Dentist
On my initial visit to the dentist this week he observed my teeth and told me I was grinding them in my sleep. Then he asked if I snored. He recommended that I get a sleep apnea test and suggested that he could fit me with a dental appliance that would force my jaw forward at night almost certainly eliminating snoring and sleep apnea if present.The cost of the evaluation is $1,200, seems a bit high for somebody to monitor your breathing and oxygen levels for four hours. The price of the dental appliance is $1,420. Well hell, if I have sleep apnea, I'm out $2,640. If I don't I'm out $1,200.
I went home and looked up the symptoms of sleep apnea, decided I was a good candidate. Anybody whose neck is over 17" is an excellent candidate regardless of body fat levels. I snore. What the hell, why not just get the appliance and see?
The doc promptly attended to me at my 10:00 appointment which I had made the day before. An impression was made of my upper teeth, my lower teeth and then my bite when I thrust my jaw as far forward as possible.
Now to wait six weeks for the device to be made in the U.S.
Flying Home
Aeroperlas started a new service from Tocumen airport to Bocas on July 6. Formerly they only flew to the Albrook Airport and International Regional Airport handling prop planes that fly within the country and to Costa Rica. Yesterday I booked a flight online from Tocumen as it is a bit closer to where I am staying. This proved to be a big mistake.
I went back to the place at which I was staying and got very frustrated at the number of things my operating system upgrade broke and killed time until it was time to go the airport. My gracious hostess arranged for a taxi pickup at 1:30. This should get me to the airport by 2:00. I returned my keys and went out front. At 1:30 a taxi pulled up. I asked if he had been called to go to the airport and he replied in the affirmative.
I got in the cab and said "Yo necessito Tocumen Aeropuerto Internacional." He looked at me blankly "Aeropuerto Albrook." "No, Tocumen Aeropuerto Internactional." He got his dispatcher on the radio they talked for two minutes and he looked back at me gave me the thumbs up and said "bien" (good). Off we went. I pulled out my netbook and played a game for a while. Finally the driver said "Aeropuerto" and pointed. WTF? This is Albrook airport. "No, yo necessito Tocumen Aeropuerto Internacional." Off we went I looked, what the hell? Now he was taking me to the bus terminal. I told him a third time and we headed off in the correct direction.
Now where the hell is the Aeroplas check in counter. I couldn't find it and everybody who worked at the airport told me that I had to go to Albrook. Just frigging great. Finally somebody told me that Taca operated Aeroplas. Hundreds of people were in queue to fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. I'm never gonna get on this flight. Once I got past the guy who checks passports I somehow managed to find an attendant who wasn't checking in people to San Jose. I informed her of my destination and she told me I was in the wrong terminal. How can this be? There is only one terminal. A tall slender black woman who smelled like lavender came over to help me. I told her she was a beautiful person and asked her just to walk me over, either so I don't get lost or just so I could enjoy the view. She gave a hearty laugh and led me over to a 2,000 square foot building that was still covered in aluminum covered insulation.
There was but one man in the building, he met me at the door and said "Senoir Schmidt?" "Si" "We've been waiting for you." How nice they were holding up the plane. Then he informed me that the plane was at Albrook. WTF? I have a reservation out of Tocumen. "Yes but the plane is at Albrook." Apparently flights to Tocumen fly through Albrook. These airports can't be more than 20 kilometers apart. As I was the only passenger on the flight they decided not to stop at Tocumen. We walked back to the international terminal and he gave me a taxi voucher. Then we went out front and a large van was hailed. Now don't come under the impression this van was built for comfort. The seats were so close together it should be used exclusively by amputees and midgets.
Arriving at Albrook I got a very confused look on the woman's face at the check in desk. Did I want to buy a ticket? No I bought one. May I see it? No, I made it online. You are not in here. I was supposed to be flying out of Tocumen. Then why are you here? They sent me here.
Fifteen minutes later it was all sorted out and I got an Aeroplas boarding card, a 1/4" thick piece of white plastic with a number on it. My carry on consisted of my backpack and three sixteen ounce bottles, shampoo, conditioner and aloe vera. Nobody suspected I was going to blow up the plane with them and I was allowed to carry them on. I did have to surrender my lighter, but not a box of matches.
Life is strange.
Back in Bocas
At 6:00 we flew across a sea of bananas extending to the horizon in all directions, country, we were landing in Changinoula the westernmost city on the Pananamian Caribbean.Bocas Rumors
Spirit may be flying direct from Fort Lauderdale to Bocas. Negotiations underway to increase length and thickness of runway.3 New fire trucks on the way
Golf Course on Boca Drago next month breaking ground.
The diesel power plant will be shut down, electricity will be brought over from the mainland and run the length of this island.
Dinner
Had dinner at Shellys (best Mexican food around) with Stephen. Chatted up two lovely Slovakian women. They wanted an escort to the beach to watch the sea turtles come in but I was too tired for even their company. Went to Stephens house and picked up my replacement Tilley and a complicated device that requires a twenty page instruction manual ordered by my former visitor.On my walk home I was warmly welcomed back on near every block. Good to be home, but to many I felt the need to apologize for inflicting my visitor on them.
No comments:
Post a Comment