Paulette

I don’t manage to sleep much.  Basically it’s one hour of sleep then wake up and check the time.  I don’t like having to wake up in time for a flight.  Next time I’ll have to make sure I book something a little later.

At 3:00 AM (8:00 PM Ottawa time) I wake up for the last time.  I lie in bed waiting for 4:00 to arrive.  Finally at 3:50 I get up and head to the airport.  Carla briefly wakes then goes back to sleep.

The airport is busy.  I checkin and head to my gate.  My flight is on time and uneventful.  I arrive in Frankfurt 3 hours later.  I have a 5-6 hour wait for my flight to Ottawa.

I walk around the airport but after an hour there isn’t much else to do.  I buy “The Appeal”, the latest John Grisham book and head to the food court.  I find a flight attendant in a little corner sitting by herself reading.  I join her and pull out my book.

I spend the next few hours reading and trying to ignore the airport noises around me.  There is no quiet space in a busy airport.  I try to go to my gate early but they turn me away.

An hour before my departure time I head to my gate.  I go through security then continue on.  As I get closer I have to go through another security entrance.  (?)

The flight is to leave at 2:15 (7:15 AM Ottawa time).  They call for boarding to start.  Again we are being put on a bus that will take us out to the tarmac where we will board a plane.  I let the first bus go.  There is still a long lineup so I wait.  Carla hasn’t arrived yet.  I decide I’ll wait until the last minute to get on the bus hoping she arrives in time.

I keep reading my book and glancing up every once in a while.  Finally I see her!  She made it.  We get seats together on the plane.

It’s a 7-8 hour flight.  I finish my book.  We both watch movies and TV sitcoms.  We are given a meal, a couple of snacks and a few glasses of wine.  We arrive in Ottawa a little early.

We go through customs and wait for our luggage.  Mine arrives but Carla’s does not.  Her connection was too tight.  She will get her bags tomorrow.

And just like that it’s over.  Carla’s Dad is there to pick her up.  Dave is there for me.  We say our goodbyes.   I’m exhausted.  I’ve been up for about 20 hours now with only bits of sleep before that.  Tomorrow is going to be tough.

Wow, I’ve been to Greece.