As time ticked while the baggage came out, I started to worry, as one by one, people started getting their luggage. Mine was not in sight. I started to get a panic attack – everyone save for a dozen of us on the same flight had already gotten their luggage. The carousel was just spinning around, empty, with a bunch of us bewildered passengers milling about, asking the same old question – “You were on that American flight from SF, right?”

The American Airlines baggage agent working there didn’t have a clue, and went to find some answers. And we – the tired, forlorn and baggage-less travelers – were left waiting. As the minutes ticked, my anxiety started getting the better of me. “God, this isn’t happening – I don’t have anything else save for one change of shirt and underwear in my backpack. What am I going to do?”

After about 20 minutes of worry, bags started appearing in the still-spinning but empty carousel. Ah, finally – my bag is here! Woohoo! I heaved a sigh of relief and said a prayer of thanks that the reunion was still going well. The baggage agent was no where in sight – I guess he couldn’t find an answer in time for us.

I immediately went to the Avis rental center, got the car, and sped my way to Fort Lauderdale airport to pick up Pipo. We squealed w/ delight once we made contact, and started gigling and chattering about the cruise as we made our way out of the airport.

We headed to downtown Fort Lauderdale, and started hunting for a place to eat. We were starving and tired, but we were excited still, since in about an hour and half, we would be hooking up w/ Leonel, and be off on our merry way exploring Miami before rendezvousing w/ the Majesty of the Seas. We finally spied an IHOP and decided to have breakfast.

As we sat down, we continued to chit-chat – our voices ringing with excitement about the cruise. This was going to be Pipo’s first cruise, and I told him that he would have such a blast! We talked about the stuff to do on the ship, as well as the adventures that we’d be having in the Bahamas. it was great to renew ties once again (even though I had seen him – albeit briefly – a month before during a trip down to Santa Monica for work).

As we ate our food, our conversation flowed to other things – more importantly about career and love. Pipo was doing very well in his new job, showing me his designs for XOXO featured in an ad in Elle featuring the model Anna Beatriz. Wow! Totally hot clothing – very Beyonce!

Alas – love was a different matter, since he was still hurting from his break-up w/ Drew. It takes a lifetime to forget, as I told him. At least he had Drew. I’m still single and looking!

While we were eating and chatting, Leonel texted us – a couple of times. The first text he sent – while we were just starting our breakfast – mentioned that he was still on the tarmac, due to a slight delay. The next text was a little more ominous – it was already 8:30 a.m., and they still didn’t leave the ground. The flight – a 3-hour journey from NYC – was expected originally to be in Fort Lauderdale at 9:15! He called up, and we sensed he was already ticked off – IRITADA!

Once we finished breakfast, Pipo and I made our way in search of a place where we could hang out and rest. We wanted to hang out in a beach area, since we were in Florida. I remembered seeing a sign with Dania Beach close to the Fort Lauderdale airport, and headed out there. We found it fairly easily, and spent a good bit of the morning parked at the beach, taking a nap since we were very much sleep deprived. We awoke around 10:00, and explored the beach, taking a few pictures along the way.

And here they are…very A4A, don’t you think? I don’t have any of me, since I think Pipo took them on his camera, and we didn’t have a CF reader to extract them out of his camera. >sigh< Oh well...