Kiki’s First Flight

So, my people decided that we are going to live for a while in a place called St. John, and apparently we couldn’t just drive there – like we do everywhere else we go. They told me we’d have to either fly… or swim. Since I don’t do that water thing, guess we were flying (and they wouldn’t let me just stay in the RV by myself and throw parties.. pout).

Cherie called this nice lady at American Airlines, and booked me a ticket on the flight from Miami to St. Thomas. It cost $100 for me to fly in the cabin with all the people, but I would also be considered one of the carry-on pieces. That kinda rips if you ask me.

Also, I had to get a health certificate from a vet. So I got all dressed up, got on my best behavior and went to a vet and passed inspection. He said I was one of the nicest kitties he’d ever seen. He offered up a pamphlet on traveling with a cat, but told us that we could probably write a whole book on that topic. And then he charged us $65.

Chris & Cherie got me this really cozy little cave with a shoulder strap, that I loved riding in across the country in October. I really like it, and even preferred it to sitting on Cherie’s shoulder in the truck (my usual way of travel).

Our travel day was so long. We left Orlando around 5:30a in a car (I was allowed to sit on the luggage and look out the back window). Then I was stuffed into my carry around cave, and we took a shuttle bus to the airport. Where we waited in a really long line because cats can’t use the self check-in kiosks. And then another line for security, where I had to get out of my cave and walk through some fancy scanner device to make sure I wasn’t a terrorist kitty (hehehe.. I fooled them!). And then back in my cave, and onto an airplane.

An airplane!! I thought it would be fun. But no.. they stuffed me under a seat and I couldn’t look out the window!! Don’t they know us traveling cats love looking out windows??? That’s ok, I just took a nap. And all of the friendly people around me thought I was the bestest cat ever!

Until the landing. Or should I say.. landings??

All was smooth until our approach to St. Thomas, then the bouncing around began. Lots of bouncing around. We were going down, down, down.. and then a sudden steep up! The pilot said the weather got really bad and we’d wait it out for a while and attempt it again. So I was tossed around for a good 20 minutes.. shake.. shake.. bump.. rattle.. shake. It scared the kitty-poopies right out of me! Then down, down, down.. and then another sudden up!! The pilot came back on and said the weather was so bad that we were going to land in Puerto Rico instead! And to think, my people drove us all the way across country so I would only have one take-off and landing! Hah.

After the plane re-fuelel and the weather cleared, we took off again and made our landing into St. Thomas. From there, we got into a van for a long hilly ride to the ferry station and a nice man commented on how good of a kitty I was. Then we boarded a boat for a ride across to St. Thomas. Where we got into a Jeep and went on another long curvy hilly ride.

And then finally.. to this place we’ve been ever since.

Whew. What a day of travel! I think I should have gotten airplane wings!!

Oh? And all that money to American Airlines and the vet? No one.. not a single person, ever checked to see if I was ticketed. And no one asked for my health certificate! I bet I coulda just stowed away and saved a lot of hassle and money.

So, here I am.. watching birds, frogs, bugs and mongoose on an island. I’ll catch some critter soon, I tell ya!