Home from Home

My last day, Dave and I went to the McNay Museum and saw an exhibit on Norman Rockwell.  It was very good, but did make you wonder whether he was an artist as his process seemed a bit devoid of imagination, but his technique and his ideas could not be faulted.  He also was clearly into making money and I guess my own prejudice is that I think artist can't really help themselves; it's not about the mortgage.

Dad took us out for a tower of sea food, and I had the best sea bass cooked Hong Kong style.  It was covered with a basket cover and they wafted the aroma in my face after it was put on the table.

Then I had to do the 'can I get everything in my bags.'  It pretty much worked as I planned and I managed to squeeze in 8 lbs of pecans! 

The next day after breakfast, mom and dad dropped me off at the airport and my travel adventure began.  First, I could not check in at the curb, and the guy had to send me inside.  

In I went, to be told that my Minneapolis flight was delayed and since my connection was tight, they had rerouted me through Atlanta; I left in an hour.  Unfortunately, there were no seats left in first class and I would have to sit in coach for the flight to Atlanta. I was not all that concerned about this, and I was very pleased that they had been so proactive.  Security was a mess, but once through I checked my itinerary and realised they had booked me in economy for the Atlanta to Amsterdam flight - this was a slightly bigger deal to me considering I had specially purchased an economy ticket that could be upgraded with my miles.

I tried to get it sorted with the gate agent, but she was haggard and said I would have to do it Atlanta.  On the plane I go.  They get us all loaded promptly and then tell us we cannot take off because there is a ground halt in Atlanta for thunderstorms. The pilot goes into this LONG explanation of all the factors and all of the organisations that work to make these decisions and even though it is very frustrating, now that we understand how complicated this is and how many people are involved that maybe it just a little more acceptable. 

This happens at least 3 more times with updates and after about an hour we take off.  I have an hour and 10 minutes between flights in Atlanta.  But this is just one of those things, so I sit back and think well this will make a good blog.

Once in the air, we fly faster then anticipated and take several slots ahead because we all of these people working for us in these unseen places to try and make up the time.  We land about 40 minutes late in the C concourse.  I check the monitor and see that 

I need to be in the E concourse.  I know Atalanta airport well and so I head to the connection tunnel walking very fast.  I bypass the train as I know this is slower than I can walk - tested on a previous long layover.

I arrive in the E concourse about 12 minutes later.  I am a bit sweaty and slightly out of breath.  Even though I am down to 20 minutes before take off, I stop at the main Delta counter and tell my whole story.  This is not easy as I am slightly out of breath. She click clacks on the computer and says she cannot do it, but she will do something in the computer so that it can be done at the gate.  She tells me to GO while she is working.  

So I GO straight to the gate - it's a madhouse, as usual with everyone anticipating the call of boarding.  I go to the counter and once again tell my whole story.  The lady says she cannot do same day upgrades for this flight, but she says she will look at my ticket, just as she is forming, I'm sorry - she says - oh, here you go.  She hands me my ticket just as business class gets called for boarding.

I feel like I deserve a class of champagne and even though that is a major yeast no-no I drink it.  It didn't even taste good.  Dinner and I was off to sleep, waking up 30 minutes before we landed with just enough time for a cup of tea.

Amsterdam was sleepy at 0530.  I got some coffee and breakfast and then it was time for the flight to Aberdeen.  It was completely uneventful. In Aberdeen, we all unload off the plane, as we approach the terminal, you can here an alarm going off and there are people pointing to go another way.  So we do.  

The alarm keeps going and more and more people keep pouring out of the terminal and landing planes.  Finally, the alarm stops and we can hear a distant announcement that airport has been evacuated.  We can hear sirens and see thick black smoke.  All the airport personnel are useless and do not know what is going on. Thirty minutes stretches into an hour, after this people start edging toward the terminal, so I do this too.  There are kids crying because they all seem to have to go to the bathroom.  After another 30 minutes, we are allowed back in, but we are all funnel through immigration - even those that are off to catch flights because we are all mixed up now. 

This is unpleasant.

Finally through, I grab my bags that miraculously made the connection and go outside to meet James.  James has experienced everything from the other side of the terminal.  He gets me and all my bags in the car and I promptly fall asleep.  

Just outside of Inverness, I wake up for real and watch the country roll by.  James is a good driver and he is very patient, which is good because there are lots of delays along the way.  About 5.5 hours later, he drops me at Duncan Street and insists he help me into the house.  

It took 24 hours in total, but hey, Thurso is a long way from Texas, and it was totally worth it!