Me in Chicago! I have never had so much trouble with airports and plans as I have on this journey! The flight from TOL to CHI had quite a bit of turbulence…YAY! Right? Wrong. I never experienced any turbulences on the flights to NY/D.C./Florida. I. was. terrified! I quickly started saying my prayers (silently of course. I didn’t want people to think I was a nut case or something). By the way, I should probably start saying those formal prayers more often; I had some (a.k.a a lot of) trouble remembering the words. Ha, but I’m a Catholic, can’t expect to much from me!
Anywho, so like I said, I was finally in Chicago. Well, I’m just chilling waiting for my flight to arrive. I had a five hour layover, you see. With about 2 hours before my flight was meant to arrive, I notice on the board my flight was no longer there. I checked with the woman at the gate, and she confirm my flight was cancelled and that I needed to go down the hall to peak to someone….. Well, down the hall was no one. No one of any help to me that is. No one was at customer service and all the other gate keepers were pointing me in different directions with very vague instructions. Eventually, someone told me I was transferred to the 9pm flight to London. Ok, at least I have a flight now……six hours away. That makes my layover a grand total of 9 hours thus far, with no internet, games, movies, or actual food. I was beyond annoyed.
Well when I was walking around, trying to find Jamba Juice, I walked along with a janitor. We passed a young baby, feeding their baby. I instantly was like, “AWWW”, silently though. The janitor, who didn’t speak much English from what I gathered, turned around and smile at me, nodding towards them. It was strange, having that connection. It was just a passing moment, and somehow it made me warm inside. It’s hard to explain; just knowing that such things are universal, it warmed my heart of awhile and made me feel not so alone anymore.
Around 8pm, I check to make sure my flight wasn’t cancelled like last time. The flight wasn’t showing up on the board again. So I run over to a gate keeper and ask about it. He said it was a flight delay for two more hours. Meh. When I finally got one the actual plane at 11pm, after waiting 12 hours with little sleep, little nourishment, and a big cold with no meds, the caption came on and announced, “Sorry folks, there seems to be trouble with the turbulence thingy. We are troubleshooting it now. They have told me, uhhh, about 45 minutes or so. We’ll keep you on the plane, since that’s easier than evacuating everyone. uhhh, just take a nap….” Meh Meh WHAT?! I was piiiiissssed.
But Kerry, what happened to your connecting lfights in London? Well, when landed in London, I had exactly one hour and five minutes to run across the largest airport in the UK, and check in. I had to go through three to four different customs stations. I had to literally run, caring my coat and two now very heavy carry-ons, to the complete opposite side of the airport. I knocked over a little boy and a man on the way. To them, I am very sorry. They called last call for my flight twice, and my name specifically, over the pa before I got to the gate. Luckily, I made it. I was completely out of breath and drenched in sweat, but I did not miss my connecting flight.
Once I arrived in Cork, I was detained. That was awesome and a half. The old gentleman that checked the non-euro passports was very curious of us trying to visit Ireland. Most of the travelers he let through after a few questions. Not Kerry Keyes! I had to wait an hour, and then be grilled by this guy about all of my plans for the next two weeks. And he went in circles with his questioning, to see if I’d slip up anywhere. I showed him all the confirmation emails from airports and tourist offices….even then, he had questions and would give a crazy look towards me. Afterall I went through, there’s no denying that I gave him sass after that hour. He finally left me go.
First thing I did after I left the airport? Checked into my bar/hostel and had me some drinks.
Pictures from Cork soon to come!
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