June 2nd – Heading for Home

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We all were up for an early Taxi and lots of goodbye hugs and thank-yous for another memorable trip. Aunt Eva is a wonderful host and we hate to leave her. We got caught in traffic on the way to Frankfurt but still had plenty of time at the airport. Peggie and Jerry headed off for Condor and we went toward United. We spent our last Euros on pretzels, sandwiches, Cola Light for the airplane and some last interesting chocolate bars. An 8 hour flight later, we were in Newark and then….it went all bad. The mean stewardesses made us gate check our luggage so we had to wait for it at customs which took FOREVER. We only had a 1.5 hour layover for our next flight and there was no way to make it. Luckily, that flight was delayed for weather and we had a glimmer of a chance. We headed out and the sign said “Go this way to recheck luggage.” We didn’t have any checked bags and we asked an official looking person where we should go. She pointed right so we went right and came out into the main Newark Airport – OUTSIDE the Security Boundary – Nooooo! And in the wrong terminal. We rushed to a Sky Train and then hit the TSA Security Wall of Madness where nothing moved for an hour. One line and no matter how much you frantically we whined we were going to miss your flight, no one was getting a break. We weren’t the only ones. Lots of very unhappy people and the TSA reps were just mean. Brian thought Amy would get arrested for giving them grief and Amy got mad at Brian for shushing her. Then…we’re out and we sprint for Gate 85, the farthest gate on the planet, get there and no plane. Dejected. Then we ask and they say, “Oh, that’s Gate 85 downstairs, Go Go Go!” So we do, slide into home and life is good. Until we get to Washington Dulles and discover our two laptops are still at the TSA Checkpoint in Newark. Brian was the unlucky one this time (which NEVER happens since Amy is the Queen of Lost Things!) and felt horrible. We slumped to the Embassy Suites which was supposed to be our nice de-stressing gift to ourselves instead of a long drive. We had distress instead of de-stress. Many messages, emails and phone calls but could get no humans so we went to bed not having a solution. Still glad to be in the States.

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Comments

[Hans Wilhelm]

And...?
Can hardly wait to find out whether you recovered your laptops!!