Day 50 - Thursday, August 1, 2024 - Back to The USA

 

A 4 am alarm started today.  That's 7 pm Wednesday, Phoenix time).   In the atrium on Deck 1 at 4:30 am, departed the ship and identified our luggage before boarding our bus.  We were rolling with a Viking agent in board our bus at 5 am.  

Check in and baggage drop took a long time!  One couple, was with the check in attendant for 20 minutes.  And there was only one attendant operating a counter.

Finally got rid of our bags and checked through to Phoenix.  Then another small wait in security and a last line in immigration line.  It's 7:05 am here, the pilots and crew just showed up and the plane is here.   Looking good so far.  

Wayne received permission to board with group 1.  Bless his bum knee, his brace and his chair came.  Surprise as we boarded, we were upgraded to row 9, first class and all it comes with; a menu and full breakfast.  There are three seats across but the middle seat is blocked so no one can sit.  Never saw this before.

There is nothing is in your control when you fly.  You just have to roll with situations as they arise.  Some are good, some bad, and there will be the ugly sometime!

10:30 am London time, 1:3 am Friday, Phoenix time.  We have arrived at Heathrow. We have 2 1/2 hours before our flight to Phoenix. Hanging out waiting for gate assignment. 

At Heathrow airport you never know where your gate is until an hour before departure. You sit in a general seating holding tank waiting for the flight board to post a gate. Then it's off to the races to find your gate. Most gates are a 20 minute walk, per the terminal maps.

Waiting for your gate at Heathrow is a bear!  You wait and wait, scanning the boards and 15 minutes after the time the gate is to be posted, it's still MIA.  Then the mad dash. Gate 40, a 20 minute walk.  Easy for someone 50 or younger.  A few people movers help, for sure.

We're on board and waiting for the other 200 people to board.  Then it's back, back, back in the USA in mere 10 hours.