I am finally back home, but it didn't happen as planned or without a lot of hassle. Due to a combination of bad flight timing and horrid weather, I was stranded in the Newark airport for about 24 hours. Some of the kids got out a little earlier, but we weren't able to return to San Antonio together and the earliest group home was still over 12 hours late. We missed our original connecting flight and the one they put us on later was eventually (after trying to get de-iced for about 3 or 4 hours) cancelled. They actually closed part of the airport for a while Tuesday night, so it's not surprising that there were a lot of cancelled flights.We were originally supposed to get home at 8:30 Tuesday night, but the last student, whom I was with, and I got in at 6 p.m. Wednesday. I really feel for the poor kids who then had more traveling to do in order to get home for the holidays. Fortunately, I can stay put, and plan to do so for a good while! After getting up at 5 a.m. Tuesday in London, and finally hitting the sack here in S.A. at 8 last night, I figure I got a total of around 4 or 5 hours sleep all together in that period, generously calculated. I really hope I'm never that tired again.
There are worse airports to be stranded in, as EWR has plenty of room and amenities, especially in its new sections, and Continental was generous with the food vouchers. However, I must lodge a strenuous protest at the stupid armrests that were on all the couches, necessitating sleeping on the floor if you wanted to stretch out. Not to mention the very loud-volume security messages repeated every 20 minutes or so, even when no one's there to have to be reminded about keeping their bags with them, except for people stranded who are trying to sleep.
However, we all made it home safely, if pretty zombie-like, and I'm just as glad that they didn't take a chance on flying with icy wings. The tree may be even later getting put up, and the piles of mail Henry has for me to sort through will be around a while longer, but I should be able to catch up on my sleep by sometime next week!
6 comments:
Yes, I knew you were looking forward to 3.5 months' of mail, so I saved most of it for you.
I just must say, all three of the airports I have had the pleasure of sleeping in (Bush, Dulles, and DIA) have annoyingly loud security announcements all night long and at Bush, we were also periodically roused by the announced arrival of the terminal-connecting train every 15 minutes, even when there was no one on it! Glad you're home safe!
That's the first over-nighting I've done at an airport--THREE?! Is that some sort of record?
Oh, what a way to end your lovely time here in England! I have been stuck in Newark more times than I care to remember, so I feel your pain.
Must be extra nice to be home!!
You should add your review to http://www.sleepinginairports.net/. I think chair armrests are probably the #1 complaint among airport overnighters.
I told several of the kids about that website, Hal. Maybe I will submit a review.
Yes, it is *very* good to be home. I'm sure the experience will eventually just become an interesting part of the story, but for now, it's rather overshadowed the sorrow of leaving London.
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