We are home after a trying day of traveling. It began with waking up at 6 am in Den Hague Holland. As we are packing the last of our things, having a quick bite and getting organized for the day of travel that's ahead of us, the phone rings, our taxi cab arrived 15 minutes earlier than we ordered it for and he's now waiting for us! Ahhhh! I hate rushing! Even if it's not my fault that he's there early, I still know he's waiting and feel the need to hurry up. So, we rush out of our hotel room and get driven to the train station. Our cab driver was a very happy man, for the record. That was nice. :)
Upon arriving at the train station we go to buy our tickets and the machine won't take our credit cards. We stand in line, buy tickets from a teller and search for someone to tell us where to go. We find out that the train to the airport has been delayed, and we are instructed to train it to another town, where as it turned out, was also delayed! Apparently if the train tracks are even dusted with snow in Holland, everything slows down and delays start happening. There on the platform we stood, with the morning commuters, waiting, slowly being surrounded by more and more eager people. Our big bags on our backs, other bags in hand. Listening to the Dutch announcements about the delay and watching the expressions of the faces around me to tell me what it is saying. I'm frustrated and feeling the need to warp to the airport, because we are already supposed to be there 10 minutes ago and we aren't even on the train! "We can't control this, there's nothing we can do, so no use getting worried." Dan says to me in his usual calm manner. He's got the right attitude about these sorts of things. If we can't change it, and it's not our fault, then getting upset only makes things harder. It calms me down, for the moment.
Arriving at the airport 10 minutes before our boarding time gives us enough time to check in and head to the gate. We arrive at the boarding gate just on time. Then we end up standing in their security/boarding line for an hour and a half, while each passenger talks to the security guards anywhere from about 3-7 minutes!! Oh my god, this is crazy! so inefficient! Are they doing security via the trust route? Have a deep conversation with all the passengers and then decide who can go through the next phase? Which is, the full body scan and x ray of luggage.
Our flight out is now delayed and we only have a 2 hour layover in Seattle! Again, Zen Dan is not worried. This wouldn't all matter so much if Dan and I didn't have to be home in enough time to repack, only to leave again, this time for Hawaii, one and half days after we are set to arrive in Edmonton. If it was just a matter of getting home and sitting there until next year, delay me all you want! But, I can't miss this flight!
After some maintenance issues and waiting to get all the passengers past the tea party that might as well have been happening out there at security, we finally boarded. The 10 hour flight was really great! I didn't sleep, I watched movies, drank free beer, ate good food and talked with Dan.
Landing in Seattle was a gong show from the moment our wheels touched the ground. We had to wait for the plane that was currently in our spot to get a piece of something or other attached to it so it could get pushed out. With only an hour to spare and a major bathroom break to be taken, I was feeling the stress again!
We pulled in, and went through US customs, the first time. While waiting to pick up our bags Dan and I took turns asking people what we are supposed to do once we have the bags. Which exit do we take? Which train? Will we have enough time? To which the lady, who worked there and was standing there to help people, pointed me toward the electric message board to find my answers... it only had what gate we needed, which meant very little since I didn't know how to get there. Another lady came around wanting to see our customs cards, again. I told her about our flight boarding in just a few minutes, to which she said, "good luck."
After getting our bags, finally!, we went through customs again (??) and then dropped our luggage off on the connecting flights belt 20 minutes after our connection flight started boarding. They told us it was fine and that we had enough time. I told Dan, our bags aren't going to make it. Next, we had to go through US security, getting a body scan, again. Keeping in mind we have not left a secure area since the last body scan. We had to then take 2 trains and literally run to our gate to catch our flight. They paged us on the intercom. We made it.
We finally arrive in Edmonton, only to find out, understandably so, that our ride isn't coming because of the terrible road conditions! We'll have to shuttle it in. After the day we have had, it's fitting that our luggage doesn't show up. So, we wait half an hour to file a missing luggage claim, because there were that many people in front of us doing the same thing! The airport staff member is complaining as we fill our forms out, saying she can't believe this is happening on a day when she took a shift for another co-worker. We are making a lot of work for her! Yes, she was really complaining to us that our luggage was lost and now she has to deal with this!
ANYWAAAAYSSS... We take an hour long shuttle ride to a downtown hotel, "At least we don't have our big heavy bags to carry!", I say honestly.
We walk to the grocery store to get something for dinner and walk home, eat, watch The Office and go to sleep. phew! After 21 hours of travel and 23 hours of no sleep, I slept for 5 hours and am now awake, at 4 am... happy to be home. :)
Dan has just woken up, it's now 5:20 am... oh jet lag!
No comments:
Post a Comment