I have been putting off writing this post. To put myself back in that intensely emotional place is something I don’t want to do; and to be able to adequately describe the hopeless and helplessness of the situation seems an impossible task. We had our own miracle that I am forever grateful for. I strongly believe there was divine intervention. I should be shouting it from the rooftops, but to put it into words seems so exhausting. Although I know I will never be able to give the story justice to what happened in reality, I will do my best.
We woke up that morning by 6:30 am and felt well enough to make our way to the airport to meet back up with Amy and Johnny and continue on to Sihanoukville (which would be our relaxing beach part of the trip). Amy had sent us a link the night before showing plane tickets for $45 that left at 9:35 am. This was on a brand new airline that just opened up business on March 17th of this year! So literally, the day we left for Cambodia, this airline started. Brand spanking new. The flight would only be 55 minutes. Such a great deal. That morning we tried to buy them online with our phones, but since the flight was leaving that day it said we could no longer buy them online. It was too close to departure. So we figured we could just get to the airport and purchase them there. We called a tuk tuk and made our way feeling excited and anxious to be back with our friends.
Feeling a strange sadness looking at our luggage rather than our travel partners.
Meanwhile, Johnny and Amy had made it back to Phnom Penh on the six hour night bus ride. They had been “sleeping” on double gym mats on the ground at the back of the bus. The mat was actually too short for Johnny, but they made it work. They arrived in Phnom Penh at 5:30 am and then their private van picked them up at 6:00 am for the four hour drive to Sihanoukville. (We had travelled north from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat, and now needed to travel south of Phnom Penh to get to Sihanoukville.)
Jason and I had not brought debit cards! So STUPID!! We brought credit cards, but we quickly learned that practically no one takes credit cards. They only take perfect cash. They don’t take any bills that are even slightly ripped. We had brought some $2 bills that only half of the people and places would accept. They are so particular; it was frustrating. Without debit cards, we could not withdraw any more cash from the ATMs. We didn’t realize the money danger we were in by separating from Johnny and Amy until that morning. We were really hoping and expecting that the airport of all places would take a credit card.
The new airline with the $45 add was JC Airlines. When we arrived, we learned that their desk didn’t open until 8:00 am, so we anxiously waited for someone to arrive. Meanwhile, Jason was calling Chase at 20 cents a minute to try and get a pin for his credit card to get a cash advance from the ATM in case this plan of paying with a credit card didn’t work. Mind you, if we had been able to purchase the tickets online as advertised, we would have been able to pay with a credit card. The Chase worker on the phone set it up for Jason, but then submitted it incorrectly! The pin was being mailed to our house in 7-10 days!! We needed the pin now. Jason spoke to someone else trying to correct it, but apparently once that is submitted, it can’t be reversed. It was so frustrating!
The JC desk finally opened and the guy has to check to see if they could sell us a ticket at the counter. We waited another twenty to thirty minutes, feeling very anxious since the flight would leave at 9:35 am and it was now 8:30 am. We still didn’t know if we could buy a ticket.
He came back to us and said we could buy a ticket, but the price was $103 per person in cash. They would not take credit card. This was Not Good! We literally didn’t have that much cash. Jason explained what we were able to pay based on the price advertised and that we could only afford $100 for both of us. (Even getting this plane ticket to Sihanoukville, we still needed transport to the dock and then boat tickets for both of us to get the island of Koh Rong before we could hope to see Johnny and Amy. After we ran out of cash, they had been withdrawing cash for us using their debit card.) We were trying to explain this to the worker, but he understood English only basically. The worker went away and said he would call someone. We sat and waited. We were already extremely stressed; this was taking me over the edge. I couldn’t help the occasional tear going down my face. I was freaking out. It was 9:00 am and the worker was in no rush to get back to us. I was facing the reality that we might not be going to the island at all! Because of our cash situation, we would have to buy a plane ticket online using our credit card, which would force us to wait for a flight for the next day, being a Friday and the prices doubled). We would still have to go back to the city of Siem Reap, get another hotel, eat, etc. and continue to deplete our cash supply. I also didn’t know if Amy would have cell reception or internet on the island; we may never be able to even find each other! Then we would be stuck on the island with absolutely no money left, when we needed to be back in Phnom Penh by Saturday night for our flight home. So realistically, I realized we might have to just go straight back to Phnom Penh and wait it out there until our Saturday night flight just to be sure we could have enough money to make it to our flight. Again, I was freaking out while running this all through my head.
The guy finally came back to us and again said the price was $103 per person because it was at the counter. Jason stood and explained the ad we saw online. He also said he would pay that price if they would take credit cards, but in cash we literally only had $100 to spend so we could meet up with friends in Sihanoukville. I finally got better WiFi by logging into the airport internet and started searching for the online ad so I could show it to him, but by now the price was showing the higher price of $103 per person. Luckily, I had taken a screen shot earlier that morning of their site showing flights “from $45”. Jason was persistent and talked with them at the desk. I was sitting to the side, not hearing, only seeing that things were not looking good. I was trying to compose myself, but the tears kept streaking down my face. I was terrified. I was praying. I was nauseous. The supervisor was on and off the phone. The other desk workers were telling Jason, “There is nothing we can do. The price is $103 a ticket.” They were avoiding eye contact. Jason was fidgeting his legs, crossing his fingers behind his back, basically squirming while trying to keep it together as he waited for the supervisor.
At 9:15 am, Jason turned around and told me to get in line at security, that we were in! I started balling in relief! I motioned a “thank you” to the workers as I took my bags to security. Jason joined, then soon one of the desk workers followed and moved us to the front of the security line. We made it to the terminal! Luckily, the flight was delayed a bit so we had time to sit and try to text Johnny and Amy to let them know what was going on. I texted Amy, but got no response. I wasn’t sure if she was getting them or would get them due to cell service. With our flight getting in at 10:30 am, we could possibly meet up with them before they got on the boat for the island. We could only hope. But for the moment, we were so relieved and so blessed to even be on that flight! We knew it was divine intervention; their hearts were softened. There is no other way it would have worked out. Our prayers were heard and our prayers were answered.
The flight was quick and the plane was brand new. As soon as we landed, I checked my phone to see if Amy had responded. To my complete joy, I got the message that they were there at the airport to pick us up!! Amy had had no reception during a lot of the drive from Phnom Penh. She had been napping and Johnny asked her if she had heard from us. Amy told him she had no reception, but Johnny threw her the phone to check anyways. She looked, saw my message, and asked the driver if they were near the airport. The driver immediately turned down the next road and they were just two minutes away! They pulled up, waited 15 minutes, and then we came out of the gate. Total and complete MIRACLE!! The way it all worked out was a serious miracle! I sobbed while hugging Amy as Jason and Johnny went straight to the ATM machine to get some cash.
Words cannot express the pure helplessness we felt as we were waiting at the mercy of the airline attendant! The urgency and trouble we were in was huge. I was terrified. It was the persistence of Jason and the compassion of the airline worker that got us where we needed to be. They ended up giving us the $45 price! They took our $100 cash and even gave us the $10 back. Wow! The other desk worker just shook his head and said he had never seen this happen in the five years he had worked there.
We made it to the pier in time for a speed ferry to Koh Rong Island with 20 minutes to spare! Jason bought a pizza. I was still feeling a little nauseous at this point (thanks to the overwhelming emotions and newly starting menstrual cycle). Thankfully, I was able to rest on the hour ferry ride over the Koh Rong. That was exactly what I needed.
To be continued (on a much happier note as we relax on a gorgeous island)....
No comments:
Post a Comment