Today was mainly a travel day ... We got up and left our hotel by 7 AM to catch our 11:30 flight to Frankfort. First win of the day - our pickup car was not a Prius and could easily fit us and our bags. Special thanks to Paula, our travel agent for handling that. We had to pay a big more and I will give the luggage company an online review explaining exactly what I think of the fact they sent a car that could barely handle 2 bags and 2 people for 3 people when I get home. However, Paula was awesome and took care of it for us so we would not have to deal with it as we left London.
The airport in London was so nice! We are traveling Lufthansa Airlines - I checked before we came and their website said a 2nd bag was 25 pounds each, which in the US is cheaper than an overweight bag so we each had 2 bags. Well... we get up to the check in counter and it is 25 pounds if you do it online, but 68 if you do it in person. Let me just say right off that is bull xxxx. The lady was so kind though - she explained that if we do overweight bags it will be cheaper. So at the checkout counter, in the middle of London's airport we again broke down the duffel bags into larger bags... kinda like we did when we arrived in London and had to get into that dang Prius. We handled it though and the lady was so patient and kind with us.
We had told Mama to go to the handicapped area to wait as we typically get her a wheel chair in the airports. She doesn't need it to walk, but the oxygen with all of the batteries gets really tiring to carry and sometimes you need to rush through airports and she doesn't rush well without having oxygen issues. So anyway - she walked down while we were still dealing with the luggage, but an airport employee had her sit in another area. So... we get done with the luggage, walk down, no Mama. I ask the handicap assistance people - they haven't seen her. My heart about dropped out of my chest. I went to the bathroom - no Mama. I walked around for a couple of minutes - no Mama. I go up to the handicap desk and ask if they have seen her again... and let me just tell you. London is a big international city, which I love, but that also means that even though they speak English - they don't speak English. They kept asking me if I lost a purse - I said no I lost a PERSON my mother, please help. About that time Mama came to see if we were done yet... THANK the Lord. I thought I had lost my mother in a foreign county.... who apparently doesn't speak my language, lol.
After we were all together I went to see about her wheel chair. The one thing bad about London - handicap access. They wanted her to wait in this area until close to boarding... where there was no food or anything. So we decided just to walk it with the oxygen. We then went through security. This was amazing - we didn't take our shoes off first of all! Second - you put your stuff in bins and walk though, much like the US. However, the conveyors are circular and the bins are under it constantly rotating back from the other end. So pickup a bin from underneath, put your stuff in it, walk through. Easy as pie! Plus, the security guards - helpful and not yelling at you or getting annoyed when you have a question, such as do I take my shoes off!
We then collected our bags and walked off. A few minutes later I realized I didn't have my watch so I went back. Instead of being all huffy as they are in Atlanta... they helped me look in bins and even re-scanned my bags looking for it. We found it in a bin and I was on my way. Just mind blowing how great they were and how friendly. I later heard a Canadian couple talking about how much better it was as well.
We then went and got breakfast. We got it Wonder Tree Restaurant in the airport. I had pancakes with bananas and strawberries which were marvelous. But you want to know what was better???? We had filtered coffee and it tasted like what we had back home - I had 3 cups! I was so excited. Coffee Coffee Coffee! Our waitress was also incredible. Just an amazing experience all the way around.
We then went down to the gate area to await our gate assignment. We chilled for a bit - Jack slept - and generally it was an uneventful wait. Our flight was delayed by 45 minutes, but it just didn't bother us. Not sure why ... it just was.
Once our gate assignment was available we made our way to the gate. I chatted with the attendant and made sure all was well with the Oxygen. They had to jump through a few more hoops - showing the paperwork to the Captain and all, but it was all good. A little nerve wrecking waiting for them to say ok, though I knew I had everything in order, but all good.
We then boarded the plane, got seated and few to Frankfurt. I will say the Lufthansa air planes are horrible in comparison to Delta- even the bad Delta planes. The plane itself was new and very clean, but the seats reminded me of stadium seating. My butt was numb with in 10 minutes ... it was very uncomfortable. I'll never complain about coach seating in the States again... ok I lied I will, but then someone remind me of this! The staff was nice though and they gave us a pastrami sandwich which was yummy.
The wind or the pilot or both were having some issues during take off and landing that made my stomach do circles. I rarely have issues flying but this made me feel a little off - kinda like I did going up into the needle in San Antonio. All was well though and we landed and made our way to baggage claim. Customs and security in London and Germany are so easy... makes the US feel like checking into a prison vs. the supposedly the freest country in the world. I know we have to be safe - especially after 9/11 - it just seems like we do it in such a rude intrusive manner in the US - there has to be a way to be safe, but it still be a good experience.
We had missed our transport to the hotel with Globus, so we went to grab a taxi. The first driver had a car and could not take us due to luggage. I was actually glad as he was exceptionally rude. The second drive that came up had an SUV and we all fit in nicely. He was friendly, though he made it a point to tell us to our face that Americans were arrogant. I can't say overall I disagree about America being an arrogant country and her people thinking we are better... we aren't by the way ... most people are the same. They want to get up, live their live and go to sleep - there are extremest on both sides of any story, but most just want to live. It did surprise me though to be told by a foreigner we were arrogant and thought we were above climate change. Can't say Trump is making a good name for us over here... just saying. Overall it was a ok ride to the hotel.
Once we got here we got our rooms and headed up. Jack took our luggage and I went with Mama to get her settled in. We opened her room and a man popped his head up from the bed with a WTF look on his face. I quickly backed out and started laughing. We went down to reception and explained that a man had been in our room... to which they started all talking in German very fast. We were given another room - right next to ours (which is awesome) and they gave Mama a free Coke/Candy Bar which was nice. Accidents happen and he wasn't naked it was just funny to us - not sure he felt the same way.
I got her settled and repacked her suitcase from where I had destroyed it at the airport, then went to settle my stuff. We rested for a few and then headed out to meet the group for dinner. I am truly shocked - the bus is only 1/2 full. I love the fact its a small group, but shocked as I've never been on a Globus tour that didn't have a full bus ... minus maybe 1 or 2. I really wish I would have just brought the spinner suitcase now vs. these duffel bags as it will easily fit under the coach and would have been SOOO much easier. However, we did talk to him and instead of having to squeeze everything in we can bring the duffel bags down in the mornings and slip them under the bus - which is good given we will buy souvenirs :) I love my souvenirs.
The dinner was good. The first course was a potato soup that was really good. Then some type of beef dish with sour-grout and noodles that was ok, but not my favorite. They then had fudge filled cake with ice cream which was amazing and coffee - good coffee! It was a nice meal - we sat with a couple from New Orleans and enjoyed getting to know them a bit. Her name is Lynette and his is Renee - he comes from a family of 9 kids who all still live in the New Orleans area. He worked for the city of New Orleans as an architect and helped with the designs to rebuild the city buildings after Katrina which was neat to hear about. They seem well traveled as well -- I always worry when we talk about where we have been that it will come off as boastful, which we never mean to be - we are very blessed to travel as much as we do and I do not take it for granite. It is fun to share about all the neat places ... I love to travel and hope to much more of the world before I pass. So it's nice when others have traveled and you can talk about the various places and compare notes.
After dinner we came back to the hotel and are getting ready to leave tomorrow. Luggage has to be outside the room by 7 and we have to eat breakfast and be ready to leave by 8. Let the Germany adventure begin.
1 comment:
nice post, thanks for sharing this
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