The Trip Across the Pond

A couple of days before flying while I was I finishing packing, I realized I could use one more bag, a carry on size bag.  My good carry on could be packed tighter and I could get nearly fifty pounds in it as well I could what I had not been able to fit before.  I knew it would cost me for the extra bag from Cincinnati to Chicago, but I had three free bags the rest of the trip, thanks to my missionary fare ticket.  I had sent most of my luggage ahead with the First Luggage service (out of London) via FedEx.  So, I bought an inexpensive carry on from IKEA.  It is dark blue with large white dots all over it!  What a great bag for me!

The night before the flight as I began my online check in I was offered an upgrade to first class.  This upgrade would allow me three free bags to Chicago, not just the one.  The cost was about the same as it would cost for me to pay for the additional bag, so I upgraded.  What a way to start my journey, in first class! 

American Airline’s service from Cincinnati to Chicago is commuter planes that are very small.  The one I was scheduled to ride was a CRJ and had two seats on each side of the aisle, except in the first class section, which had three rows of one and two seats per row. 

Flying on a Saturday in the US is great!  There weren’t a lot of people at the airport, the workers enjoyed joking around, and even the TSA agents were in a cheerful mood!  I left my family and friends who had come to see me off right at an hour before the flight.  Went through security without an issue.  Before getting to the gate however, I had a text that my flight would be delayed 30 minutes.  Since I had some layover time in Chicago I wasn’t worried about missing the next flight.  My dot bag was gate checked.

 

When I was finally allowed to board I went to my seat, the first one on the plane, A1.  The biggest, most comfortable seat I have ever had on a plane.  After take off I was served a medley of dried fruits and nuts (cashews and almonds) in a glass goblet.  Next came my drink of ginger ale in a real glass.  I ended up having three glasses of ginger ale.  I had plenty of legroom. It was a nice way of being pampered after all I went through to get ready to go.

When I arrived at O’Hare while waiting for my gate checked bag I took up a conversation with the AA worker waiting with us for our bags.  She was so excited I was following what God wanted me to do.  Then she shared with me that she, too, was following what God wanted for her.  She was working there and also going to school for a degree in criminal justice.  She wanted to become a policeman to make a difference in her world, and then work her way up to be a police chief.  Then the bags arrived.  When I could reach mine she saw the dots and with a laugh said, 'I get it!  I love your dot bag!"

Once inside I asked an American Airlines worker how I should go to get to the next flight.  When she heard it was British Airways she said she could tell me how to walk the fifteen or twenty minutes needed, then I would have to go through security again; or I could wait at this gate for the shuttle to take me to my gate.  It would be there in about thirty minutes.  I decided to wait.  There was a Starbucks and I used the gift card I still had with me to enjoy a drink while waiting.

The shuttle took me from gate to gate.  We had to wait on an airplane to cross our path in front of us a couple of times.  But, not needing to go through security again was very pleasant.  When I got to the gate I found out that the plane was delayed even more.  They told me it would be still an hour before we could board.  So I walked around, bought two bottles of water (over $6!).  Finally I found a spot near a plug in and decided I would do have some computer time.  However, O’Hare did not appear to have free wifi.  A bit later I got back to the gate to see the plane had arrived. 

 

But, we still did not board for a long time.  I really had lost track of time.  I overheard the workers say they only had a little more window of time before it had to leave the gate or it would mess up with the next flight.

Finally we boarded.  My seat was 32 F.  This was an aisle seat in the middle of the plane.  There was a couple who shared the other two seats.  I put my carry on in an overhead bin across the aisle.  The stewardess came by to shut the bin.  It didn’t seem to be right, but with an extra push she seemed satisfied to walk on by.  Then the pilot came over the intercom to introduce himself as well as explain the delay.  He said, ‘I am so sorry for the delay.  A lady who didn’t know what she was doing, but had managed to insert her iPad into a ventilation system slot!’  Needless to say the plane couldn’t leave until the iPad had been removed!

