Dept of State, that he can get in/out easily because of his Diplomat passport however I probably will not receive one of those. Anyways, we gathered all of my luggage, went through the last security checkpoint, and headed out to the car. Oh but let me not forget to point out that the stupid airline people completely tore a gaping hole in my new suitcase. Fortunately it did not appear anything had fallen out or was missing but I certainly cannot use the suitcase again. THANKS!