Friday. 14.12.2007. London. U.K.
6:00 alarm goes off
shower, get ready, pack makeup bag
6:50 ted wakes up
he puts on a Cubbies cap and jogging pants to walk wife to train station
6:57 we leave the house
dragging 3 pieces of luggage all the way to Victoria station
7:02 missed the 7 am Gatwick express
get on the one that leaves 7:15
7:05 ted kisses me goodbye
he leaves the luggage nicely arranged in the train and goes back to the flat
7:48 gatwick express arrives to the airport
I have 3 bags! there is only 1 elevator and 765,893 people waiting to use it.
8:20 take shuttle train to north terminal where my airline is
it took me 20 minutes to access the elevator to go up 1 floor
I did not have a single coin to use one of the trolly carts (arrrrgggg!)
8:35 lined up for check in
my flight leaves at 9:30! the line is huge... horrible fear of missing my flight
8:50 I finally reach the counter
the flight has been delayed 2 and a half hours due to weather conditions in Houston
for the first time i'm happy my plane is delayed
9:01 i finish checking in
the luggage belt at the check in counter is broken so checked bags are left next to the counters!
the continental guy gives me a £ 5 refreshment voucher for being so patient
9: something. I stop looking at my watch because I know there is plenty of time
security line is endless
somewhere around 10. I pass airport security and start looking for food to use my super voucher
while walking around, i remember about the eye-thingie program where you avoid lines on UK returning flights
later. I find it. The thing is called IRIS
takes 10 minutes, is painless, is free, ensures you don't have to stand in the migration line when you come back to London. nice!
11 something. Arrive at gate
there is an starbucks right in front of the gate.
i get to purchase stuff with my voucher. free
Some 9 hours later I am at home in Houston and my sister is picking me up at the airport. I am home for Christmas!
