Getting here

We have had the opportunity to fly internationally a few times with our children.

The first time was in 2003 just after my brother and his family moved to Switzerland.  T was an only child and 20 months at the time. So, it was 2 adults, 1 child,  2 flights. Good odds. Great experience.

We did the trip to Switzerland again several years later.  We tagged along with mom and dad that time, but we had 2 more children by then. A was 2 years old, B just turned 4 and T 6.  Still 4 adults, 3 kids, 2 flights are still pretty good odds. The flights were tiring, but we made it to and from Switzerland without incident .  P had booked separately from the rest of us and was upgraded on the way back so each of the adults took turns in the quiet seat which helped.

The first trip to look and see Port Elizabeth, T got to come with us.  He had just turned 10. Again, good odds, 2 adults, 1 kid, but there are 3 flights to get to Port Elizabeth and total travel time, not including the check in time at the airport in Toronto was 36 hours.  That's a long time.  Still the odds were good.  The trip started out with a blip at security in Toronto when the scanner picked up an unidentified metal object in one of the carry ons.  We were perplexed and after a very thorough search it turned out that a metal pencil sharpener, shaped like a cannon, had wedged itself into the lining of the carry on.  Not sure how that happened, but we had a good laugh with the security personal after they finally found it.  Other than some boredom on the long layovers in London and
Johannesburg, and 5 out of 6 flights having minor delays on the tarmac, it was a good trip.

After all of these positive experiences I reasoned that another international trip would be a breeze.  We'd done it before.  We realized that the 36 hours, 2 overnight flights and long layovers might be a little bit tough on the younger 2 children, so we opted to fly through the U.S rather than Europe when we moved here.  It was still 3 planes but the first and last flights were around 2 hours and the middle flight, though longer, meant only one sleep on a plane.  I rationalized that a 15 hour flight meant more time to sleep after the take off, safety and meals at the beginning.  Somehow, that 6 1/2 hours from Toronto to London Heathrow only netted about 4 good hours of sleep time and that just wasn't enough.  Total travel time flying through the U.S. not including check in time in Toronto 22 hours. Yeah!

Now, had we been packing for a visit, I would have managed with 2 or 3 suitcases tops.  This time however we were moving our lives.  I knew that we were arriving late at night and we were going straight to our new rental home, which was completely empty.  We asked P's company to help us source a king sized mattress for P and I and some bar chairs for the breakfast bar prior to our arrival. Still, I needed some place for the kids to sleep and something to eat for our first morning there.  We needed clothes for several days, food prep stuff until our air shipment arrived and things for the kids to do until our sea shipment was scheduled to arrive some 6 weeks later. I also needed bowls and toys for the dog who left 2 days before we did and would arrive the day after.  In the end we were 2 adults, 3 children,  5 carry ons, 10 full sized (max. weight) suitcases, one car seat and one booster seat.  I was optimistic, but the odds were not looking good.

It took a bus to get us to the airport, and no, I am not exaggerating.  It was an actual bus.  Mom and dad followed behind in their car to see us off.  We were arriving in plenty of time to check in and have lunch together before we went through security. 

We arrived at the airport, got all of our bags on carts with help from mom and dad and the bus driver.  We checked in, got our boarding passes for Toronto and Atlanta, and got our baggage claim tickets.  The first time we flew to PE the bags flew straight through with us.  This was a different route and a different airline so I was paranoid that P and I would need to retrieve our mountain of bags, all by ourselves, at some point before PE.  I probably should have asked that question sooner than at the check in counter, but ask I did.  4 times.  Yes, the bags were checked through, baggage claim tickets said so.  Phewwww, we were good to go.

Glitch number 1.  Flying through the states meant that immediately after checking in we would need to go through U.S. customs and we were considered to be on U.S. soil.  Great, because we wouldn't need to waste time at customs in Atlanta, but it meant no lunch with mom and dad and our goodbye's were cut short at the check in counter. I wish I had known that there would be no time for a leisurely goodbye.  Would it have changed the way we flew? No, but it would have changed how we had done things at home before we left for the airport.

The wait at the airport was uneventful.  The kids had each been given a new toy specifically for the trip.  They explored the various activities, books, snacks and fun stuff that I had packed to keep them occupied and the time at the airport went fairly quickly.

We boarded the flight to Atlanta on time.  Carry ons

Glitch number 2.   T is sitting beside me and bends down to retrieve his headphones which he had removed for take off.  As he was returning to an upright position he accidentally dump his entire glass of juice directly into my lap.  So, 30 min. into our 22 hour travel itinerary I am soaked through, pants, underwear and all.  Sigh.  In my planning I have ensured that I packed PJ's and an extra set of clothes for the children.  Unfortunately, I was not insightful enough to pack an additional pair of underwear for me.  Part of me started thinking that having to retrieve our luggage in Atlanta would have been a good thing.  Anyway, off to the washroom I went to try and salvage the situation.  We're 35,000 feet up and my choices are limited.  Choice number one.  Strip off all the wet stuff, put on the dry PJ pants that I did bring with me and go commando for the rest of the journey.  Not a chance.  Choice number 2, try to dry off the pants and underwear using the toilet paper in the bathroom and make do.  I preferred not.  I was left with choice number three.  Take off the wet pants, dry off the underwear as best I could, put on the pants and shove them full of toilet paper so they didn't get wet too. 

