Home-- what a fiasco!!

Well- We finally made it home.

Here's the events as they took place  (minus the commentary)

Saturday am:

Woke at 5 am- breakfast at 6-- taxi at 7-- airport for flight at 8

Left Guangzhou for ShangHai at 9:30 and arrived on time around 11:30.

Had a 5 hour layover and took off for the USA- newark airport at 4:55 pm.

Flew for 14 hours to be told we were half hour away from Newark and we were re-routing to Cleveland.

(Very bad storms in the newark area and high winds)

Sat at a gate for an hour in cleve.---  took off again for newark
finally landed - one kid barfing- around 9 (total flight and landing and take off and landing time-- 17 hours.

When we arrived at the airport I already new my flight was cancelled out to baltimore.

Decided I might rent a car or stay at a hotel.  Since Piper was airsick I was in no hurry to board a plane.

it was plain to see there was a huge amopunt of people stranded in the airport.  There were no avilable hotel room...no available cars...even amtrak was closed due to power problems between Newark and Philly.

We had another couple with us and separated to find our way home.  They were already booked on a 6 am flight.

Since I was last off the plane and then last to customs I was not told what was going on with luggage etc.

I found my things on the carousel and figured nothing was being done for anyone since it was a weather problem.  (TRUE)

 

We spent several hours navigating customs and looking for any way out of the airport--- or to home.

We ended up resting on the floor until about 3:30am.  I decided then to check the car rentals again.

This was only done through using the airtrain and pushing the luggage (with Piper riding on top) all over the airport property.

I did find a car available but they would not rent to me because I do not have a credit card. --only debit.

(dead end again)  back to the terminal using the monorail.

Finally around 6 am I decided to try the amtrak.  Found a train going to BWI station at 8:28.

booked via internet....took airtrain again to another point at the airport and began the wait.

At 8:15 the train was cancelled. (are you rolling your eyes yet?)

Of course the staff that manned the desk did not come in until 9 am. Luckily there was a staff person(heading so that said to use the same ticket and just get on the next train.  We did that and boarded at 10:30 for arrival at the BWI amtrak station at 1:30pm

Arrived at statopn ontime and finally met up with my hubby and two kiddos (Cassie and Joey)  Bill had preached and left church after the message to come get me!!

So --all total...travel was 41 hours from the first flight to my doorstep home.

 

Kelly Rumbaugh

www.dropshots.com/samanthaandpiper

www.adollarforhopeandjoy.blogspot.com

 

---

---

---