Trip number 50+ to SXM
Trip report First
Parking in PHL From previous experience in long term parking, I avoid the airport lot and went to Preflight Parking on Island Ave. Printed out coupon from web site cost me $10.00 per day.
Flights Written in previous post
TSA: I have concluded that my name is on the terrorist threat list. I am not sure how a middle-aged white Christian who never kills flies can be on this list. I think that I will change my name to Ali Kareem Adula from Lebanon so that I can pass right thru TSA Check Points without a problem.
I stay with my friend Patrick who owns Rent for Less Rental Cars near the airport. In previous trips I have taken various auto parts such as: engine rebuilt kits, tail lights, electric motors for windows, also cell phones, computers from the USA for him without a problem. This trip I brought two tie rods and two jeep tail light for him. I had the two jeep tail lights in carry-ons in the original mopar boxes, with the purchase order and the card of the parts dept. sales person. TSA agent takes me out of line and says he needs to check one of my bags, no problem. He finds and opens of the taillight boxes, takes the tail lights apart, and checks me and the taillights for explosives. (This has happen to me in my previous trip also.) After this who could not fit the tail light back into the original box!! This has taken about 20 minutes for TSA get thru all their procedures before I can get to the departure gate.
And this happen before my original flight was canceled.
I am not trying to convince anyone to rent cars from Patrick, but I think many of us from this forum have maintained long term relationships with residents of SXM. I started to rent cars from Patrick in 1998 at the Great Bay Hotel; he worked for Alamo at the time. I was schedule to fly to SXM on 9/12, right after 9/11. I finally arrived in SXM on about 9/13. I was not going to let any terrorist change my life style so I drove to BWI for four days straight until there was a flight to SXM. There were about 10 people on the plane, but it was one of the best trips I had to SXM. The Great Bay Hotel was deserted and Patrick did not rent any cars for a week. Patrick and started to in the evening together and we have been friends since. We have gone thru engagements, divorces, a birth and deaths in one another life ever since. His girlfriend Anteia calls me his white brother.
Anyone who wants to write how bad and dangerous the island is keep on looking and find your own ‘Eden’. But all the negative writing and complaints will never have any effect on my travel plans to SXM. By using common sense I never had a problem in Saint Martin. Whoever thinks that St Martin is poor island I think they are crazy. Go to the Dominic Republic or Jamaica and travel outside of your resort and see what you find. The only time I feel assaulted is from the time share sales people.
Patrick has been in Mechanicsburg twice to visit me. Boy does he enjoy shopping centers. He can spend days there; I take him in the morning at he calls me when he wants to come home. Patrick come up with one suitcase and returns with four. One weekend we went to visit Washington DC. I told Patrick be prepared to walk. Patrick living in St. Martin is use to driving door to door and walking is new experience to him. He was so tried from going to the White House, to the Capital to the Smithsonian he fell asleep in the car in 30 seconds. I had to bribe him with ice cream, candy and soda’s to keep him walking. The next weekend we went to Baltimore Inner Harbor where he did not have to walk so much he enjoyed the aquarium very much. I am a football official and he went to the first football game at Hershey Park in Hershey PA. It was 60 F he had two coats on and he was freezing. The football official’s went to Hooters after the game; Patrick went with us and was very happy. One of his favorite activities is riding my John Deer lawn tractor, my grass never needs cut when he is here.
Accommodation’s I stay with Patrick
Food Ate at Greenhouse, Marks’s Place, Uncle Harry’s, IZZI, Chesterfields, and Rancho Steak House, all were fine except I had a bad steak at Rancho.
Beaches I always go Coco’s Beach on Orient and let sand and gravity work on me. Have not seen the 8th wonder by the rock in many years. The nude section was not open during my vacation. David used always took good care of me; I am still trying to break the new beach boy. In the past I have sometime gone to Mullet.
Weather July is one of my favorite times to visit St. Martin. Less traffic, less cruisers, less tourist, faster service in restaurants, better deals on everything. I also usually travel to SXM in November and March. I had one beach day rain out which I used for my shopping day. If it rained it was mostly at night. Saturday rained and I do my shopping. I always stop at Gulmohar’s and talk with Kamal, after becoming a few hundred dollars lighter because of purchase of liquor and Cuban cigar, we always talk about the SXM economy and since the recession in the USA how it has affected his business.
Customs and immigration arriving at night at 8:30 PM , no lines at immigration in SXM. Had to spend time claiming my lost luggage to flight changes, luggage arrived next day.
CLT Customs and immigration went thru in only five minutes, flight arrived early, usually takes at least 45 minutes. Have missed one connection there, and have come close to missing flights in the past.
TSA in CLT Ali Kareem Adula (aka MTD Bob) was thought to be terrorist again!!!! TSA also assaulted some poor old lady with a metal hip. TSA Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!
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