Welcome home to meeeeee!!!!!

July 13, 2011

CHECKOUT AT NOON!!!! Yeahhhhhhh!!!!!  Usually it is at 10 AM, but these Spaniards know that 10 AM is just ridiculously early.  We slept in, and then walked through the neighborhood to find some lunch.  We discovered a place about a mile away, and had eggs, sausage and potatoes for brunch.

Off to the airport in the shuttle, and that’s where the troubles of the day began.  I discovered that within 50 minutes, I had to pick up my bags in New York, find Delta, check them back in and get my final boarding pass.  Even though AirEuropa and Delta are partners, they couldn’t transfer them for me or print another boarding pass for me in Madrid.  Susan had to pay a TON of money for an overweight bag.  Then we had to pass through about 5 checks to get to our gate.  Check before getting our tickets, check when getting our tickets, security, customs, check right before our gate, and then check at the gate. But the gate did not lead to our airplane – we walked out and into a bus that took us to our plane in the middle of nowhere.  Madrid is weird.  We were also late taking off – about an hour.

Madrid Airport

Buying some Spanish wine!

windy last day heading toward the plane...

happy to be headed home

Bye Bye Europe!

And then I discovered I did not have my headphones with me for the trans-Atlantic flight.  3 euros for a terrible set kept me happy though, so I finished my book and watched 3 movies.  At the end, I was in the middle of “Taken” in a suuuuuper intense scene when we hit some crazy turbulence.  Let’s just say, my heart was definitely working hard.  The clouds and sun were beautiful as we approached the coast.  It was a wonderful welcome home as I saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky and sea creatures jumping in the water below.  

Beautiful American sun

'das a wierd cloud.

Circular rainbow.  it was beautiful!

other side of the circular rainbow - new york land

stormy business.

Landing and getting out of the plane, we were about 45 minutes late, and we had to go through customs (which some people got fingerprinted at… weird) and pick up our bags.  Definitely missed my connecting flight.  Susan left and I began my investigation for another flight to Chicago.  After 2 hours and a few tears, I was finishing up my plans for my flight in the morning.  The next flight left at 9am, and there was no way I was going to spend $200 on a hotel.  On the upside, I was not charged (like I had been told I was going to be) for a rescheduled flight. I planned on staying up all night, as I didn’t want to fall asleep and have my baggage stolen.  I bought 2 red bulls and a muffin and prepared for a long night.  I made it through the muffin and one red bull when I realized that I couldn’t stay awake.  It was already 6AM Rome time, and I couldn’t do it.  I surrounded myself with my luggage on a padded bench, tried not to think of the old guy on the other side of the bench, snoring and snorting and randomly talking in his sleep, and fell asleep.  Waking up every hour was not a big deal, and I decided to get off the bench and end my bum look at 6:30.  I rechecked my baggage and drank my other red bull, chipper as could be.  I was almost home! 

I made it to the next terminal, and that is where I sit right now, waiting to board my flight to Chicago.  We are supposed to leave in 30 minutes.  I am a greasy, puffy mess, but if people knew the story of the last 24 hours, they wouldn’t judge my appearance.  In a few hours, I will be showered and human again, ready to enjoy finally being home. :-D