Cancelled flight, road trip and chocolate cake

So I checked my computer this morning to make sure my flights were ok.  They said "on time".  So off I set for the airport.  When I got there there was a line of unhappy people.  The plane had broken down and they were trying to fix it.  We waited.... and waited.  Then I knew I would not make my connection.  I finally got to the front of the line and I felt so sorry for the poor man trying to sort out everyone's mess.  I felt peaceful and so tried to share my peace with the man.  In fact I was so nice to him he said "you are probably the nicest customer I have ever had!".  I knew he was doing his best.

He reassured me the plane would leave in the next few hours and he changed my connecting flight to one through San Fransisco, LA and then London.  I was not pleased as the changeovers were only 50mins but I thanked him for sorting it.  Then I sat and made conversation with the other delayed passengers.  Many of them had been at Bethel School of Worship too.  I caught up on my blog as the internet connection was so fast (the one at Bethel is so so very slow and cuts you off every 5 mins).  Anyway.... then came the announcement..........

You could see the fear in the poor check-in-lady's face when she announced that our flight was now cancelled (glad I wasn't on the broken plane mind!).  Uproar!!!!!!!!!!  We all ran back to the desk to try and sort out the mess.  All other flights were booked until Monday.  MONDAY????????????? was the noise I kept hearing.

I was sad.... and a bit overwhelmed.  Several Bethel students opted for renting a car and sharing the cost and driving the 4 hours to San Fransisco.  Even if I had jumped in a car at that moment I would still not have made my new connection so I had to wait in line to try and change my flights again.  Now my e ticket was so confusing to the poor people because United had already made 12 changes to my flight schedule previously, plus the 3 more changes made at the airport.... They finally sorted me onto an even later (but direct flight) to London so I said to the girls do we have a car?  They said yes but they had already filled it with people.

I was a bit sad.  But then a stranger said I could ride with her.  I had not choice and thankfully she was in such a hurry not to miss her flight that she did not have time to murder me.  Her name was Deb and she insisted that I did not need contribute towards the car because she was going to claim it all back from the airline.  So I had a free ride to the airport.  I was grateful for her driving and she was grateful for my map reading. 

So we got to the airport and after a mix up with my airline...  I am finally checked in and sat eating pasta and chocolate cake at the airline's expense. 



You see I was so nice to the staff in the 1st airport that they gave me a $20 food voucher.  He called me over from the seats and gave it to me and smiled at be a huge grin.  It does pay to be nice and polite.  They also booked me onto a British Airways flight (which should be better than the United one).... and I have a window seat.  In all ....  I have been really blessed.  Now I am just chilling out for a few hours... and then I will be on my flight home.  :)  I am so looking forward to seeing all my loved ones.

Unexpected Layover

Yes my connecting flight was cancelled.  Pretty good job really as our first flight was late and the priest and I were legging it.  I may not have made it.  But a pain that I am not in my destination and am now on the standby list for tomorrow.

On a plus note the hotel they put me in is the most amazing hotel I have ever stayed in.  It is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The bed is huge.... and the most comfortable bed 

I have ever slept in...

 

 The view from my window is amazing:

It is so beautiful here (although at the moment I write this it is tipping it sown with rain!)

 BUT....  It turns out the airline had re-booked my flight for Monday which is too late.  I burst into tears...  My friend told me that would help in this sort of situation and the nice man took pity on me and has put me on standby.  I have to get to the airport at 5.45 am and basically wait all day in the hope that they will get me on a flight.  Not looking forward to that to be honest.  Please Lord help me get to where I need to be.

6 days to go

Yes it is 6 days until I fly out to Bethel.   Yes I have a flight... but it has not been an easy few days. 

I finally heard from the Airline that my ticket had been reinstated and as a nice gesture they had bumped me to economy plus which meant I had a nice window seat with more leg room.  Nice.  But when I checked my e ticket there was still no flight and the travel agent's page still said I had no flight.  Aggrrh.  My darling husband rang them while I was teaching in school and they said they have it all sorted now.  I went online to check and whilst it looks sorted I now no longer have the upgrade.  Ho Hum.  At least I should be on the flight. 

I had to choose from the remaining seats in economy and all that was left were middle row seats at the very back of the areoplane.  Funny how I spent ages choosing my seat the 1st time round and now I have the very seat I tried to avoid (middle of the very back row).  I actually don't care anymore.  In fact I am not even that nervous about flying: I just want to get there and am grateful to have any seat. 

My fear though is that when I get to the airport, there will be another issue with my ticket.  My eticket now has a list of at least 20 flights because they have changed my literary so many times.  I am am just going to go to Heathrow with faith that I will get on the flight.

But.... the good news is I have discovered another Bethel student Anna is also going to be on my 2 flights.  How cool is that.  At least I will not be on my own in the airport and making connections.

By the way, today is the day where I start to wear all my manky clothes...  so I can get through the washing to pack my nicer ones.  So if you see me and I look like I have not made an effort: you'll know why!

AAAAGGGGRRRHHH

Ok, so 8 days until I leave to fly to Bethel. But, I just went online to check which seats I have chosen for my flights to discover that one of my flights had completely disappeared from my schedule...  I phoned United Airlines and they told me my travel agent had cancelled that flight.  ????????  I have now spent over an hour and a half on the phone trying to sort it.  They assure me it will now be fixed in the next hour or so.  I feel like I have had enough now.  Enough.

I got no sleep last night because I was still stressing about when registration would open.  It opened at 1am our time (yes we have an 8 hour time disadvantage).  I had to try and fill in all the registers whilst the children were all eating breakfast... you only get 30mins so the pressure was on.  I did manage to select all my classes so that was a relief...  but now I am at the other end of a long day trying to sort out my flights again.  This is the 6th change united have made to my flights. 

I had the most clear prophetic words I have ever had to go to Bethel this year.  I am being sent.  Now I think it is a good job it was so clear as I have felt such a spiritual battle over this whole process.  I think I may have given up by now if God was not so clear.  I am reading about Joshua at the moment and teaching on it in assembly tomorrow....  again no coincidence I think:  The song "Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you" is rattling around my head.  I know God has given a promise and I know he will follow it through... I just like having my life in neat little boxes and really am finding this living by faith, every moment, unsettling.  Lord please make a way through :)