Back to everyday life, sigh… Travalon and I were supposed to
return to the USA on Friday, but Aer Lingus had a strike that day, so we were
bumped to yesterday’s flight. We had to go through security twice, plus customs,
at the Dublin Airport, so we just kept waiting in lines. Then they changed the
gate, so we had to travel halfway across the airport. They were putting out the
last call for our flight as we arrived at the gate, but plenty of people got on
the plane after we did, so we weren’t the only ones holding up the plane. The gate change and
long lines must have thrown everyone for a loop.
Aer Lingus had a really good idea: they ask you to donate
change to UNICEF, and plenty of us have random change in euros that we really
can’t use in the US, so why not donate it? Between Travalon and me, we
scrounged up over seven euros, which is a good donation amount (around 11 US
dollars) but not enough to bother changing back into US dollars. And it seemed
like way too much to keep for my coin collection. I have some euro pennies and
stuff for that.
I feel like there was something else Travalon wanted me to
blog about with Aer Lingus, but offhand I can’t remember so maybe he can
mention it in the comments.
Back in Chicago it struck me how dirty and unsafe this
country seems compared to Ireland. Maybe I just have “grass is greener”
syndrome, but I miss Ireland already. No ugly billboards blighting the
landscape, and the buildings are for the most part so much prettier. On college
campuses you do find ugly modern architecture over there, but that’s true here,
too.
Last night Travalon, Richard Bonomo, and I watched the
wedding video, which is really well done. Travalon’s mother, who couldn’t make
the ceremony, should love seeing it. Then this morning I went to work, and
people said I seemed to have jumped right back in like I’d never been gone.
Funny, I totally feel like I have “vacation brain.” Then again, people said
what a calm bride I was, yet I felt like a nervous wreck. Perhaps I am just a
really good actress.
Famous Hat
1 comment:
Aer Lingus is a very comfortable pretty efficient airline with great service, its just too bad their employees will be now striking often because of scheduling issues, inconveniencing a lot of travelers flying to and from Ireland. They also set up going through US customs and immigration on departure at Dublin Airport, making things much easier for passengers arriving in the US in a hurry to connect flights. We were enjoying listening to a nice selection of music through headphones to kill several hours of the flight ( Mainly Baroque for Famous Hat and classic rock for myself) and the tea and biscuits served late in the flight was our last little taste of Irish hospitality on this wonderful trip !!
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