The flight left an hour plus after the scheduled time. Non eventful...thankfully with an opportunity to snooze a little and work on the Matisse inspired project. It was a one and a half ink cartridge in the fountain pen kind of day. Was seated next to the crew seat--with two of the pilots snoring and another more than happy to talk about his life, his family,his church and his ideas about handguns in the home (you need one loaded and ready to go at all times to get the guys that are going to break into your house). Yikes!! We talked a little politics, a little about the state of being a pilot, and the requisite retirement at 60 and then what? So, that broke things up nicely. We got in an hour late (8 hr. flight) and the fun began. Tons of waiting. Then the lines began with all the US college students coming back from their "SPRING BREAK" in Jamaica etc...all in tank tops and flip flops despite the snow on the ground. Lines up on lines. At least a half an hour waiting to show the passport, a half an hour for the bags, a half an hour waiting for "security" etc. The USAir flight to Ithaca was delayed an hour and a half due to mechanical work being done. Albeit, the flight did go, though I got a pass to the local hotel courtesy of USAir and got scheduled in case they cancelled as they shut down their customer service around 10:30-11:00 and I just didnt want to be stuck, exhausted and meanspirited.
Got on about 12:15. They did take off. Got home to my house by 2:00. However, the luggage all got put on the carousel and no one took anything. All the luggage did not belong to this flight. So, once again, they lost the luggage. Hopefully we will see it in a couple of days.
It's great being back albeit I am operating on sleep fumes. I hope I can make it without conking out unnecessarily today.
More later>>
Richard and Chris had an eventful time in Paris. Got there, saw the sites..some positive, some less so. Found out on Saturday, the day they had planned to shop and take pictures, that the train was not running--so they were bussed to Calais, took the ferry to Dover and then a train ride to London and on to Gatwick. Eleven stinking hours of travel. Makes my time with the flight cancelled seem like an absolute holiday. What was JT thinking when he stated that going to London was the same as San Francisco. Somehow 2 days to get home, the exchange rate and the time difference isnt quite the same. I need to get over it.
Image above from my sketchbook.