Aruba: 4 Days & 4 Nights

As I had mentioned in my previous blog “new year, new job”, I have traveled quite frequently over the past few years. Some of the perks that come along with giving up endless weekends over many years to work a tradeshow booth include an abundance of frequent flyer miles, elite flyer status, and hotel points. I have earned and used a few hundred thousand frequent flyer miles in the past few years with my most recent purge of frequent flyer miles being used to set-up a 4 day, 4 night trip to Aruba for two covering two flights, and 4 nights at two luxury resort by the beach!

Map of Aruba

Why two resorts? Well, I only had enough Marriott points to cover 3 nights at one of their Aruba properties, but luckily I also had enough Hilton points to cover a 4th night for our trip. I planned this trip about four months ago and have been counting down to it ever since! Changing jobs recently kind of put the trip in an awkward place, but luckily my new boss was okay with me starting my new job and working for 3 weeks, taking 4 days off to go to Aruba, and then returning to work the following week.

Monday, Night 0

Since I had booked my flight on frequent flyer miles, my flight options were limited and involved me taking a redeye from San Diego to Philadelphia, an early morning flight from Philadelphia to Charlotte, meeting David in Charlotte and then us both flying down to Aruba in the late afternoon. The night before my flight departed I tried unsuccessfully to check-in online for my fight. I would get to the part where I’d enter my passport information, hit submit, and then the page would hang and eventually time out. This worried me a bit, and worried me a bit more when I tried two more times unsuccessfully the next day. I was further alarmed when David was able to check-in online without a problem. Was there an issue with my reservation specifically?

 

Since I was worried about my flight and missing out on my vacation, I arrived at the airport a little more than two hours ahead of my flight. This behavior is quite un-Monikalike! I went to check-in at the kiosk and was surprised to see that when I my flight information came up it showed a 2-flight connection (San Diego to Charlotte to Aruba) instead of my originally 3-fight connection. AND …. I had been upgraded to First Class on both flights! I was shocked and had to confirm with a ticketing agent that this great fortune truly had been bestowed on me! WOW! What a treat! Since I’m Gold on US Airways I’m eligible for free upgrades to First Class when available on a paid ticket, but since I had booked this flight on miles I shouldn’t have qualified. Shh! Don’t tell them they messed up and maybe this mistake will happen again in the future!

I happily claimed my First Class seat on the redeye to Charlotte and snoozed away for most of the night. Prior to boarding I had mentioned to David that there were 4 really built, good-looking guys in the airport with expensive luggage who appeared to be professional athletes, but didn’t look tall enough to be basketball or football players. David recalled that there had been a WWE event in San Diego that day, and thought maybe that’s who they were. They were traveling with this one girl who ended up seated in front of me on the flight to Charlotte. We looked up pictures of the wrestlers the next day on the WWE site and I was in fact seated behind "Maryse". Poor girl had the guy next to her talking her ear off the whole time while the guy across the aisle looked on in jealously (it was soo funny to observe), and when we got off the plane in Charlotte he handed her his business card which she politely accepted with a smile. I wonder what he thought when he gave her his card? Maybe she’ll call? Yeah right, I doubt it, but I give him credit for trying.

Tuesday, Night 1

Upon arriving in Charlotte I only had to wait for about 30 minutes before David’s flight came in. We found a place near our gate to have breakfast and officially began our vacation. Soon after we started eating we both received phone calls and I received an email notifying us that our flight to Aruba had been delayed by two hours. Oh well, we’d just hang out in the airport together. We were on vacation! Was there any reason to be upset? David and I were originally seated together in Coach but I had been upgraded and he hadn’t. I went to ticketing counter to ask the gate agent if there were any other seats in First available and if so could I upgrade him to sit with me. As she pulled up my reservation she noticed that I had booked my flight on miles and commented on how I shouldn’t have been upgraded. For a fleeting moment I was terrified that she was going to take the seat away! Isn’t it funny how entitled we feel to something that was given to us out of the blue when someone tries to take it away? She didn’t downgrade me luckily but I couldn’t upgrade David. I wanted to give him the seat and chance to sit in First since I get to fairly frequently but he didn’t want to take it. Instead he wanted me to give up the seat and sit in my original seat in coach. Are you kidding me? A First Class seat on an international flight give away to a nobody? Sorry, I couldn’t do it. I wanted him to take the seat but if he wasn’t going to do it I would. Does that make me a bad person? Oh well.

