Getting the Team to Lagonav Part 1

So what does it involve getting a team from arrival to the work site on Lagonav?  On the day of arrival I am often making a last minute supply run to the local grocery stores.  These days it often means Eagle Market.  This is store survived the quake is one of the only places where you can assured of finding what you need.  It doesn’t really look much different than a North American store except the aisles are a little closer together and everyone is speaking Creole and French.

Then it is off to the airport.  It all starts at the airport in Port-au-Prince.  Toussaint Louverture International Airport is named after the main leader of the revolution on late 1700’s here in Haiti.  He was betrayed to the French and died in a French prison before the revolution succeeded in bringing about an independent Haiti.

The airport was severely damaged during the earthquake in 2010.  But it was only a couple months before they had a working system to get people in and out of Port on the commercial flights.  There are always lots of people going through and lots of guys who want to help with luggage.  Once out of the baggage claim area it is a bit of a walk to meet me at the exit.  As things improve little by little they have even covered the walkway.

And how do we get back to Kaliko.  Since teams often bring lots of luggage and up to 10 people I get some help.  Nader is a Haitian man we met on our very first trip to Haiti in November 2006.  He owns several small buses and comes to meet us.  Everything gets loaded up and we are off to Kaliko.  It is about an hour drive to our home in air conditioned comfort.

With 10 guys sleeping at our home in Kaliko it makes for some creative sleeping arrangements.  But everyone sleeps well after a day of travel.  The tools are packed, the luggage loaded up and we are ready to head to the work on Lagonav.  A quick dip in the pool at Kaliko gives incentive for the week of hard work.  The reward comes on our return to Kaliko.

Part 2 will come tomorrow.  Across the ocean and up to the guest house for the arrival at our final destination.