6/14/2016 (written 6/15/2016)
Yesterday we got up, ate breakfast and headed out to the airport to head home. The hotel we stayed at, Crowne Plaza, was extremely nice and we loved the orange juice machine in the morning. It squeezed the fruit fresh for you right there; very cool. Overall we had a great time, but you could tell this morning that we were already to be home.
We headed to the airport -- checked in and headed to the gate. Overall, not too big of a hassle. We did have to argue with the Air France representative about the bags. Jack is Platinum with Delta which means we get 2 bags per person and we needed it coming back (I bought a few things). We booked through Delta, but they had us flying Air France for this leg of the journey, one of their partner companies and they wanted us to pay 80 Euro per bag for the 2nd ones coming back - um, no. We finally got it straightened out... there is no way I was paying that. Once we got through that hassle, we made our way to the gate. The security at the Athens Airport is by the gate so not a lot of drink/food options once you are in so we just sat and surfed the internet -- well most did. Somewhere between breakfast and the gate I lost my phone. Luckily it is insured so I'll call them later today and get a replacement :(
We then arrived at Charles De Galle Airport in Paris. Now I don't know if you all remember my tales from our trip to France in 2014, but this trip just further confirmed - this is the worse airport in the World! We had arranged for Mama to have a wheel chair because we knew the connection was tight and she gets out of air if she has to walk fast... I'm so glad we did, because there is NO way we would have made our flight otherwise. Our flight was delayed so we had literally 20 minutes between landing and our next flight boarding. We got off the plane and the elevator from the gate down to the wheelchairs was broken so... they put us on this cargo thing out of the back of the plane that had seats on it. Then they drove us across runways to a door where representatives met us with the wheelchair (there was another family too). Jack got very irritate with the flight personal because they were just saying "go here", "go there", but were not telling us what was actually going on - what they were doing. It was extremely disconcerting, though I'm not sure Jack snapping his fingers at the French flight personal who already hate Americans helped any, though I was about to do worse so... It was funny looking back - the Frenchman just snapped his fingers back and gave a half answer. Paris France - not my favorite place.
We then got in the wheelchairs and a very nice lady wheeled us to the gate. We would not have found it without her and because of the chair we got to the front of every line, so bonus. We then got on the thing that connects the airplane to the gate only to find the door to the plane (glass) shut and locked. We could see in the plane because it's door was still open, but we couldn't get in. An attendant finally came about 5 minutes later and opened it, but even the airport lady who was pushing Mama was confused.
We then got on the plane and had our 8 hour flight home. It was ok as we were in Comfort Plus and the Delta staff were great, but 8 hours on a plane is never fun. Once we got home, we grabbed Mama another wheelchair.... I think she would have been fine at this point because we were not rushing and because she actually slept on the plane, but it was there so we used it. She does qualify for handicap access and has a card so why not? I can't complain we by passed the lines and were out of the airport within 40 minutes of landing.
We then got into the area where you walk out of the airport and realized we had no idea where the car key was so we had to take bags apart to find it. It ended up being in the first bag we checked, but we of course looked past it and took 4 others apart before we found it. We were all tired and just not quite 100%. Jack then went to get the car and Mama and I waited with the bags. He took the wrong shuttle so we sat for a good 30 minutes, but it was nice outside and we were just glad to be back on American soil.
I then drove us about 1/2 way home and swapped out driving with Mama for the next half. I could not hold my eyes open - Jack was snoring in the backseat - and Mama was wide awake so it worked out.
Now we are home - Kitties are begging for petting and we are happy to be home. It was a great vacation, but I was grateful to sleep in my own bed.
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