Breakfast at the Charlotte Airport

When boarding time finally rolled around I encountered yet another treat – the First Class cabin on this flight had the recliner style, lie-almost-flat chairs. OMG! I was able to stretch out almost flat with my legs supported with a leg rest. Wow, that was awesome! I was about an hour into my nap when I heard an announcement over the loudspeaker about there being some mechanical issue with the hydraulic system and that we’d be turning around and flying back to Charlotte. What? I was a bit dazed from being asleep but they announced it again and I realized I wasn’t dreaming. Well, that was unfortunate, but oh well, it still meant I got one more hour flying back to Charlotte sleeping in the recliner chair! When we were almost back to Charlotte they then made an announcement (question really) that you also hate to hear on a plane. “Is there a doctor on board? If so, please press your call button.” It turns out that there was a sick lady on board, and according to the flight crew if the mechanical issue hadn’t turned us around, this woman’s medical condition would have instead. I guess we were just meant to be back in Charlotte!

AWESOME Reclining Seats

We got back to Charlotte and were each give $10 meal vouchers to buy lunch. The time back in the airport went quickly, and soon we were back on a new plane and heading (again) to Aruba! This new plane was smaller and had a ‘normal’ First Class section which was fine with me. Unfortunately for David though instead of having the whole row to himself, he was now squished in a middle seat between two ladies. Okay, now I really did feel like a bad person! :o( We ended up getting into Aruba pretty late and checked into our hotel the Renaissance Resort & Casino in Orajestad, and walked over to the promenade nearby to have dinner at a local sushi restaurant.

Renaissance Resort Private Island

Meanwhile, back on the mainland, the gaping hole in the bedroom ceiling of my apartment was finally getting fixed! My dogs were in the wonderful care of the best petsitter in the world Jodie (Go Fido Go) who not only looked after my dogs, but also helped oversee the workers who were coming to fix the issue with the ceiling that had persisted for TWO MONTHS!

 

Wednesday, Day 1, Night 2

Wednesday was our first officially full DAY in Aruba. We started off by having breakfast at Dunkin Donuts and then I went off to the resort gym to get my training miles in. Thirteen weeks till the marathon! When I got back we had yummy crepes for lunch at the local Dutch Pancake House (Pannekoekhuis), and then we took a boat to the resort’s private island. Let the sunbathing begin! With the protection of SPF 70 of course! (Well, one of us only put on sunscreen after 2 hours in the sun. I know, I’m bad.)

 

Balcony View of the Beach

Bagel Breakfast on the Beach

The private island was a nice, remote place to spend the afternoon. There were two sections of the island, one for families and one for adults only. The island also had a café, tennis courts, a gym, and a spa. We were greeted by iguanas immediately upon arriving on the island, and as soon as we crossed over to the “adults only” side, we then came upon a flock of flamingos! I have seen flamingoes mostly on front lawns, fashioned in pink plastic. I have only seen them in person a few times in Florida, and was shocked to see them standing on the beach and in the ocean there on the island.

Boat Ride to the Private Island

Iguanas on the Island

 

Flamingos on the Island

 

One thing I forgot to mention was that as we were taking the boat ride over to the island I pulled out my camera to take a picture and it made this horrible loud cracking sound. I was alarmed but my camera still worked … for about another 30 minutes. After taking a few pictures on the island suddenly my camera was dead. Oh no!!!

Please, a moment of silence for one of my closest companions for the past six years, my Sony Powershot 5.0 MP camera. :o(

I was very upset about my camera and as soon as we got back from the private island I dragged David off to the shopping area in search of a new camera. Two electronics stores later I found a camera for $116! It turned out to probably be worth about $16. What a poor, emotional purchase. Oh well.

 

Later that night David ended our month-long streak of vegetarianism, and we ended it with a bang! We had dinner at Texas de Brazil, a churrascaria! This restaqurant is a chain with locations all over the US. We’d been to a similar one before called Fogo De Chao. We happily feasted on the flesh of animals cooked on swords, but soon after felt guilty and agreed to transition to pescatarianism after that meal.