During take off the bin my bag was in opened up!  Fortunately nothing fell out.  Several of us rang for the flight attendant, but no one came.  Two guys got up and shut the bin and the quickly sat back down.  Finally a flight attendant came by and we told her what happened, but since it was now shut she didn’t do anything.  Time passed.  Different people started to get up to use the restrooms, but were sent back to their seats by the flight attendants.  It seemed like over an hour into the flight before the fasten seat belt sign went off and drinks were finally served. The flight had been very smooth so I wonder if the captain had just forgotten.  The line for the bathroom was quite long!

My flight attendant asked me what I wanted to drink, but I couldn’t understand her at first.  When she came back by asking if I wanted ‘____’ or vegetarian pasta.  I asked her what the choice was and she repeated it again, but I still could not understand her.  I took the pasta.  The attendant following her called back for more pasta.  I asked her what the other choice was.  It was ‘cottage pie’.  Since I had not opened my pasta she was willing to switch with me.  It reminded me of shepherd’s pie and was quite tasty.  It was then I realized my flight attendant had a stutter!  She could not get ‘cottage pie’ to come out of her mouth, but ‘pasta’ was clear.  So, everyone had been taking the pasta!  I wonder if she was new.  She had been the one who had closed the bin that had opened during take off.  She was quite a brave woman to be willing to be a flight attendant even though she stuttered.

While waiting for the meal I looked through the movies offered and settled on ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’.  I watched it a bit, ate my meal, then turned it off, and fell asleep.  I do not normally sleep well on a plane, but I was so very tired from all the preparations to actually leave the country that I was exhausted!  I slept solid for several hours, at least four.  When I awoke it was just about time for a breakfast croissant and white tea.  I finished watching the movie.

The nice thing about having a couple sit next to you is the person in the middle would only ask her husband to move for her to get out, so I was never 'climbed over'.  The lady was Mary Beth.  She and her husband were celebrating their twenty fifth wedding anniversary with a trip to Spain.  Two of his brothers were ordained in Rome.

We arrived in London but had to circle around a couple of times before they would let us land at Heathrow.  We got off the plane out on the tarmac and were bussed to the terminal.  We were herded off and those of us were international departures got in a long line.  The attendants kept coming by asking if someone was first class, business class, military, disabled to come out of the line.  I was not any of those things, so I was patient.  However, when I turned the corner and saw there was an entire room people ahead of me going back and forth through the line I realized I would not be making my flight to Rome.  I told the person, ‘I’m not any of those things, but will I make my flight?’ while showing my boarding pass.  She said, ‘you come with me.’  She pointed me to the Express lane and told me to show them my pass.   At the Express lane the person said, ‘oh no, you need to go to the Fast track.  When you get to security, let them know that you are Fast track.’  She said, ‘hurry!’

I made it to security and emptied my pockets, took off my shoes, but forgot my pedometer and belt.  Of course I beeped.  Then I was patted down.  Once I was cleared I showed my boarding pass to a security person and said, ‘will I make my flight?’  She looked at the paper and said, ‘they are boarding now.’  She took me over to where she could point out the elevator and told me, ‘take the elevator down, turn left and run!’  So, I did just that!   I ran through Heathrow!  As I arrived they were just ready to board the last group of people!  I had just enough time to connect to the free wifi and send a quick email to who was picking me up in Rome stating that I was boarding the plane.

Since I was one of the last on the plane, my carry on traveled in the business class closet.  We pulled away from the gate and stopped and waited for a while before going on.  My seatmate was an Italian woman named Briscilla.  She told me to call her after I had a couple months of Italian school!  It was a nice flight.

I arrived in Rome!  As I was getting my luggage a man saw me struggling with all I had and helped me get my purple bags off the conveyor.  I sent an email to my friends and they said they were on the way and would meet me at the bar (coffee shop) after the luggage.  I went to the customs people and the man said, ‘do you have anything to declare?  I said, ‘I’m moving here.’  He said, ‘then the things are personal, right?’  ‘Yes.’  ‘ You go on now and enjoy.’  So easy!

My friend met me at the bar and then we went out to meet her husband with the car.  The ride to my new home for language school was full of talking and sharing.  Stayed up until a normal bedtime.  Woke the next morning feeling refreshed!

Buongiorno, Italia!  Good morning, Italy!