All Good Things Are Worth Waiting For

After a long night organizing everything, packing, creating blog posts (see posts 1 and 2), and getting only a few hours of sleep...I was ready to take off for London! Unfortunately, American Airlines had other ideas in store.

I arrived to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport at around 1:30pm with plenty of time to spare (those of you who know my traveling habits understand that I'd rather be at an airport 3 hours in advance, then cut it close). My journey was going to be pretty straightforward: Cleveland-Chicago-London.

One hour before we were supposed to be taking off from Cleveland, an announcement indicated the plane from Chicago to Cleveland was having mechanical issues and still at the gate. Right...not good. After waiting another hour with the plane still on the ground in Chicago, I realized my two hour layover plan was foiled and I'd miss my connecting flight to London. I got right on this, went to the counter where the employee was fantastic in scheduling me on another flight to London leaving from Chicago two hours later than my original...success!

With the additional time, I decided to go get some tea only to find out upon returning to the gate that the Chicago flight was cancelled entirely. Back to step one...but this time I was behind everyone else needing to change their flights at the counter. After this additional wait, I made it back up to the counter, where the employee remembered me and had already booked me on flights to London via Miami later in the evening. This employee was exceptional and he really gave me hope for the rest of my journey.

Three hours later, I had made it safely to Miami with a mere 15 minutes to spare to catch my flight to London. Whew...made it just in time! I'd be arriving in London and getting to Birmingham, UK only about 2 hours late...I'll take it. I found my seat, switched seats with a couple wanting to sit together (mom and dad...see, you can do this on future flights!), and was seated next to a nice couple from Argentina and a woman from Hamburg, Germany. They were excellent company as we awaited the final boarding procedures and were getting ready for take off.

Timeline that followed:
9:00pm: Boarded the plane.
9:30pm: An announcement about a light that was on in the cockpit that would delay our takeoff.
10:30pm: Still waiting for the maintenance issue to resolve the mysterious light; water was being passed out to passengers.
11:30pm: An announcement indicating they would allow people to head back into the airport (if they liked) while the issue was being fixed. I chose to stay on the plane (I chose...poorly).
3:00am: Flight was officially cancelled.
3:10am: In line at the American Airlines counter (behind all the smart passengers who left the plane earlier) waiting to book a new flight to London.
5:10am: Booked a new flight on Virgin Atlantic and was given vouchers for food/hotel.
6:00am: Arrived at my hotel for the "night" (6am-noon)

Thus...after "traveling" for 16 hours...I was now 2 hours further away from London. Not very efficient on my part.

My second travel day fared much better as I met up with a few passengers I befriended for lunch (Amy- school teacher in Vienna) and dinner (Henrike- woman from Hamburg, Germany...who because of the cancelled flight, missed two job interviews (but later was offered both jobs anyways) and will possibly be a personal tour guide for us when we are in Hamburg), boarded my flight, and left right on schedule! The Virgin Atlantic flight was very nice and I even managed to get a few hours of sleep as well!

After navigating my way through the London Heathrow Airport, the Tube, and National Rail Services, I ended up arriving in Birmingham, UK just about 24 hours late, but I made it across the pond (with all my luggage)! Next up...10 days in the UK and Europe!

Good things come to those who wait...like readers of this blog!


"There is a difference between finding trouble in your path and going out of your way searching for it."