The Waiting Game

Evac IV

We get off the bus, exhausted, and have to lug that damn heavy luggage up the ramp, and stairs, and through tiny corridors. Oh Yeah! We see Edmund, but he is assigned a room with another man. We get to bunk with another woman. I am just thrilled to be in a room. I told the kids not to grab water, cause---hey we are on a cruise ship and they MUST have water--WRONG. This was a huge mistake. Not only they did they run out of water, I was swindled buying three sodas for $10, "we are out of change" getting an IOU for $6 and when I went to collect, guess what--"Which one gave you this?" Well how the hell should I know? I'd been up for hours and they want me to remember a face, good luck with that. I crash as soon as my head hits the pillow. The Pepsi I so desperately wanted forgotten. Around 3am I wake up because we are finally underway. The next morning I awake, thinking I am so much closer to home........what a joke. I am greeted by my monthly friend, cause God forbid I get to go thru this ordeal without having to run to the bathroom every few hours. Anyway........coffee never tasted so good, as it did that morning. We ate, were happy, found Edmund. As we get ready to check out this lovely ship, the engine explodes......but we don't believe it's the engine..........no..........we think Isreal is shooting at us........with good reason mind you.

By mid afternoon, two hours from Turkey, we are informed that we will be turning around and heading for Cyprus.......6 hours away. Gee, thanks. The ship runs out of water, I noticed a lot of bribing going on, and am disgusted that I was turned away, all because I didn't know I had to grease a palm of the greedy staff aboard the Saudi ship the Rahma. T can play that game if informed ahead of time.

Anyway, we finally reach Cyprus. Edmund and his roomy, knowing the bulk of our luggage, comes to our room to and they take our bags down to the dock. What a nice young man. As we head into the building, I have more lines to stand in, and the kids get to chow down on Kentucky Fried. Can you smell the sweetness of that chicken? Edmund gets bussed out ahead of us, and we plan to meet later. An hour bus ride takes us to fair grounds. More lines as we check in. We get a phone card. Never before had a call home thrilled me to my toes. Once we pick our cots, we decide to move closer to the bathrooms, and to higher ground. I sit in line for an hour. I am greeted with the answering machine at the house, and try Hubby's cell, only to get more of the same. Leaving a brief message, I call my mom. YES SHE ANSWERS. Can you guess what happens next??? You know me..........the flood gates are opened and I can't help but cry.
When we get to the fair grounds I hear that Turkey turned the US away. It would take them another 24 hours to get permission to send Evacuee's to that country.