Back to Prague ... again

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Our friend Gladys picked us up about five in the evening and drove us to BWI. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 8:30 and BWI says that passengers are to arrive at the airport three hours before an international flight. Having printed our boarding passes last night from the British Air web site we were allowed to go to the "Fast Bag" line to check our suitcase and box of books through to Prague. Actully there was no line, so our check in went very quickly and by six or a few minutes after six we were seated at gate E-1. Soon several other travelers joined us, two African ladies, several men and a large family from India. Then the trickle of people stopped and only occasionally did another person come to wait for boarding the plane. It was obvious as we approached the time to board the plane that the plane was not going to be full, or anywhere near full tonight.

I got our laptop computer out of the backpack so Nancy could edit the paper she had received via e-mail just the day before from one of the IBTS Ph.D. students. It was a short chapter for his dissertation, only five pages, and she soon had the first cut at editing the paper done.

The airplane was virtually empty. I am not sure I have ever seen a plane this empty and if I have it was at least thirty years ago. Our seats were the aisle and window seat on the next to the last row. Actually this is a good place to sit as it is near the lavatories. The purser, a friendly young British woman, was standing near our seats and we struck up a conversation with her.

"I am surprised at how few people there are are on the plane," I said.

"Yes," she replied, it is a light flight. It was light coming over yesterday."

"Is it all right if we move once we are in the air where we each can have more that one seat?" I was hopeful.

"Yes, of course. I will tell you when you can move.

After a few minutes the purser came to our seat and said, "The door is closed now. Find yourselves some good seats." We each had three seats so we could lay down and actually sleep much of the way to Heathrow. It felt like the good old days when we almost always got room to stretch out on international flights. The flight was 6 hours (they did it on high speed instead of the 8 hour usual trip as there was over a 100 mph tailwind.) then we had a a 6 hour layover. BA has good planes, good service personnel, a decent amount of leg room and even good meals. Thank goodness the British have a civilized attitude toward weary travelers. The waiting room for international flights at Heathrow from the USA to Prague and other destinations has seating without arms and it is comfortable to lay down on to sleep. Bill put his arms through the carry on bags and I put my arm through my small backpack and we both slept various amounts of time during the layover. In what is now a 'tradition' at Heathrow, I bought a musli smoothie for myself and this time a raspberry smoothie for Bill. The raspberry definitely tastes better but with musli and yogurt as well as a banana and various other fruits, the one I got for myself keeps you from being hungry longer. Talk about sticker shock. A single smoothie costs $6.50 so two were $13.75 with tax. Signs all over say that prices in the airport are guaranteed to be no more than in London itself. So, a London vacation would be a really expensive event. I booted up the laptop and did a second reading on that dissertation chapter so I would have it ready for Alexander to read and revise as soon as I could get it into his hands.]

We had been told that a Phd student from IBTS was going to be on the same flight. I asked at information if we could page him but at that time he had not yet arrived in London. Shortly before the flight to Prague he found us! WE hadn't been sure we knew Doug but knew him at first sight. Obviously the three of us knew each other by sight but had sort of forgotten first names. It was a treat to see him and to know we three would arrive together.

The Prague flight was packed and we didn't get much to eat. A small sandwich didn't fill either of us up and we knew we would arrive without a chance for a meal until morning. We were glad for those smoothies!

When the plane finally broke below the clouds, and it was a low ceiling, I could see snow on the ground but could not tell if it was still snowing or not. As the aircraft passed the outer limits of the airport I could see the runways, wet and covered with snow. I must say the pilot put the craft down softly and I was glad when I felt the wheels gently kiss the concrete. Ooops, was that a little slip and slide I felt??? I do not believe the pilot used the reverse thursters as there was no quick reduction in the craft's speed. I'm positive he didn't. It was a very smooth landing. I think it was too slippery for a quick stop. He went a long way on the runway and the taxi back to the gate took a long time.

Clearing customs was a breeze. No questions, no taking our shoes off and blessings upon blessings our luggage not only arrived safely, but it was brought in from the plane quickly. No TSA form in our suitcase this year saying our bag had been opened with everything taken out and returned after being inspected. That would have been all right, but everything was not returned last year and we suspect someone else upon opening their bag said, "What is this stuff?"

Matthew, one of our IBTS friends, met us at the Prague airport. There were three others who were arriving about the same time, Mr. Moen from Canada and Tanya. from Bulgaria. Tanya is a very smart, very busy woman who, in addition to her doctoral studies, is the leader of the seminary consortium in Bulgaria. Soon we were all there and following Matt we walked to the through the biting cold wind and snow to the IBTS van. We all decided that the road up the hill at IBTS would be as slick as a greased pig on the hill if the snow/rain mixture turned into all sleet or all snow. Yes, folks we are back home in Prague.

I'll get up as early as I wake up in the morning but no later than 6 a.m. and try to finish unpacking. We know where our meds are, our beds and that is all we need for now. Our wireless internet is all set up correctly so we are fine.

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Photos

Nancy and Tanya
Patiently waiting for the van to be unlocked. Don't let the smiles fool you, it was COLD.

Comments

[anonymous]

glad to hear you got they're safely with all the snow! -Mia