Five Months Later...

I'm back to my blog, just over five months from my last entry. Just reading that brought back the final day of the trip and I'm wondering if I really am ready to head across the ocean again! Although my travel woes didn't happen across the ocean, but right here in the US. What a positive entry that was, and after finishing it and settling into my nice hotel room for a relaxing evening, I called home to check voice messages. That is when the wonderful 'luck' ended!!

I had 2 important new messages, one told me that my flight from DC to Denver had been cancelled for the next day. The next message told me that I'd been booked on a much later flight but without any guarantee I would be on it! The panic began immediately. How could that happen? The weather was fine, the flight arrived on time from Germany, all was well. But how wrong I was, everything was far from well. I had timed my return so I would get home in time to pick up dear Bram from the kennel so I wouldn't be alone over the Christmas weekend. Now that was impossible, if I even did get home! The flight was full and I had no seat assignment so no guarantee of getting home. The night was long, getting through to the airlines was a challenge I hope I don't have to repeat. I was calling friends, neighbors and the kennel to alert all that I might not be arriving back as planned and my Christmas eve visit to a former student's home had to be cancelled too. So much to work out, not the least of which was wondering where in the world my luggage was. The attendant at the airport had encouraged me to leave my luggage and they would just put it on a cart on the runway to be loaded on my next flight the next morning. I've never done that but the thought of not having to haul them to the hotel for the night sounded like a good plan to me. Where was it now since the flight had been cancelled? NO ONE could tell me that either! Finally I slept a little, but headed back to the airport very early to start the hunt for my luggage! I had finally talked to a supervisor at United and he felt pity for me and gave me a seat assignment, so if the plane left DC, I would too, but my luggage, filled with souvenirs of Egypt was not something he could help me with. A note - Never stop at the customer service person on the phone if you really need something done. ALWAYS ask to talk to a supervisor and if necessary go to the person above that supervisor too! Usually the person that answers first is quite limited to what they can do to help. It doesn't always work, but in this case I think I talked to a person 2 levels above where I started before I found the man who COULD do something about getting me a seat.

The next day I was in the hotel lobby about 4 hours before my plane left because from past experience I knew it could be a long hunt to find my luggage and I wanted to do it before I left DC. The hotel shuttle finally arrived and I rolled my carry on out and the man told me he wasn't going back to the airport for just me so I would have to wait while he took a break! I'd waited 30 minutes for him already, and no one at the desk had told me he would be taking a break. A break??? I was about to break! I explained that I had to get there to locate lost luggage that as far as I knew had been put on a cart on a runway for a nonexistent flight and if he didn't take me then the hotel could get me a taxi. At that, he decided he would take me. The search for the luggage was quite intense but I stayed focused and went in the circles where I was directed, talking to many people who had no idea why I'd been sent to them. AT least this time it was in English so I knew what was going on! The last time I dealt with this it happened in Portugal and I was helpless and dependent on Cesar to help me. We never actually set eyes on my luggage and it never was sent like we were told so this time I knew to insist to retrieve my luggage in person. I did spend well over an hour but in the end the suitcases were in my sight and checked onto my new flight.

I boarded the plane totally exhausted and collapsed into my seat, which I had been told by the supervisor on the phone, was the last seat available. There were many people who were on standby the way I should have been, over 50 I believe it was! I was tempted to give someone my seat so they could be with family for Christmas Eve, but I was too exhausted to even think of another night far from home and the hunt for the luggage once again, so as I collapsed in my seat I told the young man next to me how lucky he was. He was such a kind young man and he asked why? Because he was next to me? All my stress was relieved as I laughed at his comment. I told him that the plane was full and he was lucky enough to have a seat. That was stupid, he had been in the gate area and seen the people waiting so he was aware of that! He asked why I was so tired and I began the story of being in Egypt... I told him that I had to take the trip so I could make it to my last continent. Then Robin,the young man, said that must mean I'd been to Antarctica and he would love to hear how that was. Then he said the cutest thing, he said, "Wait, let me put on my Indiana Jones hat to listen because I am sure it was quite the adventure!" What a perfect seat mate he was for the trip! He has traveled a lot too and his stories were quite interesting! I loved listening to his adventures!

And so in a very short time it seemed, I arrived at DIA and my luggage was right there on the carousel waiting for me! The drama had ended, and I was headed home late on Christmas eve. I walked in my home, totally exhausted and so sad that I would be alone for days and was greeted by the best sight I could have imagined, (well short of a clean house that is!), and my great big Bram ran up to greet me! The neighbors had gotten him from the kennel before they closed that afternoon and my baby was here! What an awesome Christmas gift that was!! At that point finally the tears just flowed and I felt it would be a long time before I was ready to face the challenges of travel again...AND that is the way my Egyptian trip ended!!!

And now here it is summer, and I am headed across the big pond again! What adventures might await this time? They will all be good ones, I'm sure!