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Getting back to PA
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Well, Sunday morning saw the old woman and me being driven to the airport by our friend Jerra Santa Rosa from our new home in Jalisco, Mexico.
First thing we found out at the airport at Guadalajara was that our flight was delayed because the airplane was delayed leaving Houston because of ice there. Can you imagine that? So we got into HOuston with an hour to get on the next plane to Philadelphia. It takes a while to get through customs, etc , and we were in a bit of a hurry but were confident that we would make it. Got to the gate and the flight was to Orlando. Back to the display to find out where our flight was. Down another corridor for half a mile. I ran ahead while Audrey came along as fast as she could. We were literally the last two people to reach the plane. When we were in our seats they locked it up and backed out. When we reached Philadelphia our friends picked us up and took us to there house to await our flight to Willamsport the next afternoon. We had a good visit with them. Once we were settled in at the right gate I discovered that our flight to Williamsport was cancelled. Not delayed, but cancelled. I prayed, Oh Lord, say it ain't so! But it was. Ms. Audrey stood in line to find out what would happen next. The next flight was 9:30 at night. She got to talking to two persons standing in line with her who had also been on the flight to Wsport. They decided we could rent a car from Enterprise and drive there before the next flight, which was full anyway. So off we go to get our baggage back. At that line a fellow came up and started talking earnestly to our little group. He was in line behind Audrey at the other line and the agent told him to chase after us to see if he could join us in the car rental and drive to Williamsport. We welcomed him. So now there were five persons. He was traveling since Wednesday the week before, from Afganastan! By way of Ireland, etc. He had been with the Army corp of engineers for five months in country and wanted to get home to his wife. So we rented a minivan and had plenty of room because our we had been advised not to wait for our checked luggage because there were thousands of pieces waiting back there and we would wait for hours. So we rolled into Williamsport and turned in the van, divided up the costs and all got picked up by our loved ones about the time the flight left Philadelphia, which we couldn't have got on anyway.
It boggles my mind that we formed a little company and got to our destinations safe and ahead of what the airline could do for us. I have the credit Ms. Audrey with setting it up, she is amazing.
Leon


pistuo deo lalo
 
Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Well, the saga continues. We were taken to the airport Sunday at noon in Williamsport, PA. The flight was delayed by a half hour because of heavy rains in Philadelphia. Then we arrived in Philly and began to wait for our flight to Houston. About the time they should have been boarding us, we were informed that the flight would be at least three hours late. Air traffic control problems in Chicago, wence came our flight. So we waited 7 hours from the time we arrived at Philly until we left on our flight to Houston. Before we left Philly the nice ladie booked us on a flight to Guadalajara at 9AM today. It is truely a blessing from the Lord that our son in law was waiting for us at George W. Bush International at Houston when we arrived at 10 after midnight. We got to hug our daughter at the house before we all went to bed. She came back into our room this morning before 6 to say goodby before she went off to work. Mark took us back to the airport before 7. We had breakfast at Chilis inside security and then went to our gate. For icing on the cake the little jet to Guad had issues with its toilet. But we did get off a half hour late. We got into Guad an hour late. It was raining, had been raining for four days. So we are a little cool in our house right now, but we are so glad to be back.
So to count up the score, First flight to Pa, delayed an hour. Ran to catch the second flight. Third flight cancelled, rented a minivan to drive to Williamsport. First flight back delayed about half hour. Second flight back delayed about three hours. Third flight back delayed half hour. Our luggage was faithfully with us.
We thank God for modern transportation. But I hope I don't have to see an airport or an airplane for a while.
And we are delighted to be home to the house God allowed us to build and possess.
León


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Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Glad that you all made it safe.

The last time I flew was in October, 2001. Just one month after 9/11 my wife and I made a trip to England. Machinegun armed guards were all over the airports then.

Upon our return, we flew into Atlanta International. We retrieved our baggage and were standing in line awaiting our turn to go through US Customs and Immigration inspection, when a US Customs agent came down the line asking if any of us had been on a farm in England where there was "mad cow disease".

Well, yeah, we had been on such a farm. An English friend of ours had his whole herd of some 200 dairy cows confiscated and destroyed by the government. (He was economically crushed!)

That customs agent said to us; "Follow me."

We followed him around a partition where we came to a little kids plastic pool. We were told to stand in that empty pool. The agent then sprayed lysol on our shoes!

After that he told us that "You're done. Now go through those doors at the end of the corridor."

Imagine our surprise when we went through those doors and found ourselves in the airport lobby.

We were free to come home, or go anywhere in the US, and yet we had never gone through customs or immigration inspection! They didn't know who we were!
Nor, for that matter, did the agent ever ask us if we were wearing the same shoes that we had worn while on the farm.

So much for security! HA!


Know what you believe in. Fight for your beliefs. Never compromise away your rights.
 
Posts: 1296 | Location: Cherokee Land, Tenasi | Registered: 06 January 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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and you had walked around inside the Airplain as the other passengers had,so their shoes could have been contaminated as well...Government thinking....
 
Posts: 1839 | Registered: 11 February 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Pilgrim
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Heck Leon you drove within 15 miles of my house. I wish I knew you were enroute I would have loved to see ya and took you and your wife out for a coffee. BJH
 
Posts: 69 | Location: Central Pa. | Registered: 14 September 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Rancocas,
Great story! You just never know. In México, after you thru the desk where they stamp your passport, you get your luggage and go to the inspection gates before you get to the lobby. You walk up with your luggage and the hombre beside the machine tells you to press the button. We got a green light so he said we can go. My wife said, 'after this trip we deserved that!'

BJ, I didn't know you lived on the east side of the river. Would have enjoyed that myself. We could have caught up on the doin's at UCMC in person, not to mention our lives...

León


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Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Leon,pardon me for butting in,but seems to me you coulda' made the trip faster on horseback,with a string of mules.....


Beer is proof that God loves us,and wants us to be happy-B. Franklin
 
Posts: 2014 | Location: Oreegun Territory | Registered: 24 March 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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You may be right. I may try it some day
Leon


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Posts: 3714 | Location: Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco, Mexico | Registered: 22 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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The last couple times I had to go anywhere by commercial airlines were an ordeal. Now the security stuff makes it even worse and they won't even let you carry on a bottle to drown your sorrows. I'll just stay here in the north west for the rest of my life.
 
Posts: 507 | Registered: 14 August 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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