Ever since our trip to Ireland in 2001 our daughter has been lobbying for a return. So, when the Alumni office sent us a brochure for a trip to Ireland we jumped on it. The college based tour, however, did not garner enough passengers for a direct flight from there so we were lumped together with the tour from St. Louis which was to leave a week or so later. We adjusted our departure date for August 29th.
To Kansas City
On Thursday, August the 28th we set off for KC so as to be there already on flight day. There was no way I was about to run the risk of car-trouble and missing the flight! Not after our daughter had waited two whole years for this trip! Based on my analysis of the AAA Book entries and advertisements we set course for Homewood Inn near the airport.
We had an uneventful trip except that as we approached KC it began to rain. By the time we had worked our way through the back roads (because of my impatience to get started on the trip we hit KC during the rush-hour traffic) and across the river it was pouring cats and dogs. We cut through North Kansas City to miss the complex freeway maneuvering that had to be done. We had lived there for a few years and I knew the streets well even in a gully-washer.
By 6:30 PM we were at our hotel. Very nice. Suites. We had two rooms and three beds. Allowed us all to get a great night's sleep.
Off to Ireland
The girls talked me into making reservations there at our Inn for our return but they were sold out. We did locate another hotel nearby. They had a special service where we could leave our car there during the duration of our trip and would provide shuttle service to and from the airport for free! So, we took our car over there, logged it in and shuttled to the airport in time to get in the long lines waiting to check in.
Our charter flight left on time at 3:30 PM only half full but we stopped at St. Louis and picked up the rest of the tour group. By the time they filed in there were only one or at the most two empty seats in the 240-seat airplane. It was a brand new plane but resembled a long narrow tube with wings. We sat six abreast with only a very narrow single aisle. Small overhead TV screens dropped down above every four or so rows so that we could watch instructions and movies. There was one lavatory in the far front, one about a third of the way back and three about three fourths of the way back. That was it! For all those people!
I think people panicked as they came to realize that they were in a nine-hour flight with only five potties and, so, were all the time up and making long lines at the lavatories. The stewerdii could not get up and down the aisles to do their thing and little by little the flight crew’s disciplined routine disintegrated. Mind you, they tried. Repeatedly they used the intercom to urge folks to sit down so they could get through the very narrow aisles, but to no avail. Elderly people simply do not pay attention to instructions!
We were right in the middle of the plane over the wings and had one of the emergency exit rows. This was nice because we got several more inches of legroom but, conversely, the seats did not recline! We had to sit bolt upright all the way to Ireland! Interesting, on a flight of all elderly adults they showed the Disney movie “Finding Nemo”, an animated cartoon style movie. Our daughter loved it! She kept looking over at me to ensure I was watching it and enjoying it as much as she was. It was cute but a bit boring. But, on the other hand, it helped me to fall asleep!
We flew from St. Louis up towards Chicago, the Great Lakes and then Canada. About four hours into the flight the greatly relieved stewerdii told us we would be setting down in Gander, Newfoundland for refueling. What a blessed relief for everyone! When we got there they let us deplane for 30 minutes. Wow, everyone raced for the terminal! Besides the restroom they also had a gift shop and a place that sold ice cream. I think 90% of the passengers queued up to get their ice cream! After Gander it was only a four-hour and a half flight into Shannon, Ireland. I was put to sleep by “Nemo” and slumbered most of the way through the second movie, something about bad guys robbing from bad guys.