Update!! Posted February 16, 2010
Hope you are all gearing up for the upcoming Honduras Adventure! I have been in contact with many of you regarding travel questions - which is great. Listed below are some suggestions / requests to make the trip easier for all of us.... This sort of seems like a Class Trip with all the things I'll be mentioning - but, please remember, we are a large group and to make this work as smoothly as possible, we have to work together as a team!
This is going to be another one of those messages that you will want to pour a cup of coffee for and get comfortable....
Private Hotel Rooms - The fees that you have paid include a double/shared room with two beds. If you would like to request a private room, please email me ASAP -- and go to the HHH website: www.HackettHemwall.org to pay the extra fee for a private room. Private Rooms are assigned on a first come/first served basis. So, if you want a private room and haven't paid for one yet, do so now! (a few people have requested and paid for a private room and others have emailed and not paid - now is your chance to pay and have a better chance of getting one - if you would like one.) Refunds will be made if I can't get you a private room.
Please mark all of your luggage (carry-on, too) with Orange and Green Surveyor's tape. (tie several pieces of each color on all handles) Surveyor's tape isn't really tape but is inch wide plastic "ribbon" that surveyors use to mark stakes, etc.... it's the same sort of stuff that police use to mark crime scenes!! Don't buy the kind that says "caution" on it - the security guys at the airports will probably not like that!! (You can buy it at Home Depot type stores - at our Home Depot, it is located in the aisle with screw drivers and tape measures - $1.99 a roll) (Madison area people - call me if you want to stop by the house and get some of my tape.) This may sound like an odd thing to ask everyone to do but, it will make life much easier for us all as we arrive in San Pedro Sula!!! There will be about 70 of us meeting in San Pedro Sula and the airport is, at best, chaotic... figure 70 people with two checked bags and one carry-on = 210 pieces of luggage for the group!! If they are all marked with the orange and green surveyors tape, we all can be watching for each other's bags and help keep them in our possession and safe. Another advantage of marking bags, especially your carry-on, is that in airports on your way to Honduras, if you see someone with their carry-on marked with the green and orange tape, you could possibly meet another one of our group before you even get introduced in Honduras.
Other Luggage Details - Over the past year or so, the airlines have been changing their allowances for checked luggage. I recommend that you check with your airline or travel agent so you know what to expect. If you are "overnighting" in Miami, Houston or Atlanta, ask about checking your luggage thru to San Pedro or if you will need to claim it and then re-check it on Friday morning... and what the costs will be. Some more airline reminders - remember to have your liquids/gels in zip lock bags if they are in your carry-on luggage - otherwise you will have to throw them in the trash at "security". Check out TSA's, or your airline website, for details! Also, I would recommend packing a change of warm weather clothes in your carry-on bag - just in case your suitcase is lost someplace between home and San Pedro Sula. The security people in the San Pedro Sula airport are very picky and strict - so, when packing to go home, be sure to put anything even remotely sharp (like a tweezers, etc.) in your checked luggage. I have had even a cable computer lock taken by them because they said we could use it to choke someone!
Clothing - Bring scrubs to wear while working in our clinics!! We would like everyone, including Helpers, to dress like professionals so there is no doubt in anyone's mind that we are all health care professionals while we are working in Honduras! If you don't have access to scrubs, you can purchase inexpensive scrubs at the discount stores like Walmart, Shopko and Target - or on their websites. I don't recommend going to the uniform stores - scrubs will be much more expensive there. There is laundry service available to you, at a very reasonable cost, at the hotels in all three cities. If you drop your dirty clothes off in the morning, you usually get them back in the afternoon - if it is a sunny day! If it's raining, it will take a few days! Three sets of scrubs is usually sufficient even if you are working both weeks.
Internet - there is internet connection ability in all three of our hotels. (Tela, LaCeiba and Olanchito). Remember, if you do bring your computer, you are responsible for it!! Be sure to "back-up" before you leave home, just in case! The hotels also have a computer or two in the lobby for anyone to use (limit 10 minutes per session, please) Also, do not tell your family/office/friends that you will "email them on Tuesday evenings..." If the power is out, the internet doesn't work!! In the past, we've had families really worry when that email didn't come on Tuesday evenings, thinking the worst - not realizing that it's just a power outage in Honduras. Always have a Plan A and Plan B and maybe even a Plan C!
Cell Phones - Your cell phones from the US won't work in Honduras - and if they do, it will be very expensive to call home. Last year a number of our participants just purchased inexpensive cell phones in Honduras. It only costs about 10 cents per minute (or less) to call the US on these cell phones. You can receive calls from the US on the phones but it is quite expensive for the caller. If you purchase a phone, you could have your family call your phone and just say "call me back"... I have arranged thru a friend in LaCeiba that sells cell phones to take "orders" for cell phones. He will have them at the hotel in LaCeiba when we arrive. The cost is about $25. It will have about an hour's worth of talk minutes on it - you can easily purchase more minutes very cheaply. If you would like to order one of these phones, let me know. You will need to pay for it when you get it in LaCeiba. (if you order it, you will need to pay for it - once I order it they will have it set up with a number, etc... so even if you change your mind, you must pay!!) Already a couple of people have decided to share a phone - just an idea. We also have HHF phones in all three clinics - we use these phones for communicating between clinics. They also may be used in an emergency to call the states but we cannot have people calling home regularly on them... for your non-emergency calls, either buy a phone or use an internet phone.
Things to Bring - Sun Screen, Bug repellent, water bottle, comfortable shoes/sandals, long sleeve shirt and pants for the evenings, light jacket or sweatshirt, (it might get as cool as 70 degrees), hat (for sun), more Sun Screen, battery alarm clock, flash light, head lamps are even better, small back pack or day pack to carry your stuff back and forth to the clinic, beach towel if you plan on swimming either in hotel or on Roatan, Charcoal capsules - more below on those, your medications, sun glasses, Rx glasses/contacts - extra pair is good idea, shorts, capris, t-shirts, casual clothes. There won't be any need for any dressy clothes. Small gifts - you will be meeting and working with some local people that you will find you will want to give something to - small gifts from home are always appreciated - but NOT something you must bring... this is just a suggestion. We typically take Wisconsin Cheese, UW t-shirts, that sort of thing.
If you are going to Roatan - Bring a small bag/suitcase/backpack to put your Roatan clothes/stuff in. You will need to check out of your hotel room in the city where you are working but you don't want to take all of your belongings to Roatan - you won't need them! We will rent one hotel room in each city for everyone to put their big suitcases in for the weekend. Of course, for those of you leaving for home from Roatan, you will need to take everything with you.
Lodging on Roatan - If you haven't already done so, and if you are going to Roatan and if you want to stay at one of the properties that I have on hold for our group - please email me ASAP you first and second choice of lodging -- Sea Grapes Cabin, Sea Grapes Hotel room, Cocolobo, Crystal Beach Cabins. See the section on Roatan lodging on the Travel page of the website for details. I don't have many places left so let me know ASAP so we can work on other hotels if necessary!!
If you are meeting us in Atlanta - Jeff and I will be staying at LaQuinta Atlanta Airport hotel on Thursday night. (4820 Massachusetts Blvd, Atlanta) We don't land in Atlanta until 10:00 PM so won't make arrangements to meet up with you on Thursday evening. Remember, when checking in at the hotel, check on the airport shuttle for the morning. Our flight to San Pedro Sula leaves Atlanta at 9:40 AM, since it's an international flight, we need to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight for check in. We will probably be leaving the hotel at about 7:15 AM on the shuttle. Feel free to call my cell phone - 608-712-5518 after 6:00 AM Friday morning to see which shuttle, etc., we will be taking, otherwise, we'll see you in the breakfast area of the hotel - or on the shuttle. If we don't see you at the hotel (if you are staying at a different hotel or if you are just connecting in Atlanta) then we will see you at the gate for the flight to San Pedro Sula... Remember, watch for the green and orange luggage marking!!
When you get to San Pedro Sula airport - go thru immigration and customs then claim your luggage. (When filling out the immigration forms on the plane, for "reason for visit" - check "tourist". If you check business or work, then they assume you are getting paid and that is another issue to deal with. You are not being paid!!) Look for others in the group - again, by the Orange and Green marking on luggage! - Stay in the luggage claim area looking for others... Typically, we stay in the luggage claim area, collecting luggage and people for as many of the group as we can... We then will pass thru the final security to get out of the airport baggage claim area (yes, your bags are x-rayed again). They will require that you show the luggage claim ticket for every bag you have in your possession - save your claim ticket and have it ready for them!! Take only your own luggage!
Proceed thru the doorway - and then go to the right into the main part of the airport (where the airline check-in is) In that part of the airport, there is a Wendy's fast food restaurant, small stores, coffee shop and rest rooms. The seating area by the Wendy's, is where we want you to go!! We will make a large pile of luggage by the windows (there are not any doors to the outside there so it will be easy to keep track of the luggage). Jeff's and my flight (Delta from Atlanta) arrives at 12:16 PM. Some of our group will be arriving as early as 11:00 am - look for familiar faces and/or the green and orange "tape" on the luggage! We will be waiting at the airport for all of our flights to come in - until the 3:05 PM flight gets in... then we will be loading everything and everybody up on our rented buses for the trip to LaCeiba. Please stick together!!! Don't wander off - we don't want to accidentally leave you in San Pedro Sula!!! Also, watch your luggage! ... and all other luggage that has our green and orange surveyor's tape on it. Typically, we put all luggage in one area, and then take turns standing watch over it - I'll repeat - take turns watching the luggage!! Each person is responsible for their own luggage but, we want to start functioning like a team and help each other. For those of you that don't know me, I am usually pretty easy to spot - I'll be the crazed looking woman with spreadsheets trying to keep track of everyone and everything!! : >)
Also, the yellow piece of paper that they put in your passport at immigration is important!! Make sure you save it - you will need it to get out of the country - they take it from you in the airport as you depart. You will also need to pay a $36 exit fee as you leave Honduras... they do not take credit cards for this fee - you must have either Lempira or US dollars to pay it... plan ahead!! (sorry to be sounding like Mom again!)
Please send me your itinerary if you haven't already - or if you booked your flight someway other than with our travel agent, Brenda... If I know when/how you will be arriving, I'll know how to start looking for you if you don't show up!
As always, do not hesitate to email or call me if you have additional questions! (608-712-5518)
Take care... And Safe Travels!
Mary
PS - I will be sending out Honduras phone numbers for Jeff and I plus hotel phone numbers in the next couple days.
