On Wednesday, the 15th at 11:30 am, we left Greenville, Texas for DFW airport for the long journey back do the other side of the globe. As its almost perfectly halfway around the world, its such a suitable way to phrase it.
Our planes departure was set for 3:55pm. Arriving with plenty of time to check in our 1 suitcase, 1 trunk and 2 backpacks. We both carried a small nap sack loaded down with electronics, cameras, laptops and valuables, and one other carry on, and our journey began. So in a nutshell, lets put it like this.
Wednesday 15th, 11:30 am, leave for DFW airport.
1 pm, arrive at the airport and check in.
3:55 we are on the flight and preparing to take off, for our one layover in Frankfurt, Germany, after a 10 hour flight. Time for a 5 hour layover. In a truly terrible airport.
Then we board for a 9.5 hour flight to Delhi. We are still so far from home.
We arrive at 12:10 am, local time and have to wait until 5:15 for our taxi to take us to the train. This train ride is a 6 hour ride up to Dehradun. Normally that stop would make me feel like we are more or less home, but not today. There is a taxi strike, so we are told our taxi can’t pick us up at the train station. We will have to take a tuk-tuk to a local hotel where we will meet our driver, to take us up the mountain in an hour long drive. All the while struggling with the bags, and perhaps finding coolies to help carry them at times, and hoping that monsoon doesn’t mean the skies open up above and pour down rain on us.
So this trip from start to finish will be approximately 34 hours, if things go well. Fingers crossed. They have gone fine so far, other than that lousy Frankfurt airport! Sprawling, ugly, confusing, hardly any food and having to go through security, again! And TSA opened up 3 of our 4 bags. Thank you TAS. Did you like my dirty underwear, shoes, markers for my class, the Sriracha sauce and maple syrup? Seems they like my bags, but if they want to find terrorists or weapons they are wasting their time.
For now we wait, another 45 minutes to kill and then the difficult part of the journey will be right in front of us. Fingers crossed that a all goes well. This going “well” is the reason why you should only travel with those you have a truly strong bond with. The hours of being held hostage in a metal tube hurtling along at hundreds of miles an hour. The medicare food. Things that wouldn’t normally annoy you can get blown out of proportion, but with the right person, its always a wonderful adventure.
A few surprises along the way. We sat next to a woman from Dallas to Frankfurt that was a restauranteur. She owns an Italian place in Denton, (Barsi or something like that) but her sister owns the McKinney restaurant Sicily’s that we know very well and love! In Frankfort as we were boarding we saw Renee, a friend and co-worker from school who was boarding to head back home as well. While collecting our baggage we ran into a fellow teacher/co-worker/friend with his wife and young daughter.
Its nice to meet friends and friends you didn’t know you had, along the way to make any trip more enjoyable.
Can’t wait to sleep, flat, in my bed! Yet that is still 8+ hours away…….
We got home and the taxi driver who we use and think is great weaseled his way into the train station and picked us up directly! The monsoon clouds were threatening but didn’t pour its rained down on us!
Now we just have to wait for Cassidy to arrive!