KB24 Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Below is an email my wife Alexis put together about our trip to Cabo and the aftermath of Hurricane Odile. Thought I’d forward it off to you guys if interested in knowing the **** we went through. It’s long but the news in the states isn’t showing anything about it. I know everyone has questions and wants to know exactly what happened down in Cabo while we there. Honestly it's still to "raw" and to even talk about it still brings me to tears. To say we're grateful to be home would be a gross understatement. I thought if I could just get it out once then we wouldn't really have to talk about it too much after you read this. So here it goes, our account of this trip gone horribly wrong. Obviously we did know a storm was coming. When we left Los Angeles the storm was supposed to hit 300 miles from Cabo off shore and our biggest concern was getting rained on and maybe a little wind. Cabo has NEVER before had a storm like this and was in no way prepared for what was coming. Friday, Saturday, and most of Sunday was fun in the sun and great trip. Things gradually started to change on Sunday afternoon when they asked us all to get off the beach, leave the pool and head inside the hotel. We still at this point had no idea the storm was heading directly to Cabo to make a direct hit. They served dinner in the underground ballroom that night for most guests but we actually went to our room ordered a movie and called for room service...yes, room service...and it came. Complete with the hotel staff in yellow rain slickers. The ocean and waves started to get a little crazy and in came the wind and rain. Rain like I have never seen before. We left Brian and Cindy's room and went back to our own room around 10 PM. As we sat in our room we started to realize it was getting pretty bad and we were advised to not leave our hotel room under any circumstance and to stay inside until we heard otherwise. Obviously that news was a little unnerving. We were able to call home and let our families know what was going on which was a relief to them and tell them that we were ok and handling everything pretty well. By 12 PM we had to retreat to our bathroom as the rain water was starting to come through our balcony and our front door but worst of all the sliding glass doors were shaking so bad that we thought they were going to blow in and shatter glass all over us. The howl of wind was like nothing I could describe and it went on for hours and hours only to get worse. I have never before become physically sick to my stomach from fear. After being in the bathroom for a while we heard a loud noise and the howling of wind increase. We peeked out the door and saw that our balcony door had come undone and now the rain and wind were swirling inside the room. We made a decision to leave the bathroom and try to get the door closed because we were scared with his partially open it'd surly blow out. We ran to the door but the 125 mph winds were so bad that they blew the door off the track and we couldn't get it closed. We figured we had 2 options. Either stay put and hope the door didn't blow and hope the bathroom could protect us or make a run to Brian and Cindy’s room. At this point our entire room was under a couple inches of water so we grabbed our passports, put on our tennis shoes and made a run for it to Brian and Cindy's (my Brother in Law) room. We made it there and the phrase "safety in numbers" took on a whole new meaning. We spent the remainder of the night there. the crazy part was that sitting through the hurricane and surviving wasn't even the worse part. Monday: Amazingly enough we only lost power shortly and were still able to keep in contact with our parents. We spent the morning surveying the hotel damage and exchanging horror stories with other guests of the hotel. I can't say enough amazing things about hotel and the fact that we had fruit, bread and hot coffee the very next morning was unbelievable. The reason why our hotel did so well was because our hotel was the furthest hotel outside the city of Cabo...thank GOD we booked this hotel!! Because we still had phones we were able to keep checking the Alaska Airlines website and someone was actually able to get a live person on the phone who said yes there were planes at the Cabo airport and if we could get to the airport we'd be able to get on a plane. In 10 seconds flat we threw most our belongings in our suitcase and found someone with a private shuttle who said he'd take us to the airport. 16 people fit into a 10 passenger van with luggage and before we left the hotel concierge reminded us that the hotel was taking no responsibility for safety and that we were on our own. We had NO IDEA what was going on behind the gates of our hotel and we were not prepared for what we were about to see. It was a spider web of broken power lines, palm trees snapped in half, the amount of mudslides and debris on the roads was unbelievable. The shuttle had to keep trying different roads because most were just un-crossable and we drove under and over power lines the whole way. The people were devastated and homes were just torn apart. The gas stations had thousands of people at them all fighting for fuel. As we drove through the city and saw car dealerships completely collapsed and people looting the Costco, markets, and basically anything they could get their hands on we started to realize the gravity of what had happened and the desperation of the people. Here we were American tourists with no security in a working vehicle that had gas and we were just sitting ducks for these people. I was so sick to my stomach and have never felt fear like that. I was terrified that going through all the debris we'd get a flat tire or run out of gas and then there'd we'd be Americans on the street of Cabo with no help. We thought this was either the smartest decision we ever made and we'd get to the airport to fly out or this was the stupidest decision we'd ever made and our imaginations ran wild with what could happen to us. When we got the airport, saw the abandoned