Fast asleep...PTL!!!
Getting ready to finally see GRANNY!!!
I have been preparing for our trip to the states for the past 3 months. I have a notebook full of itineraries, schedules, travel guides, calendars and of course the never ending lists of things to do. The driver arrived at 4:15 AM and we loaded the van with our 5 suitcases, backpack, 2 purses-mine and ME's, 2 kids, 2 sippy cups, husband. We made it to the airport at 4:50, with plenty of time to check-in for our 7:05 flight. We organized our bags on the handy airport trolley and went to check the list of departures to see where we needed to go next. No, Lufthansa Flight #546. How could this be?!? I checked the print out of our e-tickets again...right airport, right day, right time. Keith and I just stared at each other...what are we suppose to do?!? My mind was racing a mile a minute...I guess trying to catch up with my heart that was beating so fast, it felt like I had just finished running a 5K! A taxi driver approached us and asked if we needed help. Where do I start..I needed a doctor, psychiatrist, coffee. Lufthansa moved to Domodedovo 2 days ago?!?! After the reality of this finally sunk in and we had verified its validity with every person wearing a uniform in the entire airport, we called the driver and asked him to return and drive us 54 miles to Domodedovo. He returned at 5:25 and we were checking-in for our flight at the correct airport at 6:09...one minute before they announced that check-in was closing. Of course, of the 5 available agents, I choose the one in TRAINING!!! It took her 30 minutes to check us in!!! I was shaking, beyond nervous and just kept asking, "Are we going to make it in time?" Which I am sure did not help the sweet trainee move any faster!!! We get checked-in, after reprinting out luggage tags twice, and run to the gate...stopping at Passport Control, Security Check...where they verify our passports and tickets for the 3rd time! The clock is ticking, my heart is still racing and the lady says, "Your plane is boarding? Do you have enough time to make it?" By now I am losing it and responded with a huge smile and as nicely as possible, "Not if you don't hurry up!!!" Take off 4 coats, 8 shoes, walk through the totally cool, new metal detectors that scan you, put on 4 coats, 8 shoes and grab our tickets, passports, keys, wallet, cell phone, change (Keith really needs to get a purse!), and our carry-ons and run to the gate...around the corner, down the stairs, down the hall, around the corner...yelling, "Run kids! You can do it!" Finally, ME falls to the ground, weeping and panting, "I can't!" I grab her and carry her across the finish line...where for the 4th time ask to see our passports and tickets. "Where is your fourth boarding pass?" The trainee had given us 3 boarding passes and one ticket, which thankfully was quickly resolved with a phone call and we boarded the plane!!!
We were so thankful to land in Lubbock, so that we could stop hearing and answering the same question, "Are we at Granny's yet?!?" After all the hugs, greetings and stories had been shared, while we were waiting for our luggage, I said, "Are you excited about Hawaii?" Granny's response was, "We need to talk about that!" Our airlines declared bankruptcy TODAY!!! After stopping at our favorite Mexican food place and eating so much I felt sick, we made it finally to Granny's house!!! The kids got their second wind and wildly ran through the house looking for new surprises, while I began the 4 hour long investigation of how the bankruptcy of ATA (and also Aloha Airlines) would impact our trip to Hawaii. After 8 phone calls and hours of waiting, we discovered that we could fly stand by on another airlines with the thousands of other displaced passengers or we could dispute the charge with our credit card company for services not rendered and book a new trip, which is what we decided to do. We leave for Hawaii the following week (April 18-23rd) out of Dallas. And finally we recieved good news, we somehow managed to save $1500 on our trip!!!
