First Stop on our Way to Europe: New York

 

August 6, 2022

First  Stop on our Way to Europe: New York

It has been a long time since I have paid any attention to my blog. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

The good thing is that I have been feeling well enough, that I have nothing to complain about, and have just been busy living my life. Not that there haven't been plenty of ups and downs, including Covid, but I have been either busy enough, or distracted enough to have gone silent.

The bad thing is that I have lost touch with so many of you and I  feel as though I am letting some of you down; for this, I apologize.

At any rate, there has been much going on in my world, and I promise to do a quick recap at some point.

Part of my distraction has been planning this trip, which I started planning a year ago, in hopes that covid would allow travel and that I would continue to be well enough to make the journey.

This will be our third trip to Europe, and what I can say for sure, is that it was the most difficult to plan; this "old gray mare, just ain't what she used to be!"

 
I found my focus and attention span so much more compromised than they used to be and everything just seemed more difficult.

That being said, my friend Cindy and I finally hammered down all of the details and we, along with our Joe's are on our way!

Day one: Our flight left at 10:45 am which isn't horrible, but for those of you that know me, mornings are tough! That coupled with the fact that my son had to have us to the airport by 8:00 am so that he could attend our grandson's soccer game, and it was a SUPER early day for me.

Four hours of sleep and a crummy tummy and I still, somehow, made it to the airport, only forgetting a pair of earrings! Not too bad considering we are all packing for seven weeks in a carry-on and a backpack each. I, of course, am slightly breaking the rules by bringing one extra bag that contains my pillow, blanket, and warm jacket.

 

Lugging those three things, plus my cane through the airport was no fun, but I think we figured out a way for my hubs to add my backpack to his load, to make it a bit easier, for me! Thanks, Joe! Tomorrow will be an easier day.

So we made it to our plane and what I quickly realized was that row 20, was not the row 20 I was used to! It was the very last row on the plane and the seat did not recline, which was total sadness as I was so dang tired!

I couldn't tell you the last time I was on a plane that small and I so missed Southwest airlines at that moment! It was so squishy, and small that the two of us barely fit into our seats. It was our only option for a direct flight from Nashville to JFK.

Once we arrived, we had to maneuver the airport by bus, and then by air train to get to the area where our "fancy" hotel shuttle would pick us up.

It wasn't until we were headed to the AirTrain that I realized that I had left my "just in case" cane on the previous bus. UGH!

Day One; Strike One!

Back through the airport, down the escalator, and after a 15-minute wait and the bus driver returned, with my cane. God threw me my first bone!

Back upstairs, find Joe, and carry on.

 
We finally get to Federal Circle to wait for the shuttle and it is STEAMING hot outside. I was so grateful that I had thought to throw on a tank top under my long sleeve shirt, just in case! It was still miserable, and one more thing to carry, but at least I didn't get woozy and pass out.

I was wearing "warm clothes" because many people are saying that it is cold in Scotland and Ireland and my carry-on was just too full to stuff one more thing inside, not to mention I am always cold on the plane. I thought it was a great idea, and now, sitting in our frigid room, I am glad I made that choice.

We get to our hotel, not the greatest, but clean and convenient, and collapse! Joe runs to 7/11 for water and milk and then we order some take-out Italian.

Well, let me tell you, my day totally turned around, it was AMAZING! So delicious, something called Scalise Special with Penne pasta, Grilled chicken and Broccoli, roasted garlic and olive oil,  a Ceasar salad, and of course a cannoli!

 
When in New York....ya' gotta have a cannoli!

Anyway, we are all settled in, just waiting for Joe and Cindy to arrive from Denver so that we can carry on (pun intended) with our journey to Heathrow tomorrow evening.

Wish us luck with an on-time, safe flight!

Good Night!

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