Before my dream I would have enjoyed the company of these girls but not now. I still thought I might be about to die; in fact, I had misgivings about making the trip over the mountains and around the always tense capital. Early on, Jerry had warned Jean and me to stay awa from the area around the presidential palace. Even the backfire of a car could start everybody shooting. Maybe this would be my time and the trip back north turned out to have its scary moments.
The Rover was packed with the five of us plus luggage and supplies. Madame Z and Maria sat back with the luggage while Claudele, Ami, and I sat in the front. Ami, being the smallest at in the middle straddling the gear shift.
We started up the coast road that would lead over the mountains and down to Limbe’. Hardly had we passed the first checkpoint when we had a flat tire. The women all stood by the car while I put on the spare. The roads in Haiti are full of pot holes that devour rubber like a lion on the prowl eats antelope. Soon we had our second flat. Again the women got out so I could jack up the Rover and remove the newest casualty. We had no more spares so I blocked the wheels and left the vehicle jacked up while I flagged down a motorist who would take me to a mechanic up the road. Maria explained to Ami that this was typical of travel in Haiti. After an hour delay we were underway again.