The Journey Begins...Again!

The Journey Begins...

Well, actually, as anyone who has traveled knows, the  journey begins long before you depart, bags in hand.   So this may be the part of the journey that preparations have led up to...but this journey started a few weeks ago.  

I love when I get 'feelings'.  The last time I had the urge to check cruises I found an amazing one, and had a dream trip to the Greek isles for a 'real deal'.  And it was one of the best trips ever...

So when a feeling out of nowhere came to me to check cruises on a different cruise line, I was so astounded by what I saw, I actually called the cruise line to see if it was a mistake.  No it wasn't, the ship wasn't filling up...hence the incredibly low price. I was so excited that I would be going to new countries and cities .  Things fell into place, you know, the way they do when things were meant to be.  And then everything came to a halt...There was no one to watch my little dog, and I ended up with some health issues that would have made travel, especially on long tours, very uncomfortable.  I sadly rethought things and accepted that the cruise to previously unvisited places was not to be.  Perhaps someday...Slovenia, Montenegro, Sicily and beyond.

But I did have a ticket to Europe with miles I've been collecting for a very long time.  So maybe I would shorten the trip and at least go for a short time.  Creative planning is one of my 'gifts'.  And the search for a sooner return flight began.  I love it...I love trying different things until something works out.  And work out it did!  

Not many options for flights to Europe so I kept the same flight to London, but was able to find a return from Amsterdam a week later.  Oh, how I wanted to stay a couple more days but by the time something opened up, I'd planned so much I decided that a week would be enough.  And I like the flight home, directly from Frankfurt to Denver, that in itself will be a treat!  I fly from Amsterdam to Frankfurt for the nonstop flight home.  Creative planning...

I always try to encourage people to use the United mileage credit card.  Yes, it costs after the first year, but you will be collecting miles for every purchase.  Just to motivate you, I'll let you know my ticket details.  I'm flying first class...Denver to Toronto to London...$6!  Coming home is a bit more expensive, $98.  This trip cost 140,000 a lot of miles!  If you want to travel in coach...it is just 60,000.  Domestic flights are much less.  I also use miles for upgrades, but those days of deals are over, now it is around $1000 additional to upgrade to business/first class.  Used to be free.  I'm so glad I traveled so much when I did...it isn't getting better.  But travel still is a thrill unequaled by anything else in my life.  And so, I will go as long as possible.

Now back to this trip, I woke up to a dark, gloomy, cold, rainy day at home, hoping there would be no delays.  I had a two hour connection in Toronto and I didn't want to miss the international flight.  However I did have a back up plan, my friend from Winnipeg is now living in Toronto, soooo if I were stranded there, at least I'd have a friend to spend time with.   

I arrived at the parking lot I use and the valet parking went up from $9 a stay to $4 a day!  That is a luxury I won't be enjoying much anymore.  I know things change, but that is a big increase, well that is the way of the day I guess.  They can get it, so they charge it.  I made it to check in and had to wait, air Canada wasn't open yet.  

There was a lady and her teenage daughter behind me.  I started talking to her and asked if her daughter was on crutches because of a ski accident.  She explained that they were in Vail for hip surgery.  She had had 3 surgeries in Canada and none were good so the went to Colorado for one of the top orthopedists in the world and stayed for physical therapy for a month.  They were very pleased with the results This time.  Poor thing, four surgeries!

I got to security and two spots showed up to be checked, so here I was with a pat down again.  I was told it would be my private parts and given the option to go into a private room.  I said to just do it there.  Not sure what that was about because the areas to check were my shoulders!  Then they tested my hands and she put her hands in my hair...my hair?  Oh well, of course nothing showed up and I was on my way in a short time.

Made it to the plane and when it was time to head up, up and away...we had to sit, sit and stay...but finally we were on our way and it looked like I'd make the connection.  I was not too impressed with the airline, the tvs on my side of the plane broke...and the caterer never showed up with the bread, small thing but curious.  Had 30 minutes to spare arriving in canada, so I took advantage of the lounge access and found the food delicious and very diverse, much better than in the US, broken tvs forgiven.

And finally it was time to board the overseas flight!  Oh how exciting that is for me.  Walking on and settling in, for the next 7 1/2 hours.  The seats in this plane are single seats.  I put my things in the overhead compartment and started enjoying and exploring the first class seat.  The woman in front of me looked into the overhead compartment and very rudely asked whose things were in there.  I was shocked and replied they were mine and then she told me to move them.  Pretty funny, I replied that I would not be moving them, they were in the right place.  The very kind man across the row looked at me, stared at her, and smiled when I kindly said no.  I think it was her first time and she didn't realize that people share.  Throughout the flight she complained about everything.  That smile from the nice man connected us and we chatted a bit, but it wasn't easy across the aisle.  Traveling alone, it is always nice to connect with someone.

The dinner was wonderful and I even was able to sleep a couple of hours.  Watched  a movie and before I knew it, we were circling London, waiting for the okay to land.  And it was the next morning here, I was landing and ready for my day when people at home were getting ready for bed.  Okay, well perhaps not quite 'ready'!  But a safe arrival.  I was confused when I deplaned, everything looked different.  Walking out to get the taxi to my hotel I realized that I wasn't crazy, I was at a different terminal, whew, was worrying about the fact that I'd forgotten everything.  I'd assumed all Star Alliance flights arrived at the same terminal...wrong.  Welcome to terminal 3!  Europe, United Kingdom, here I am!