cars and saw one soldier standing out front our hearts sank. He looked our car, shook his head and said "no airport." I wanted to throw up. The airport was completely destroyed and it was shockingly clear we were not going home and after seeing that airport firsthand we didn't know how'd we'd ever get home. Needless to say the 2 hour ride back to hotel was devastating and terrifying all over again. We were able to let our parents know once we were back at the hotel what had happened and that we would not be getting home. That was the first time I cried. We had our families on FaceTime and to see the kids’ faces and Reagan calling our names and Tyler asking "mommy, when are you coming home, we miss you" made our hearts break. Needless to say the nights were sleepless and were almost impossible. Tuesday: We woke up early Tuesday night after tossing and turning to call Tyler before school when we realized we had no phones, no Wi-Fi, no nothing. We were completely cut off from the outside world with no idea what was going on in Cabo or the States. Then the rumors began to swirl and panic crept in. How much food did the hotel have? How much water was left? Were the people so desperate that they were going to storm our hotel for our resources? How long would the generator last to keep the power going? Was our government coming for us? Did anyone in the U.S. know how bad it was? Was the media covering this? How was airport going to get fixed? WHEN COULD WE GET HOME? What could we do? There was nothing to do and no one to give us answers. So...we got to work. We put our tennis shoes on and the 4 of us headed outside to start cleaning. We started to make piles of debris and before we knew it 4 more people joined us, then 10 more people and an hour later we had over 100 people shoveling, sweeping and lifting debris. The workers came out and said 'please, no you don't have to do this" and we said well what else are we going to do, the place was a mess. The entire bottom part of the hotel was under 7 inches of sand and every hotel room flooded so they had SO much work to do. The staff began to bring us out water and beer and express their gratitude to us in the most sincere and heartbreaking way. We cleaned for hours and hours and believe it or not by the end of the day we actually put out some lawn chairs and had an outdoor bar set up:) Obviously the pools were destroyed and the ocean was un-swimmable but at least it looked a little better and we were all working together. It was a rare moment of gratitude and hope to see us all coming together to help. Another sleepless night ensued with no answers and no communication. Wednesday: We knew our family was worried sick that it had been radio silent for over 24 hours with no word from us. Then we got a glimmer of hope. They called for a noon meeting in the lobby and said that they had "information" for us but to not bring luggage. At 11 AM we heard a beautiful sound. The sound of a "ping" from the iPhone followed by mass cheering and people running for their phones. We had communication back!!!! We called home, cried, and reassured them we were still ok. The noon meeting came with word that we were getting out of Cabo and to come back at 3:00 PM with our luggage and that buses were coming. The conspiracy theories started and while some were hopeful others thought that they were just getting us out of the hotel so that the people could take our rooms and resources. We surely thought that military planes would be waiting for us and that we'd have a military escort as they were transporting 200 Americans through the crime littered streets. We were wrong on both accounts. After another 2 hour terrifying journey to the airport past the people with guns and machetes still looting and fighting for fuel we arrived. I still can't believe what happened next. They had us all get off the buses where they then told us there were no flights left. There were hundreds and hundreds of people standing in line for flights that weren't coming, our military was NOT there and we were told they couldn't take us back to the hotel. Our only option was to get in line and spend the night on the streets of Mexico waiting in this line. It was 5 PM, night time was coming, we had no food, no water and the Mexican government was telling us there was no certainty that they could protect us through the night with so many people losing their minds only miles from us downtown. We had no cell service and no one knew where we were or what we were going to have to do. No communication again. I think this was the lowest part of the trip. The panic, the sheer terror of what was to come and we still had no guarantee on a flight. Then it happened. Our prayers were answered. A Federale yelled "Los Angeles" and we ran, we ran like our lives depended on it (because it did), through hundreds of people and the pushing and shoving and complete chaos. I don't even know how it happened. We got to the front and they just starting counting us and then like that we were "in" past the gates. They walked us out away from the masses of people and toward a tarmac. There was A PLANE WAITING FOR US! We showed our passports, they searched our bags and then the unthinkable happened we boarded a ******* plane that was headed to Los Angeles!!!!!!!! There were rumors that they were just going to get us out of Cabo and that they were taking us to either Tijuana, Mazatlán, Mexico City, or Guadalajara and we'd have to figure out a connecting flight from there but somehow we ended up on the ONE plane headed to not only The United States but LAX. We cried when we boarded and cheered when our tires went up and we were officially airborne. We were headed HOME and it was unbelievable. Obviously, we woke our babies up when we got home at midnight and haven’t left them out of our sight since.
tagheuer Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Wow... I'm speechless. Thanks for sharing the story. Glad that you and your family are ok.
cigarsmoke Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Wow, that was one hell of a trip. Glad you made out safely.
