Made it back from my cruise.. but you have to hear my coming home story!

Sweet_Thang · October 2011

Well after about 38 total hours of travel I finally made it back to Houston.

Left for Barcelona airport at 7 am with my cabin mate. Got through that maze unscathed and had the good fortune of running into a couple of friends from the cruise at the cafe inside the airport. We boarded and took off with no issues.

Here's where all the FUN began.

Instead of landing in Newark, they said we were being diverted to Albany. Next thing I know, we are circling Hartford CT. We land in Hartford CT to a huge snowstorm. From 2 pm until 6:30 pm we were on the plane until they could figure out whether or not they were going to reopen Newark or send us somewhere else or let us off the plane there. It was decided we would de plane there, but they had to call for Customs officials to come in because they were NOT expecting any international flights in that day. Once they were in, then we finally taxied to Hartford's International "Terminal" cough "Warehouse/Hanger" . There was no power, everything was on generator, so no jet way. We got off the plane in blowing winds, snow, wet on icy metal steps; trudged through the snow to the building. Upstairs and then back down. Once the luggage was brought in, then we had to be bussed to the main terminal. About 10 at a time. Well Ya'll know Lexie's luck, her bag was the last one off the plane. So from 6:30 to 8 pm we dealt with customs and then mainly waiting to get to the terminal.

It' gets better.... once in the terminal, 8 pm, we had to wait to get to the ticket counter to reschedule, blah blah. We stood in line from 8 pm to 12 midnight, when we (cabinmate and i ) finally got the agent. At least we got vouchers out of him... too bad we couldn't use them until the next day. (Mind you the only real meal we had was on the plane at around 12:30 pm Barcelona time). Then it was waiting in line for a cot. We got something like 4 hours of sleep maybe. Then it was waiting in more lines to get our tickets and checked in, and then our flights.

We were one of about 8 International flights that were diverted to Hartford. And our plane was the first to be processed. They could only do them one at a time.

We got rerouted from Hartford to Washington Dulles at 10 am. Then from Dulles to Houston at 5:15 pm. So we had a long long layover in Dulles, but at least we were able to rest a bit. I finally got home around 9:30 pm last night.

And dang it.. the floor is still moving like I am on the cruise ship!

Will give more updated info and review of my travels to Europe later on. It's month end close and guess who's behind!!