Jamaica: Day 10

Our flight left Montego Bay at 11:50 am, but we spent the entire morning at the airport because Boyfriend likes to be prepared. We officially arrived at 9:40 am, and after having checked in and gone through the most thorough security check of our lives, we were at the gate a full two hours early. In addition to the plethora of time I spent roaming the 17-gate airport,  I was able to finish a third book on this trip.

These are some fun facts about Sangster International Airport I learned while grumpily passing time.

1. The five minute taxi ride from the Hip Strip in Montego Bay costs $18.00 (and four Red Stripe beers, in our case).
2. The departures portion of the airport is much grander than the arrivals portion. 
3. The exact same trinkets sold in the 394 stores on the Hip Strip can be purchased in the comfort of air conditioning at the airport for roughly the same cost--rates remain negotiable.
4. About every four gates, the concourse/hallway/walkway becomes a Duty Free shop. That makes about four in an itty bitty allotment of space. There isn't much more than alcohol to gawk at, and less rum that one might expect. Since we weren't checking a bag, there wasn't even a chance of shopping.  
5. Juici Patties are sold frozen in bulk. As to what you're supposed to do with 24 frozen meat pies before a flight, I'm not sure. 
6. There is a Cinnabon, Domino's, Moe's, Quiznos, Wendy's, and not one but two Auntie Anne's, Dairy Queens, and Margaritavilles in the airport (re: 17-gate airport). I was particularly excited about the DQ until I saw the cost of a mini blizzard runs $6.00 (instead of the $2.89 I recall last paying).
7. There are no water fountains to be found. That's particularly awesome, since no water is allowed through security and all flights leaving Jamaica are international (i.e., long). 

Our flight to Charlotte, North Carolina was packed with exhausted vacationers worried about the combination ice and snow storm sweeping the South. The second leg of our flight was equally packed, and we were thrilled to be on the one flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that was not cancelled. We were due for some good luck, and we fully appreciated it after some miserable delays last leaving Kansas City, Boston, and Chicago.

After a sluggish Metro ride, we were home sweet home in a snowy city in time for Boyfriend's program--Jeopardy.