Day 2 - Leaving this time!

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There is a lot to be said for perseverance. After all the trials and tribulations of yesterday, things could not have been more different today. A fresh start this morning began with a quick trip back to the airport at 9:30. The plan was to get to the Air France counter to resolve the standby situation and to get actual tickets for us all. The website said the Air France desk opened at 10am but the reality was noon. So we found a quiet corner to park while Sharon and Delta talked once again to be sure I actually have a seat. Reassured I did, she said we couldn't do anything more until the Air France counter opened to speak with the airline directly.

At 11:45 we made sure to be first in line, and providence intervened. The ticket agent was a Turk and was so impressed we were choosing Turkey for our destination, and even more impressed to learn we lived there! The blessings just started there. Not only did he confirm my seat and made sure Sharon and Dave were together, he was able to score us three upgrades! I'm telling you, it pays to be nice, it pays to be patient and it pays to persevere. We were all together IN BUSINESS CLASS, in lie flat seats for our trip to Paris. He also sat us all together from Paris to Istanbul. As if that wasn't enough, we also scored access to the Air France lounge since we now had 6 hours to kill. We enjoyed a lovely meal, and free Clarins facials the boarded to finally begin our memorial trip. More on that later.

Our seats were amazing. After departing on time, the fabulous crew got to work serving a superb French meal. Everything was rich from the cheese plate and rolls to the plato de boef (roast beef plate). having been so exhausted from the day before, it took me seconds to drift off. Then morning came. I'll spare you all the details but the decadence of the night before was revisited in the morning. We waited to be the last to deplane, because I was feeling so green. We walked for what seemed like miles through the stunning Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris to the reach the Air France lounge. There, I passed out. Thank goodness for my sweet sister and brother-in-law who looked over me! But, when I woke, sipped a cold Coke I rallied and it was uphill from there.

The second flight left three hours late, but we made it to Istanbul! The airport is new and MASSIVE. It was more miles of walking but thrilling all the same. Sharon had pre-arranged a private car to pick us up and drive us 45 minutes into town. We are staying at the Hagia Sofia Mansions, a uniquely-built seat of individual houses set right in the old Constantinople, literally sharing ANCIENT walls with the Hagia Sofia.

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