Texas de Brazil in Palm Beach, Aruba

 

Meat on Swords!

Thursday, Day 2, Night 3

Thursday happened to be a national holiday in Aruba, flag day! All retail businesses were closed but restaurants remained open. I was well convinced by now that the camera that I had purchased was a piece of junk that I needed to try to return, but unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to attempt to do so until the next day.

David and I headed back to the island for some more lazy beach time and spent the afternoon reading and napping in the sun. That night wee decided to try a local restaurant for dinner and went to The Old Fisherman, a “classic Aruba seafood restaurant”. We were both unimpressed by the overpriced and bland fish that we ordered.

Lazy Day at the Beach

At some point during the day as I thought about my poor dead camera, I thought that maybe if I tried to recharge the battery it would bring my camera back to life. It turns out it did! Temporarily that is. The camera would take pictures again with a fully charged battery, but would drain the battery within the hour, and my camera no longer had the functionality to zoom. This half-working status was consoling to me, and I was able to take a few more pictures with ol’faithful before the trip ended.

 

Aruba's Flag Day Celebration

Friday, Day 3, Night 4

On Friday we checked out of the Renaissance in Oranjestad and traveled about 10 minutes north to Palm Beach where we checked in to the Westin. Palm Beach and the Westin were considered to be in the “High Rise Hotel” area, which turned out to be the fancier section of the island. We got to the Westin around noon but alas, our room wouldn’t be ready until 4pm. We were given Towel Cards though and headed out to the beach where we had lunch, and were then given a “cabana” for free while we waited for our room. The “cabana” consisted of a ?? umbrella with a built in table, and two chairs. Perfect for lounging for hours with the option of being in or out of the sun!

 

Westin Resort in Palm Beach

We hung out on the beach for a few hours and sadly, electronics disaster number two struck – David’s Nike watch died! After years of faithful waterproof service, suddenly his watch sprung a leak and the display went blank in a haze of condensation. Over the course of the next day the watch continued to beep erratically though indicating that it wasn’t fully dead, but was virtually useless with no display. What is with the island claiming our beloved electronics?!

Bye Bye Nike Watch

We had dinner that night at the northern tip of the island at La Trattoria el Faro Blanco by the California Lighthouse. The food was very good and the restaurant had a nice ambiance, but the service was mediocre as it seemed to be all over the island no matter where we ate. We returned to the hotel and caught parts of the UCSB and Maryland games in the lobby bar. Sadly for me the Gauchos lost, but to the joy of David Maryland won.

Saturday, Day 4

Saturday was our last day in Aruba – half day to be exact. We walked to the other end of Palm Beach to have breakfast at a local café where we ordered a local Aruban breakfast! No, we didn’t actually. We had their “American breakfast” of eggs, potatoes, and bacon. Yes, we ate the flesh of animals again .. and it was so good! I love bacon!

Last Morning in Aruba

We went back to the room after breakfast and packed our things, checked out from the resort, waved goodbye to the beautiful white beaches and clear, turquoise water, and headed to the airport. Two customs checks and three screening checkpoints later, we were on a plane headed back to Charlotte.

 

Leaving Aruba - Private Island in the Distance

As soon as we arrived in Charlotte David got a voicemail from his brother Ken who had just run his second marathon. Congrats Kenny! I wrote about Ken a few months ago when he was training for his first half marathon, and reflected back on all of my friends who I’ve helped run a distance race in one form or another. To read more about that check out my blog “Sharing My Obsession”.

I’m writing this on the flight back to San Diego from Charlotte. I’m backlogged on blogs so I probably won’t actually post this until later in the week. By then my sunburn will have faded, hopefully a tan will emerge (I know, I know, tanning is bad, no lectures please!), and I will be back at work refreshed and recharged. I really enjoyed this trip to Aruba, and couldn’t have enjoyed it more with anyone except David. It’s nice to have gotten to take a “free” trip, and even nicer to have gotten to take it with my favorite person.

Thanks to David for the wonderful company, thanks to Jodie for watching after my furballs and making this and many other trips possible, and thanks to my new job for giving me the flexibility to go on vacation three weeks after starting the job. I had a great time!