Habana Mike Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Wow, what an experience. We had friends that were caught in a hurricane in Cancun a few years back but their story was nothing like this! Glad everything worked out and you got home safe.
imangelo Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Unbelievable story. It was like a roller coaster ride to read it...cannot possibly imagine what it must have been like to LIVE it. I hope you smoked the finest cigar in your humidor after all that.
Jeremy Festa Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Great story! I also have a nightmare Cabo story. And as the years pass since it happened, I look back on the experience more and more fondly. I think it's because you are able to bust the story out at dinner parties etc, and everyone will be enthralled at what can actually happen to the average person. Makes life a little sweeter. Stoked you got home safe and thanks for sharing!
MIKA27 Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Glad to hear you are well and safe Patrick - Sounds like a horrible experience and at the end of the day, you are all safe and sound with your families. Life is about experiences, both good and horrible, I hope you have no more of the latter.
Phillys Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Glad to hear you got back safely, what an incredible story, making it to hell and back is truly a humbling experience.
Dino81 Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 Glad you're safe friend! I was down there too, but we left on Saturday, 24 hours before she hit. It was just booked like that, from months ago. What divine luck! We had friends that got caught down there. What hotel were you at? We were at Hyatt Ziva.
madandana Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Thanks for the story.Glad you're safe and sound.I know what you mean about not being able to talk about it. We had a very trying travel tail as well from early this year. Nothing like yours but when people ask to hear the story, I just can't talk about it. I never thought there would be a story I couldn't tell but it was just to tramatic. Do you think this will affect your future travel plans?
stogieluver Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 I've been through two of the worst storms to hit the U.S., so I feel for you. Hurricane Camille in 1969 devasted my home town. The eye of the storm came over our house in the middle of the night. We had 200+ mph winds, no power for over a month in 95 degree August south Mississippi heat/humidity. Utter devastation everywhere. Hurricane Katrina left us without power for over a week. Storm surge of over 25 feet wiped out anything within 3 miles of the coast in some places. Depending on where you were, people were either screaming for "the government" to help take care of them, or people were taking care of themselves, picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and getting about the business of helping others and getting things back to "normal", which was a world without some towns on the coast totally gone. The news media concentrated on the people screaming for government help; they totally ignored the good folks who were taking care of themselves and their neighbors. The outside world goes about their business, the media gives it a passing glance of a story, but we live with the aftermath for months after the storm. The northeast U.S. got a little taste of it a couple of years ago, and the media covered it like crazy because they lived it. I think it opened a lot of eyes on the northeast coast of the U.S. about what we experience on the guf coast quite frequently. Sorry, didn't mean to get on my soap box, but these storms have unbelievable power and can utterly destroy things in their path. The aftereffects can last for months, even years.
LGC Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Terrible experience. Glad you got home safe. I have never been to a beach in Mexico, and I think I never will after that story.
... Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Terrible experience. Glad you got home safe. I have never been to a beach in Mexico, and I think I never will after that story.If you avoid hurricane season you should be fine
Nedule Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Holy crap. When I saw it on the news I thought, stuck in Mexico is better than stuck at work, but I guess I was wrong that time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Dimmers Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Glad to hear you are safe! Prayers are with the residents of Cabo.
Guyman1966 Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Glad to hear you made it home. By any chance... any photos?
cigarbreak Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 Woww...i got goosebumps reading that. Glad to hear you are all safe.
KB24 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Posted September 23, 2014 Glad to hear you made it home. By any chance... any photos? Taking pictures was the last thing on my mind but here are some. When we finally realized we could relax and that we were getting on the plane to Los Angeles. We had made friends with these couples at our hotel a few nights earlier and all ended up fighting to stay together till the very end.
KB24 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Posted September 23, 2014 Glad to hear you are safe! Prayers are with the residents of Cabo. They need them!!!
KB24 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Posted September 23, 2014 Glad you're safe friend! I was down there too, but we left on Saturday, 24 hours before she hit. It was just booked like that, from months ago. What divine luck! We had friends that got caught down there. What hotel were you at? We were at Hyatt Ziva. We were at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica, which was adults only. This was nice that I didn't have to see families struggling with their kids because that would have made me miss mine even more and made the situation even worse. We heard several other hotel's staffs abandoned ship right before the storm and left everyone to fend for themselves for days without water and power.
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