Well, actually my journey began yesterday morning. After booking three months ago, R and I left Sierra Vista yesterday morning to drive to Tucson Airport where he was going to drop me off for a short flight to Phoenix and thence to New York City (JFK.) Overnight there and then another flight from JFK to Dublin and a connecting flight to Paris to meet up with Laurie and Mercy who have been having a wonderful time in London.
R makes fun of me for being so connected with my phone but it worked very much in my favor yesterday because, as we had just stopped in Tucson for breakfast (two hours ahead of flight time as usual), a message came through on my phone that the Tucson flight had been delayed three hours—which would have meant missing my flight to JFK. The alternatives that were presented—taking a red eye to New York whilst waiting 6 hours at PHX were not palatable. So I talked with R and he agreed to drive me on to PHX (which, thankfully, is only another hour and 45 minutes from Tucson.) I checked with American Airlines that that was what I would do and I actually drove to Phoenix, so R wouldn’t have so much driving.
Arrived at PHX in plenty of time for my flight. In fact I arrived at PHX at about the same time I would have had I flown my original flight from Tucson! Had lunch at a taco place at the airport. Sat beside a friendly lady from Alaska who extolled the virtues of President Trump thinking I would agree because I “live near the border and isn’t the wall wonderful?” I politely pointed out some things from the “border perspective” but I doubt I swayed her. Still we parted on friendly terms :)
Flight took off slightly early and was a good one. Very smooth, dinner was good (photo below) and I watched Harry Potter and the Secret Chamber in honor of Laurie’s posts about visiting the Harry Potter Studio in London. I haven’t read any of the books, much to Laurie’s disgust but I did enjoy the movie.
Flight arrived at 11:00 pm, a half hour early, which was great. Luggage miraculously arrived right away and then I walked for what seemed a mile to get to the Radisson Hotel transfer. The hotel was about a 15-minute ride from the airport so by midnight I was in my room getting ready for bed. Slept really well. Breakfast was a ridiculous price so thought “Oh well, I will head for the airport, check in at Aer Lingus and have breakfast in their lounge.”
Ummm, no. When I arrived at the airport, found out that the check in didn’t open until 2:00 pm. Which was disappointing. I felt a little unsettled, I usually have my check in done online 24 hours before the flight. But Aer Lingus won’t do online check ins so I couldn’t get a boarding pass and go through security. The terminal looked so bland, not even a cafe to sit at. But the friendly woman at the Hawaiian Air desk, which was next to the Aer Lingus desk, suggested I go over to the TWA Hotel which is just over the walkway from Terminal 5. What fun I had as you can see from the photos below. Back in the ‘60s again!! In fact, I felt so much “at home” there that I went online, cancelled the Radisson for my return trip in two weeks, and booked to stay at the TWA Hotel. Since my flight is at 6:30 am, the closer I am to the airport, the better.
And now I am at the Aer Lingus Business Lounge with my feet up, enjoying a Diet Coke and Ginger Ale and just generally relaxing. Oh, best part of all—when I got to the Aer Lingus counter I found out there was a flight leaving for Dublin three hours before the one I was scheduled on so I was able to get that one AND also an earlier flight on to Paris from Dublin. The day that started out rather dull and grey has turned out to be sunny and happy.
R makes fun of me for being so connected with my phone but it worked very much in my favor yesterday because, as we had just stopped in Tucson for breakfast (two hours ahead of flight time as usual), a message came through on my phone that the Tucson flight had been delayed three hours—which would have meant missing my flight to JFK. The alternatives that were presented—taking a red eye to New York whilst waiting 6 hours at PHX were not palatable. So I talked with R and he agreed to drive me on to PHX (which, thankfully, is only another hour and 45 minutes from Tucson.) I checked with American Airlines that that was what I would do and I actually drove to Phoenix, so R wouldn’t have so much driving.
Arrived at PHX in plenty of time for my flight. In fact I arrived at PHX at about the same time I would have had I flown my original flight from Tucson! Had lunch at a taco place at the airport. Sat beside a friendly lady from Alaska who extolled the virtues of President Trump thinking I would agree because I “live near the border and isn’t the wall wonderful?” I politely pointed out some things from the “border perspective” but I doubt I swayed her. Still we parted on friendly terms :)
Flight took off slightly early and was a good one. Very smooth, dinner was good (photo below) and I watched Harry Potter and the Secret Chamber in honor of Laurie’s posts about visiting the Harry Potter Studio in London. I haven’t read any of the books, much to Laurie’s disgust but I did enjoy the movie.
Flight arrived at 11:00 pm, a half hour early, which was great. Luggage miraculously arrived right away and then I walked for what seemed a mile to get to the Radisson Hotel transfer. The hotel was about a 15-minute ride from the airport so by midnight I was in my room getting ready for bed. Slept really well. Breakfast was a ridiculous price so thought “Oh well, I will head for the airport, check in at Aer Lingus and have breakfast in their lounge.”
Ummm, no. When I arrived at the airport, found out that the check in didn’t open until 2:00 pm. Which was disappointing. I felt a little unsettled, I usually have my check in done online 24 hours before the flight. But Aer Lingus won’t do online check ins so I couldn’t get a boarding pass and go through security. The terminal looked so bland, not even a cafe to sit at. But the friendly woman at the Hawaiian Air desk, which was next to the Aer Lingus desk, suggested I go over to the TWA Hotel which is just over the walkway from Terminal 5. What fun I had as you can see from the photos below. Back in the ‘60s again!! In fact, I felt so much “at home” there that I went online, cancelled the Radisson for my return trip in two weeks, and booked to stay at the TWA Hotel. Since my flight is at 6:30 am, the closer I am to the airport, the better.
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| The Beatles arrive! |
And now I am at the Aer Lingus Business Lounge with my feet up, enjoying a Diet Coke and Ginger Ale and just generally relaxing. Oh, best part of all—when I got to the Aer Lingus counter I found out there was a flight leaving for Dublin three hours before the one I was scheduled on so I was able to get that one AND also an earlier flight on to Paris from Dublin. The day that started out rather dull and grey has turned out to be sunny and happy.
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