The journey was long. Mind-numbing, insanity inducing, why would I ever want to do that to myself again, kind of long and it was all done for a $14 Space-A flight from Seattle to Okinawa, courtesy of the US military.
The boys and I flew to Seattle, spent a few hours in a hotel, then awoke at 4:00 AM to get on the list of hopefuls who were anxiously waiting to hear if there were extra seats available on the flight to Japan. After hearing that we made the flight, we waited 5 more hours for the flight to actually leave.
The highlights of traveling around the planet with my two boys in tow:
• Spending all day traveling to Seattle because United Airlines doesn’t have a direct flight.
• Waiting at the Seattle airport for 6 hours BEFORE the 10-hour flight across the ocean
• Arriving in mainland to find out our plane was quarantined. No one was allowed on or off the plane because someone puked. Until lots of officials and soldiers with guns could confirm we were not infected with the plague, we remained in our seats, the very same seats we had been sitting for the previous 10 hours.
• Ethan plunging head first down the escalators at the airport. After cleaning up lots of blood and tears, he looks like he survived a cat fight, or a tumble on an escalator.
Traveling with children around the world should be a new endurance sport for people who like to challenge themselves both mentally and physically. Who needs a marathon? I've done one, and trust me, traveling is harder.
I'm glad you made the flight! The escalator fall made my heart skip a beat...glad he's ok.
ReplyDeleteTraveling is always an adventure with you, isn't it? Poor Ethan! I bet you are all happy to be home, though.
ReplyDeleteMel,
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it on the 1st flight and didn't need to wait weeks! If you want us to come visit you in Japan you better make the travel time sound more fun!
Oy! You aren't convincing me to visit!
ReplyDeleteUghhhh!! Traveling space-A is definitely torture! I wish they'd be better about making arrangements. Poor Ethan ... sounds like he really bit the dust; he's a strong kid - that's for sure! It was great to see Marcus this morning! Andrew was beside himself yesterday when I informed him you were back. Other than tying him up, there wasn't much else I could do to keep him from running over! ;)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back ... it's great to see you faces again.
Mel - I never cease to be amazed at your travel experiences. I would not survive. Period.
ReplyDeleteAghh! We just returned from HNL, but there was two of us. I told M that we need to move closer home. But, I guess I have nothing to complain about. ;)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!!! you were giving me flash backs of all the Space-A flights when Thing One & Thing Two were in diapers! LOL! It is actually fun now! The day will come....falling down escalators, there just isn't a grow out of it age for that one, they fall even when they are teenagers. Ha! Hope the little guys is okay!
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOODNESS!!!!! You deserve some kind of reward for surviving "Torture by Travel."
ReplyDeleteI'm so sad we missed you when you were in Seattle. I wish we could have helped in some way. I'm sorry you had such a miserable experience. We were thinking of trying to use Space A for our trip to DC. You've helped me change my mind. I think I'll stick with Southwest.
ReplyDelete