v's virtual vacuum
Monday, Dec. 29, 2003
only 24 hours from tulsa
We headed outta colchester towards surrey on friday evening and made reasonable time considering the traffic and the weather. We broketh journey at my aunts house and watched poirot on tv - I figured it out about halfway through but of course neither mum nor aunty eileen would let me take credit for it.We got back to mum's around 11.30pm and I had a bath and booked a cab to collect me the next morning to take me to the aiport then got a few hours sleep before doing a final check on my contraband ladened luggage.
Checked in without too many problems, the only thing I had confiscated was one box of christmas crackers. I did check my seating cos I had prebooked, or so I thought - but when I got on the plane I had been allocated the seat next to the aisle seat on arow of five, so I was sandwiched inbetween three navy boys from birmingham and aguy with asouth african accent and a british passport who was wearing boots that looked like they must have come from the costume department star trek. What is it about guys that they HAVE to sit with their legs open at practially a 160 degree angle when they are on a flight? I was slightly cramped until I allowed my hypermobility to take over and sat with my legs folded on the flip down table.
Those years of travelling in business and first class have ruined me forever I think. I may pay for an upgrade on the way home.
So we arrived at DFW about 30 minutes late and I had a pretty quick turn around time as it was and knew I would be lucky to make it through immigration, baggage, customs, baggage transfer, terminal change and security in an hour. And guess what. I didn't make it. I got held up waiting for my luggage to come through soI could get through customs then I had to take the bus from terminal A to terminal C then i got caught at security cos I kept setting the beeper off and needed to be searched, they checked every bit of metal on me including my bra hooks and the fastening on the waistband of my trousers. I missed my flight. By three minutes.
American airlines had booked me onto the later flight fortunately so I called monica to let her know about the delay and she said she'd head out to collect me rather than me waiting for the shuttle bus. We had to speak in code cos the kids had no idea I was coming and jordan was listening to everything monica was saying her end whilst looking slightly bemused that she had taken a call on her cell phone into the pantry heeheehee.
I made it onto the later flight but had to help an old lady in a wheelchair to get her boarding pass. Thank goodness I had taken all my pain medication and that my back had held up on the flight over or she may never have made it home from virginia ;D
There were delays on that flight too but the time was passed by a pretty interesting guy from phliadelphia on his way back to base at fort bliss. He'd been home for christmas and isn't due to see his wife and kids again until may sometime. Ugh. Mind you he retires from the army in august and will then move back to be with them.
Monica and I met up without a hitch and waited for my luggage to arrive on the carousel - and we waited - and waited. Just when i was about to freak out I noticed that we were standing right next to my cases which were outside the porters office. Doh. Christ knows how long they had been there or from where they had appeared, but hey - i was reunited with my christmas pudding and cider so i didn't really care.
We headed off for the carpark and began the journey from elpaso to alamogordo with me grinning and clapping with excitement the whole way.
I'll updatewith the rest later cos jordan wants me to help him blow up marshmallows in the microwave