2008 Europa Cup - Trip Home
Just a few comments and pictures from the trip home.
First, the elevator in the hotel. Sadly, we didn't get a picture with ALL our gear in it. It was a crazy elevator, tiny and narrow, and set up so that we could touch the walls between floors as the elevator moved. Kinda trippy! Also, the door was a normal door on each floor that didn't open automatically but that we had to push open.
Cassie entering.
Walking inside.
A poor attempt to show the smallness of the elevator. As I take this shot, my back, by the way, is being rubbed by each floor as we descend.
Now to the Punto. It was so sad to leave the Punto behind!!! A final farewell shot.
Now to the airport.
A, who used to be our trainer / physical therapist at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center, now works for the US Ski Team and travels with them. He was in Europe the same time we were, and we bumped into him at the Munich airport. What do you know, we were on the same flight! It was great to see him - the OTC clinic hasn't been the same since he left.
Cassie and I watched him work his magic with the cute girl checking him in, and when we finally got checked in and to the gate, he was grinning with success: upgrade to first class! I had to smile, but shook my head anyway.
On the flight, he jogged back and silently handed Cassie and I an ice cream sundae, then turned and went back to his class. Later on, I ran into him while stretching my legs; he was standing in the galley between coach and first-class. We briefly chatted, then I turned to return to my seat...as I was leaving he and the Ski Team doctor and the first-class flight attendant called me back. The flight attendant (who shall remain nameless so he doesn't get in trouble) offered me a drink.
And it went downhill from there! 2 hours later, I finally returned to my seat. A. and I and the flight attendant had chatted (with the flight attendant doing a very nice job between chatting moments) forever, my wine class (and later a rum & coke) refilled several times. As you all know, I'm very much a lightweight and can't handle much alcohol, so I only had 2 glasses of wine and 1/2 of a rum & coke, but was still very happily tipsy and giggly! I have to say, it was the absolutely BEST flight I've ever been on, and that incident helped the 10+ hours to pass more quickly and pleasantly. My buzz carried me through a movie and two hour-long HBO shows, and by the time we landed I was feeling back to normal.
Poor A. though, he was feeling a bit tired. We grabbed a couple photos in the airport to commemorate our flight.
Otherwise, the trip home had the potential to be quite miserable!
- We left Munich 2 hours late (due to an electrical problem)
- For some reason (national security, yeah right) we had to reclaim our bags in Atlanta, go through customs with them, recheck them, and only then could we get on the next flight. Yay for the USA - in Germany, immigration took literally 5 minute. TOTAL!
- Our bags took 2 hours to get off the plane in Atlanta (NO IDEA why)
- We missed our connection halfway through the bag wait.
- We were last through customs due to the bag delay.
- ALL FLIGHTS TO SALT LAKE CITY WERE FULL!!! (With 10-30 people on standby for each.)
- The desperation in our eyes got to the lady checking us in, and she put us high priority standby for the next SLC flight.
- The flight left in 20 minutes.
- We had to take the subway 4 terminals.
- We ran.
- It hurt.
- Gasping gasping pushing pushing gasping.
- We arrived at the gate.
- Cassie's name is cleared for the flight, but mine isn't.
- 30 seconds later they announce my name as cleared.
- We push through to the door.
- I am the last one on the plane....we walk through, doors close.
- We walk on, turn to our seats, and NO WAY! We're in First Class! I could KISS the check-in lady! I'd have been happy with steerage!
- Phew. We're on our way home, only a few hours late, and in First Class.
And, the best homecoming, Brad had roses and eggnog and my favorite soft cookies waiting for me! Sigh, so nice.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment