A trip from hell

We woke up very early and head to the airport. We were five people, plus six suitcases ( to spend a week in UK), so one car would not be enough - and we had to ask our watchman to drive our second car, full of suitcases, teenagers and my mother in law.

Fabio was very clear: use the back way, so we can avoid all the troubles in the Seef area.
He wenta head, and we followed. Until we got to the Seef intersection and we say in dismay him taking teh Seef direction. With my children and suitcases in that car, we could not just ignore it and take teh easy, trouble free route. Darn!

I will not bore you with to many details. It suffice to say we got stuck in a shitty congestion, then when it cleared the police decided to close the road and make us wait, close to the airport we had to wait in a long queue, to get our cars checked, and when we finally managed to get to the airport ( in 55 minutes instead of 20), there was one of those security check points to look into your suitcases. Yep, BEFORE you entered the building, not INSIDE the building. In front of us, a gentleman with sandwiches, cheeses, juices, all rolling free on the conveyor belt.

We went straight to the check in and decided to send my mother in law suitcases in our flight - she would go alone in another airline, and it would only be fair she did not have to carry luggage.

At her check in, things were not as easy:

Her passport name did not match the name on her ticket. Wohoo... another 10 minutes to prove she was who she was claiming to be!!

We finally boarded. YAY

In the plane, an indian family who seemed to be flying for the first time in their lives, made sure our flight was a nightmare. They got into the wrong isle ( all 12 of them), then when they noticed, theyall turned back and started walking against traffic. Of course on their way they would block other people's seats, they would step on people's feet, they would cause havoc.

When they finally found their rightfull seats, one of their kids decided to cry. and another one followed. the symphony from hell continued for 4 out of our 6 hour flight.

Delightful.

I am not sure how, but we survived the journey and arrived to London exhausted but alive.

At the luggage claim, Anita realised her suitcase did not arrive.

The ordeal restarted. After a huge wait, we were sent to the claims department. Filled lots of papers, recognised the lost suitcase in a paper with pictures and all, it was  a big, annoying deal.

After the claims nightmare, we left. Anita hysterical, complaining ALL her clothes were in THAT suitcase, she would NEVER have anything to wear, she just KNEW we would not replace whatshe lost, bla, bla, bla

Remember I mentioned we were all exhausted? By now I was near tears. And hungry. And grumpy. And blaming the protests for everything going wrong in my life. But things were far from over. We still had to cross Heatrow to pick up my mother in law.

Two trains, six suitcases ( yeah, no trolley because they can not go on the free trains, can they? noooo!) And being good peopole, we let my mother in law travel luggage free and we carried all the suitcases with us.

Hey, did I just say 6 suitcases? Let me count again. One, two, three, four, five, six. And once again...One, two, three, four, five, six.

Oh shit, check the tickets...

- ANNIIIITTAAAAA! Your suitcase is here. And it is not black, but GREEN!
Of course darling Anita found it hilarious, and I didn't, but as a good mother I did not kill her because only I know how hard it was to take care of her for 14 years, so I better stick to her now.

We crossed the airport pusshing all the luggage and picked up my mother in law ( whow as waiting for 2.5 hours). We did not even think about going to Paddington by train - we jumped on two taxis ( too many suitcases, surprise, surprise!

My father in law was waiting for us. All is well when it ends well.

:-)