Atkins Wedding, Day Four: Heading Home

It has been an awesome weekend but we cannot wait to get home to see our turkeys!  We were to meet downstairs at 11:00 so we can load the bus and head out by 11:30.  We headed down about 10:30 since we knew that it would take forever for the car to come and get our luggage since everyone else was leaving too.  We got down and they unloaded our luggage half way down the mountain and were going to load all of it once everyone was down so they could take it the rest of the way down to the bus.  Well, of course 11:30 came and went and we waited... and we waited... and we waited and we... you get the point!

We had the last flight out of San Diego at 5:00 and this was not looking good.  It was a two hour drive to the border then we were going to have to sit to get over the border.  

At 12:00 I was getting a little irritated.  I saw Yar talking to the guy up by the luggage and then the guy came down and went behind the bar and started talking to three other employees just STANDING THERE!!!  WHAT WERE THEY DOING???  Yar told them that we were on a tight schedule and that half of us had a flight to catch.  

Come to find out... they really could give a rats behind!  Finally I was going to say something.  Yar beat me to it and walked over to the guy and told him that we needed to start loading the luggage.  Everyone had been down there waiting for over an hour now.  FINALLY... they got to loading.  We did not even wait for them to unload the cars, we all started grabbing stuff and throwing it on the bus.  We get the bus loaded and hit the road at 12:36.    

It was an uneventful ride...  UNTIL, wait for it...

We were going through the "bus lane" to go "faster" but that plan BACKFIRED big time!  We got in line and when we tried to get through they told us that we could not go this way because we had one person (Pepe, Andrea's dad) on board that needed to get his papers checked since he was not a citizen.  They said it would not be fair for him to cut in front of all the US Citizens who had been waiting in line... for HOURS. 

Soooooo, you've heard the phrase, "back that bus on up". Well, we literally backed. that. bus. on. up!  We reversed down a busy street for a good mile.  Yes, you read that correctly... WE BACKED THAT BUS ON UP!  

We had to drive around to the other border crossing area (the one where we crossed over on the way in).  

When I tell you we were about 20 feet from where we were supposed to go in and we could see it, THAT is how close we were.  There were THOUSANDS of cars that we got to pass and THOUSANDS that were on foot walking over.  We would be over the border in no time... NOT

We sat there and moved about 2 feet every 45 minutes or so.  We were getting off the bus to find a bathroom and some snacks and stretch and get back on... then repeat the same thing the next hour.  At this point folks we are NOT making our 5:00 flight.  We call the airlines and they want to charge us $425 for a change fee, but so kindly waived after they heard our story but did charge us another $400 for the difference in the airfare for changing flights.  After that good news... Justin needed a beer... or six.  

We got another hotel booked and started texting mom to tell her we missed the flight and were on the 6:20 the next morning.  Scrambling to figure out who was going to watch the kids.  Mom could go in a little late and Carlie was going to be home.  Thank goodness!  

Justin on either side of the border
Scott and Byron passing some time playing some tunes. 

We FINALLY got up to our turn in line.  We had to unload the entire bus this time and go wait in line to get our passports checked.   We made it.  It took FIVE hours to get through but we made it.  Once everyone was through we had to find the bus to get back on it to drop us off at the airport where we all met up.  We arrived at 8:00.  At this point we were all delirious.  We have never been so happy to be on US soil!  I must say, after crossing I got to experience paying a quarter to use THE MOST DISGUSTING RESTROOM IN MY ENTIRE LIFE at the McDonald's across from the border.

 8:00 PM sharp we pulled into the Wally Park parking lot where we all met.  We unloaded the bus and said our goodbyes.  Headed to the airport to catch a shuttle to the hotel, checked in at 9:00 and went to grab some dinner in Little Italy.  We headed back to the hotel to for some sleep until 4:00 am.  We had to leave for the airport at 5:00 so Justin set his alarm.  I set mine just in case and thank goodness I did because Justin set his for 5:09 instead of 4:09.  That would have sucked if we missed another flight!

We arrived at the airport and hit the Starbucks first thing.  Boarded the plane with no problems and off we went.  It was so great to see the kiddos!