Andre and Wendy: Roatan Here we come again

Off for a second visit to Roatan, it's been a long 7 years since we were last here for snorkeling with Joey and Liam. This time Ron and Nancy are along with us, and we are meeting Joey in Toronto. Liam this year is off on his own adventures, right now cycling through Morocco.

Needed to spend the night before in a hotel by the Halifax Airport. Dinner at the airport hotel, the most disappointing fish and chips ever, we are in the Maritimes they should know how to make a good fish and chips. Early to bed as a very early wake up to catch the shuttle at 3:45 for the airport. Of course made it to the airport with lots of time to spare.

Breakfast at the airport consisted of things we picked up at Masstown yesterday. Fueled up, deicing done and we are on our way to Toronto. Joey arrived in Toronto an hour before us, she had trouble finding our gate C something, we were landing at B something. Come to find out that outside gates are called C's, inside it is B's. Something new learned for the day.

We are all connected and finally off to Roatan. We had read that lots of construction has happened at the airport in Roatan. Definitely now on the arrival side! It looked exactly the same as last time we were here. Because we are in a beautiful sunny climate we are deplaned front and back, of course we are seated right in the middle, so one of the very last to get off the plane. We have our documents filled out for Roatan arrival, waste of time as they were never even looked at, oh well maybe they will ask for them on departure. A very slow long queue getting through customs, we hit at at dinner time I guess so people were going off and on for breaks, extremely slow.

Finally through customs and our driver is waiting for us. Puerto Azul is having a sale on for December and it includes a driver pick up at the airport, 5 dinners, a snorkel tour, a sunset tour and breakfast is included daily. We have added a $10 stop at the grocery store to pick up drinks and things for a couple of lunches and snacks while we are there. The grocery store hasn't changed a bit either.

We are all quite hot, definitely not used to 30C degrees yet. It was -10C when we left Halifax. Quite a difference. The girls hair is already starting to get curly from the humidity, guys not so much :)

Supplies purchased and we are off to the hotel. Got there around 5PM, a long day. Puerta Azul has 7 rooms, all standalone. 4 are by the beach, and 3 cottages up closer to the road. Andre Joey and I are in a cottage where Andre and I have really a small apartment with a breezeway to a bedroom for Joey with her own bathroom. We have a full size fridge and stove, we will definitely be the gathering spot for the week. This is the same room that we had last time we were here and it works perfect for us. Ron and Nancy are in one of the rooms closer to the beach, there room consists of only a bedroom and bathroom.

Car unloaded and we are off for our first dinner. We had already seen improvements at our cottage, but huge improvements when we head down to the main area. They have built a totally new kitchen and new dining area. The vegetation is so lush and green all around, it is very pretty. They now have a menu for lunch and dinner with quite a few options, totally excited to see full fried red snapper, I know what I am having tonight. Everyone was very pleased with their meals. It is 3 sister working in the kitchen and serving. Amazing women that we had lots of fun with.

With what will become our nightly ritual we are all off back to our cabin for card games. Luckily we all like playing games. We rotated games nightly. Not a very late night as the snorkelers are very excited to hit the water tomorrow and it has been along travel day.