San Pedro to Houston And Tomorrow, Southwest Airline’s First Belize Flight

This two day whirlwind trip to Houston and back has, so far, been pretty amazing.

Both Channel 5 Belize and I, making our way to Houston as guests’ of Southwest to take that very first flight from Houston Hobby Airport to Belize City is super exciting for me.  I packed a few things…including my Belize (and Southwest) colors and was off….

Tuesday morning, I was booked on the 9am Tropic Air flight from San Pedro to Belize City to start my journey.

A warm, humid October day…

The mainland looking beautiful and green again after the rains we had just a few weeks ago.

Pretty reflection in the Belize River…

Almost everything is complete at Philip Goldson’s Belize City Airport.  Handy kiosks to print out all of your Southwest information, even your luggage tagging.

And they are RIGHT outside the famous FAMOUS Jet’s Bar.  Named one of the 10 Best Airport Bars in the World.  Make sure to get Jet’s autograph…he’s been working at the airport for the last 52 years…and he is well aware of his star status.  He is very happy to give photos and autographs.

Oh but back up….DANG!  My bag, which I had purposely packed for checking in…full shampoo, lotion?  Why not?   Two bags are free on Southwest.  But not on United.   $25US.   Somehow that slipped my mind.  Do you KNOW how many pumpkin lattes that can buy me at Houston Starbucks?

What a gorgeous day to fly out…

And into George W. Bush International Airport.  An airport that saw almost 20 million people pass through last year.  Flight are coming in from EVERYWHERE and while immigration moved right along…customs?  Not so much.

I was about halfway through the line at this point.  And this MASS of people…we were moving towards 4 agents.

We were met by the driver and whisked downtown to the GORGEOUS JW Marriott.  Across from the overwhelmingly monstrous and posh Galleria Mall.

Where I soon headed…after casing out the area.  And what I learned quickly is that Houston is NOT a walking town.  A traffic officer look confused as I waited to cross the street.  When I asked him if there was a pet store nearby, he said yes…very close.  Just three miles away!

Clearly not a pedestrian place…

Unless you are in the Galleria.  Three floors, hundreds of stores and restaurants, an ice skating rink…just massive.  I did get one Galleria-blister.  And did some pretty amazing window shopping.

I also took a walk over to my happy place, about 10 minutes away…Whole Foods SuperMarket.  Produce perfection.

But after dinner (I’ll admit it…Taco Bell.  I can actually hear all you steak-lovers GROANING), it was an early bedtime.  We were meeting the Southwest team at 6am to take a ride over to Hobby Airport which TOMORROW is opening as an international hub.  New wing, new gates, new customs and immigration area, new parking garage…a TON of work has been going on over these last few months.

And I have lots of pictures to show you…

Oh…and one more thing.  GO HOUSTON ASTROS!  (unfortunately playing tonight in Kansas City in the American League Division Series).