As we began our descent into Sint Maarten, the flight attendants came through the cabin, handing out customs forms, something we hadn’t even realized we’d need. Of course, we didn’t have a pen. After some shameless pleading, a flight attendant reluctantly lent us hers, but not before making us swear up and down we’d return it like it was her firstborn child. Pro tip: always keep a slim travel pen in your carry-on, you’ll thank yourself later.

Since the form required the address of where we’d be staying, Mike took charge of filling it out. With his back turned to me, he diligently answered each question until he needed to ask me something. That’s when it happened, he turned around, bumped the bottom of my tray, and sent the last of my coffee sailing straight into the air…and all over me. As you can see, I was wearing white.

The flight attendant, who was either tracking her pen like a hawk or just happened to look our way at the worst possible moment, was instantly at our side with a stack of wet paper towels. I dabbed and blotted in vain; the shirt was a lost cause. Another packing tip: throw a travel-sized stain remover stick or wipes into your bag. They’re absolute lifesavers for “coffee-in-the-sky” moments like this.

Mike, ever the sweetheart, tried to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It looks like the shirt was designed with brown blotches.” I didn’t laugh, but I did manage not to cry, which I count as a win.

Finally, we landed. The warm salt air hit me the moment we stepped off the plane, soothing my dry skin, while the heady mix of island scents, floral, salty, and just a little spicy, was intoxicating. We shuffled into the terminal and through customs. Even then, Mike managed to keep our destination a secret. He simply wrote it down for the customs agent, who surprisingly didn’t bat an eye. I couldn’t resist asking her, “Am I at least going to like where I’m staying?” She looked at me, smiled, and said, “Yes. Very much.”

🌴 The Wanderlist: Flight Survival Edition

Because every adventure comes with a lesson learned (and a possible coffee stain). Here’s what would’ve saved the day on this flight:

RFID Passport Wallet 📑
Keeps your documents, cash, credit cards, any customs forms, and yes, a pen in one sleek place. No more mid-air scavenger hunts.

Slim Travel Pen ✍️
Never rely on borrowing one again. A lightweight, compact pen slides right into your passport wallet and spares you the flight attendant death stare.

Stain Remover Wipes 👕 Or Stick
A lifesaver when turbulence (or your husband’s elbow) takes out your coffee. These little packets and/or the stick, barely take up space but work miracles on spills.

🏝️ The customs agent knew. Mike knew. Everyone but me seemed to know where we were staying in Saint Martin. Was it a hotel? A villa? A shack on the beach? The reveal was unforgettable.