Saturday returning home
This Saturday ranks as the longest day of travel I have ever experienced. We left the hotel in Zurich by bus at around 8AM. Because of the time difference, this was midnight Friday night in Phoenix.
I was very fortunate that I was able to check my luggage in Zurich all the way to Phoenix. I was told that I would still have to collect my bag and recheck it at the Atlanta airport when going through customs.
The flight from Zurich to Paris was about an hour 15 minutes. Zurich was very foggy so the view was not good taking off. As we climbed out of the clouds, you could see the hilltops with some villages coming out of the clouds. It looked like islands surrounded by the clouds. By the time we got to Paris, it was raining but the window view was clear.
Landing at terminal 2F and needing to get to 2E I followed the signs and took the terminal transfer bus. It seemed to go forever before arriving at 2E. Everyone had to go through security again and it was pretty simple. I noticed that none of the airports I went through in Africa or Europe ask you to take off your shoes when going through security. It seems like they check people at random with the wand. I had to be wanded earlier even thought I did not make the metal detector alarm.
I made it to the gate with plenty of time to spare. I have to admit that in my haste I mixed up flight numbers 21 and 51. I was reserved on Delta 051 and it was departing from gate 73. Flight 021 was running late and it was departing from gate 75. When I looked at the departures listing I mistook 21 for 51 and, thinking that the flight was already boarding, got into the line for 21. They have agents checking your ticket and passport and asking questions about what you are bringing into the US. Even the agent didn't notice right away that I was at the wrong gate. Finally he did and informed me that I was a stupid American and I need to go to gate 73. No, he really didn't say that but he acted like it. I guess I deserved it. I had time to spend a few Euros on candy and junk to bring home.
When the time came, I got into the correct line, answered the same security questions again, and boarded the bus to the plane. Thats what you do for many of the flights in Paris since they park the planes away from the terminal building. Delta flies a Boeing 767 on this flight. These planes have very little room between the rows. Luckily I'm not very tall or I would have had problems on such a long flight of approximately 10 hours. I did the best I could to get a little sleep. I also filled out the customs declaration form during the flight.
In Atlanta, all international flights come in and depart from Concourse E. We went through the passport check and customs with very little problem. After I collected my luggage, I went through customs without even slowing down. Rechecking the luggage is just a matter of putting it on another conveyor after going through customs. I hopped on the train and went down to Concourse A to wait for the flight to Phoenix.
It was good to be back on US soil after three weeks. I indulged myself with a couple of scoops of Ben & Jerry's coffee ice cream. I was tempted to also have a Krystal burger (slider) but I didn't know if my delicate stomach was ready for something like that.
The flight to Phoenix was just less than 4 hours arriving just before 9pm. That is 9pm Phoenix time. I left the hotel at 8am Zurich time or midnight Phoenix time. Arriving at 9pm meant that the total travel time was 21 hours. Like I said, the longest day of travel ever for me.
I met Sue quickly in the baggage claim area and collected my bag. We were on our way home. Sue had not eaten so we stopped at, where else, In and Out Burger before going home.
In unpacking my bag, I was surprised that it did not appear to have been checked anywhere in transit. I was able to check the bag in Zurich for the whole trip but I really expected that somewhere along the way, in Paris or Atlanta, that someone would have opened it to check it. They did that in Phoenix when I departed three weeks ago. I suppose it was x-rayed along the way.
The trip is over, it is Monday and I'm back at work. I just posted a picture of Ray, Vernie, and I with our African work team at the Mercy Care Center. I plan to post more pictures.
Thanks to everyone who supported my trip to Africa with their prayers and financial support. I will remember it forever and I pray that God will open doors for other opportunities for service.
I was very fortunate that I was able to check my luggage in Zurich all the way to Phoenix. I was told that I would still have to collect my bag and recheck it at the Atlanta airport when going through customs.
The flight from Zurich to Paris was about an hour 15 minutes. Zurich was very foggy so the view was not good taking off. As we climbed out of the clouds, you could see the hilltops with some villages coming out of the clouds. It looked like islands surrounded by the clouds. By the time we got to Paris, it was raining but the window view was clear.
Landing at terminal 2F and needing to get to 2E I followed the signs and took the terminal transfer bus. It seemed to go forever before arriving at 2E. Everyone had to go through security again and it was pretty simple. I noticed that none of the airports I went through in Africa or Europe ask you to take off your shoes when going through security. It seems like they check people at random with the wand. I had to be wanded earlier even thought I did not make the metal detector alarm.
I made it to the gate with plenty of time to spare. I have to admit that in my haste I mixed up flight numbers 21 and 51. I was reserved on Delta 051 and it was departing from gate 73. Flight 021 was running late and it was departing from gate 75. When I looked at the departures listing I mistook 21 for 51 and, thinking that the flight was already boarding, got into the line for 21. They have agents checking your ticket and passport and asking questions about what you are bringing into the US. Even the agent didn't notice right away that I was at the wrong gate. Finally he did and informed me that I was a stupid American and I need to go to gate 73. No, he really didn't say that but he acted like it. I guess I deserved it. I had time to spend a few Euros on candy and junk to bring home.
When the time came, I got into the correct line, answered the same security questions again, and boarded the bus to the plane. Thats what you do for many of the flights in Paris since they park the planes away from the terminal building. Delta flies a Boeing 767 on this flight. These planes have very little room between the rows. Luckily I'm not very tall or I would have had problems on such a long flight of approximately 10 hours. I did the best I could to get a little sleep. I also filled out the customs declaration form during the flight.
In Atlanta, all international flights come in and depart from Concourse E. We went through the passport check and customs with very little problem. After I collected my luggage, I went through customs without even slowing down. Rechecking the luggage is just a matter of putting it on another conveyor after going through customs. I hopped on the train and went down to Concourse A to wait for the flight to Phoenix.
It was good to be back on US soil after three weeks. I indulged myself with a couple of scoops of Ben & Jerry's coffee ice cream. I was tempted to also have a Krystal burger (slider) but I didn't know if my delicate stomach was ready for something like that.
The flight to Phoenix was just less than 4 hours arriving just before 9pm. That is 9pm Phoenix time. I left the hotel at 8am Zurich time or midnight Phoenix time. Arriving at 9pm meant that the total travel time was 21 hours. Like I said, the longest day of travel ever for me.
I met Sue quickly in the baggage claim area and collected my bag. We were on our way home. Sue had not eaten so we stopped at, where else, In and Out Burger before going home.
In unpacking my bag, I was surprised that it did not appear to have been checked anywhere in transit. I was able to check the bag in Zurich for the whole trip but I really expected that somewhere along the way, in Paris or Atlanta, that someone would have opened it to check it. They did that in Phoenix when I departed three weeks ago. I suppose it was x-rayed along the way.
The trip is over, it is Monday and I'm back at work. I just posted a picture of Ray, Vernie, and I with our African work team at the Mercy Care Center. I plan to post more pictures.
Thanks to everyone who supported my trip to Africa with their prayers and financial support. I will remember it forever and I pray that God will open doors for other opportunities for service.
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