After a little more time of plane watching and a little bit of swimming, we figured we should probably head back toward the ship so that we could spend a little bit of time shopping right there at the port. I believe it was probably around 2-2:30 when we walked back to Sunset to try to get a cab. 

Along the way back, we decided instead of taking the beach and rocks way, we would walk the concrete divider instead (since we were already at the top of the rocks anyhow from watching the last plane come in). Since we were in port about a week or so after hurricane Earl had passed, there was A LOT of sand still on the roads. It made a narrow road to begin with even narrower. If someone was walking in the street, a car could not pass. We walked along the concrete about ½ way and I decided to look back to see if any cars were coming and jump down into the street and walk to make it easier. About the time I looked back, there was a gap in the concrete…YEP, down I went in between the gap. I completely scuffed up my entire left leg from my toes to my thigh…blood everywhere and stinging pretty bad. My right foot, 3rd toe must have taken a hit because it instantly swelled pretty big. My right hand came down because of instinct to break the fall and took the worse hit. (By the time I made it back to the port, you couldn’t even see 3 of my knuckles, it was swollen so bad it looked like it could pop any minute now, and my palm was completely bruised up). Then all I can say is thank goodness for eating SO MANY MEALS on the Epic prior to this island and gaining a little added cushion to the belly (LOL) I truly believe it saved my face from something that could have turned out worse than it did. My chin was the last thing to hit and stop on the concrete. Nothing like hearing in your head a bone in your face hitting hard concrete. YUCK. My husband came running over (he had been walking ahead of me and only caught the last half of my fall as I screamed and he witnessed me hitting my face). Thank goodness for his quick reaction of grabbing me because I was seeing stars at that point and I thought I would have passed out if he had not grabbed me in time and sat me down. 

After sitting for awhile, I hopped over to the entrance of Sunset and ask a lady there with a walkie talkie to call us a cab. There were TONS of people waiting at that point. Everyone was anxious and dishing in line to get a taxi. It was a mad house. Taxi’s were pulling up and taking people back, I was standing in line. I didn’t feel good at all, bleeding, in pain, and still feeling like I was light headed. My husband went to the lady and told her “we need to get her back to the ship NOW, she is hurt and needs help”. About that time 3 older ladies came around everyone, with Carnival beach towels wrapped around them and got in front of everyone. When the next cab pulled up, they said they had room for 3 people, the lady with the walkie talkie came over to us and told us to get in. Of course I could barely walk, so it was taking me awhile to make it there. The 3 ladies jumped in front of me and on the taxi van. SERIOUSLY??? At that point I was really upset and pissed to be exact. I started yelling at them that I was hurt, how are they going to not only dish everyone in line, but jump in a cab that was offered to me and that I needed medical attention. Never ONCE did they turn around, acknowledge that I was talking, or said a word back. But I KNOW they heard me. People are just plain rude. So the lady said she would make absolutely sure that I got in the next cab. As soon as it pulled up, they put me in it first and told the driver he was to take me (even though another family had called for the taxi for them). The family didn’t say a word about it to me, just gave me “looks” for being in “their” taxi.

Traffic was TERRIBLE at this time. The cab driver said that it would be quicker if he took a different way back to the port by crossing over to the French side and going around. I do have to say the area that we passed going back looked a lot nicer than the way we had came getting there. It was smooth sailing all the way into town to drop the other family off and then we were in traffic again at the port.

The bad part is, I ask the driver how much it would cost us to get back to the port. He replied $7 pp. The family that we were in the cab with did not speak English (other than the son riding in the front seat who had to translate everything to the rest of the family). When they got out (a stop before us at the center of town for shopping), they started gathering their money and the cab driver told them “no, it was $154 for the cab ride. YIKES! (There was only 8 of them) They didn’t speak up or say one word but was trying to get enough money together to give to the driver. I was in shock that they had to pay that and thought it was crappy that he took advantage of them for not understanding.

We got back to the port finally and it took me awhile to get back on the ship, but I finally made it. WHEW! I’m still trying to heal, but watching the planes come in was definitely the highlight of the day for me. I had waited so long to see them and highly suggest Maho to anyone else that would be interested. Orient, I would probably pass on given the chance to ever go back there again.

The after math by the time I got back to the room and cleaned up a bit. My leg was scratched from the top to the bottom at my ankles. My 4th toe was starting to swell. The top of my right hand was really starting to swell and I knew I was in a lot of pain.