By the time we arrived in Atlanta the toilet paper had done it's job and been discarded, but I was determined to find underwear in the airport in Atlanta.   Unfortunately, with a short connection time and a gate a zillion miles away, new underwear was not to be had.

I made do as we checked onto our flight to Johannesburg.   Thankfully, the flight was on time and uneventful.  We had made the right decision.  After the initial take off, safety, and food stuff it was lights out and time to sleep.  The kids all eventually fell fast asleep and I'd guess had 8-10 hours of sleep each.  P slept better than I, but I still managed 5 hours or so which is pretty good for me.  By the time we arrived in Johannesburg everyone was bright eyed and bushy tailed.  We landed a bit late and knew we wouldn't have much time to catch our flight to PE.  We got through customs as quickly as the cue would allow and headed for the check in counter. 

Glitch number 3.  We arrived at the check in counter and the attendant asked where our luggage was.  I confidently told him it was on the way to PE.  Then I showed him the baggage claim tickets that said Port Elizabeth on them.  Apparently the attendant in Toronto had been mistaken, our luggage was only checked to Johannesburg and was enjoying a lengthy ride on the carousel in the arrivals section.  Can you say panic?  T started to say over and over again, "we're going to miss our plane".  The next hour passed by in a blur of P and I trying to keep it together while attempting to catch what was the last flight to PE that night.  A lovely gentleman had been standing near the check in counter and heard our plight.  As we wandered away from the desk completely frazzled he offered to help locate airport staff to assist us.  It took what seemed like hours and we were just about to give up on him and head back to arrivals ourselves, when he showed up with airport staff in tow.  Together the 7 of us rushed back to arrivals.  The airport staff took us through staff security, all the while scolding us that we should only ask airport personnel with ID for help.  The furthest thing from my mind when we were speaking with the gentleman at the check in counter was if he was airport staff or not.  He offered to help and we needed it. We found our bags and he grabbed another airport staff to help.  The bags were easy to find as they were the only ones left on the carousel and we threw them all on 4 carts. Quickly, through security again, our first helper joined us as we left arrivals and he raced with us back to check in where they let us skip the cue so we could make the flight. P gave the non-airport staff helper a tip and we were rushed again through another staff security clearance and the airport staff saw us all the way to the gate. P tipped him and we thanked him profusely for all his help.  I have never in all my life been so full of adrenaline as I was during that hour at the Johannesburg airport. 

We made the plane, but we were very concerned that the luggage might not have, given the rush. The luggage had the inflatable mattresses that the kids were supposed to sleep on, car seats to get us home, and everything else but the kitchen sink.  The flight was uneventful, but I couldn't shake the feeling that  my kids weren't going to have a place to sleep tonight.  At least the Garmin was in my carry on with directions to the house already programmed in, so even if we didn't have bags at least we'd get home.

Upon arrival in PE, as excited as we were, I think we had all had enough.  We just wanted to get into the rental "bus" and get home.  Thankfully, the luggage did make it onto the plane, a potential glitch averted.

Glitch number four.  We arrive at the car rental to find that the mini van was a manual transmission.  An automatic mini bus could not be had in PE apparently.  The first car I ever bought was a manual transmission.  I had never driven one, but I was a recent grad, manual was cheaper and man did I ever think I was cooooooool driving my 1994 metallic purple Chevy Z24 Cavalier with a stick shift. When P and I got married I still had the purple Cavalier and at least one of our cars since then has been manual.  So, it shouldn't have been a problem, right?  Well after 22+ hours of travel, a major glitch in Johannesburg, driving on the wrong side of the road and having to manoeuvre the stick with the left hand it proved to be interesting getting out of the airport parking lot.  Several false starts and stalls later we made it out of the parking lot and home.

A second potential glitch was averted when we ran out of room for the luggage in the rental van.  Thankfully, P's boss had shown up at the airport to welcome us and he was able to take the bags that didn't fit in the van.  He also let us follow him home, so even if we hadn't had the Garmin we still would have made it.

If you're thinking that the first thing I did when we got home was to go and change, you're wrong.  By that time I had totally forgotten about the spilled juice.  It was late and more important to get the air mattresses unpacked and made up for the kids.  I had to unpack sheets and make P's and my bed.  I think I did manage a shower before I finally fell into bed, but I'm honestly not 100% on that. 

As it turned out P's bosses wife had considered that we were moving into an empty house so she filled the cupboards with 5 of everything we would need to eat with.  There were some staples in the pantry and fridge, so we would have something for breakfast and there was even instant coffee for P and I.

I can honestly say that after that flight experience I was really glad that we were staying for a good long while before I would have to do it again. 

So, what will I do differently on the return trip when we visit in a few weeks? Just 2 things.  Pack less  than 10 bags, 5 carry ons and 2 cars seats and yes, take an extra pair of underwear, just in case.