Homeward bound...

It was a great vacation!

It was our first "real" (ie not weekend in maine, new hampshire, connecticut) vacation in 9 years. I *hope* it's not the last for 9 years!

I'd say my favorite parts were:

* Walking the beach
* really feeling a part of a group - the people we were with (and there were 16 of us) really made me feel welcomed and wanted (something I never feel)
* watermelon (omg the watermelon was amazing)
* watching my husband have SO MUCH FUN with his friend
* falling in love with him all over again (damn he's a handsome bastard)
* the wedding! That wedding was without doubt the most beautiful wedding I've been to (my own included)

The newlyweds, hubs and I have talked of taking more trips together I can NOT wait!

At any rate, the b&b host drove us to the airport for our flight...

That, my friends, is where the problems began! She suggested we leave at 6:15 for a 7:20 flight - we didn't argue with her.

1- Well we got to the airport at 6:40 & they wouldn't let us check our bags which was a problem because we had 2 carry ins each and 1 checked bag. After I burst into tears the lady suggested we buy a bag from the $10 store and condense 3 bags into it and she would try to get us on with just carry ins. Consider that done!! I ripped over threw away half my clothes and ran back. She brought us to another person who pushed us past the line. Through security. Ready for problem

2- remember the alcohol I bought and put in my luggage to check? Ummm yeah it was more than 3 ounces. Game time decision was trash it (actually I begged TSA guy to take it home and enjoy it) and on to problem #

3- we were at gate 22 and our plane left from gate 42 (in about 19 minutes) so to get from 22 to 42 you have to go up 2 escalators on a sky train and down 2 escalators, not to mention run about a mile (see yesterday's post with my ankle/toe to know how this felt!) as we got there we heard 4 people being turned away because the gate was closed. The incredibly nice gate keeper booked them on the 11:15 to Boston and they went on their way. She did the same for us and I thanked her for her kindness and turned around and walked away I made it about 4 steps before I just sort of melted. Hubs put a kind hand on my back and said its ok. Well apparently the people we were walking by (who worked for American airlines) asked the gate keeper what was up and she told them I missed my flight (hubs heard this I didn't I was crying) about 1 minute later our names were paged back to gate 42 - we raced back to hear that the captain had reopened the gates for us and we needed to board! I hugged her :-) and 2 hours and 42 minutes later I was landed. Happy and landed!! And treated with poodle kisses

+++do you have any airline hero stories?+++