Scott and I made it back to the States okay. We had a little adventure in the New York airport. It
had nothing to do with trouble with customs, but it was the long line in customs that got us good.
We only had a hour and 45 minute layover in New York and we waited in line for an hour and 10
minutes.
Then we had to get our own luggage because we were switching airlines from Finnair to Delta. Then
we had to go through a security baggage check. Then we had to take our luggage from terminal 1 to
terminial 3, which required running with our luggage across streets and up escalators. Scott was a
little bit behind me so I went on at the baggage check and we were going to meet up at the gate.
Well I got on the air train going the opposite way. So that took me 15 minutes out of my way. I
was sure that Scott had beat me to the gate. Then once I got to the right terminal I checked my
bags, went through security again and had 10 minutes to spare. When I went to give the attendant
my boarding pass, he said I was too late so I had to go to the desk to get my tickets changed.
So I rushed over to the desk and gave him my ticket, he said that the plane hasn't left yet to go and
get on. (I was sure that Scott was already on the plane.) So I ran back over and told them that they
said the plane hadn't left yet. The guy replied and said it had already left and I would have to take a
taxi out to the plane. So he directed me back over to the same desk. I was pretty mad, because it
was a connecting flight, that line took forever, and I thought I was going to have to pay to change my
tickets.
The guy told me to calm down and he would figure everything out. While we were doing that I
looked to my right and saw Scott standing there huffing and puffing. So he wasn't on the flight either
and said he got held up behind a huge line is bag checks. He also guessed that I got on the wrong
air train and he was right.
Anyway, our original flight was supposed to leave at 5:40 and get into Cincinnati at 9:30 because we
had to stop by Detroit. The guy worked it out so that we would leave 6:40 and get to Cincinnati at
8:15. So by missing our flight we got into Cincinnati faster. Weird how that worked out. Needless
to say we were now pouring down sweat from carrying all our luggage across New York JFK
airport and running through the place trying to catch our flight.
After that everything was smooth sailing, well almost. When we got into the plane in New York
going to Cincinnati, after almost everyone had got on the plane shutoff and got real dark. We were
like what the.... Then the pilot came on and said that we just got disconnected from the E-pack that
temporarily gives the plane power while it is warming up. He said this is normal we just have to
warm up the engines again. However, while this is happening there is no air conditioning. Our plane
was tiny and there were no open seats so we were packed in there with no air condtioning. I was
sitting next to a tall Russian with a full suit on. I was sweating within minutes.
It took about 30-40 minutes to warm up the plane again and then we were on our way. So we
ended up getting into Cincinnati at 9:00 closer to the original time we were supposed to get in. Then
I was done but Scott still had to get on a plane and go from Cincinnati to Indianapolis, which is only
about a 20 minute flight.
So that was a pretty intersting and sweaty ride home, but at least we got home safe and sound. Oh
yeah, by the way, Rio sweet talked his way for our us around the customs people and we didn't
have any trouble, so big props to Rio for that.
Coming up next.... my final entry.....
Flight Back