Trip conclusion.

Monday July 3rd.

I had forgotten to metion that the aldy that was in the lace shop in Brugge, she came to our last concert in Veldegem, at St Cornealius chruch. That was so nice.

So anyway, I get to bed late on Sunday, and I think that I should set my cell phone alarm for 4am, but I don't. I left my actual cheap alam clock in the first or second hotel room that I was in. I am glad I did not pay much money for it.

Besides, every single day they woke us up with a wake up call at the time that they said that they would, so I figured that they would this time.

I am in bed and watch TV for a while, I feel too keyed up to sleep, I finally fall asleep with the TV on. I wake up and look at the TV, and think oh, I left it on. I look at the time and it says, 4:27 AM. HUH! I look again, and I squint, I must be wrong, how can it say that?!

No, I am right, 4:27! 4 27. Not good. I fly up out of bed, thank God I am packed. I hear a flurry of activity out in the hallway. I just jump into my clothes, I don't even wash my face or brush my teeth. I can do that later. I grab my stuff, and start out the door.

THe phone rings. Yeah, that would be the wake up call. I look at the clock. It is 4:37 am.

I go out into the hallway and some of the group is running down the hallway. I am like, I did not even get a wake up call. I soon find out that no one did.

When we get down stairs, "M" does not appear to be a happy camper either. He says to us that despite his letting the staff know 3 times, there was no wake call. Failure to communicate from the evening staff to the next shift, I guess.

We all grab breakfast items to go, and beat it out of there to the airport.

Now, some of us decided to get a little crazy and by some really expensive jewels. Like an amethyst ring, let's say. I wonder who that can be.

UGH!!! Time out the stupid site has eaten the rest of my post. I was done.

I will try to typ it again. GRRR.

So there are some that bought a bunch of lace, and Delft and what not. You all know about that lovely VAT tax. Well, I need to get that stamp so that I can get my hundreds of dollars back.

I am next to get checked in and "M" tells me that we must go right now. MUST, right now, there is no time later.

So we run. I mean RUN through the airport and I am carrying my luggage. I am so glad that I am a light packer and that I do not listen to all you people who aren't. I about had a heart attack.

They finally let us in there and the men in cutoms are like yelling at us in three lanuages. They are so pissed off, they have "better things to do than be with you right now". They were so mad that we had like 20 minutes to our flight. I try not to be mad, I put on my most sheepish stupid American looking face. Geepers, do you think that I like running through the airport like a freaking lunatic. I am the girl who gets there 3 hours early, who is always prepared. I am so stressed that I am gaggy. I remain humble and we all keep apologizing. I want that stamp, I want my money back.

They finally get us all done. We have no time to do the next bit. I will have to just mail it back with my credit card number on the back of the form when I get back to the States. I hope I get that money back, we'll see I guess.

We run back down and get to the Swiss Air counter again. I am watching one in our group in front of me. I hear the lady say, en Francais, that the flight is closed. "WHAT!!?" I spit out kind of loud. The person next to me says, "What? What's wrong?" I tell him that they have closed the flight. He says that I must be wrong, I have not used my French in 20 years, I am rusty he says.

Dude, ferme. Closed. I know what she said. I look up at the Swiss Air screen, it says 6:57AM, we are supposed to board at 7:05AM. I see that there is something posted that also says that they stop checking in 20 minutes before the flight.

Ugh, I hear "M" talking to the woman. I am so stressed I think I could have a stroke. Finally they re open the flight. I get checked in, get the boarding pass, and they check my bag and weigh my carry on. Good to go. Now I need to book it to the gate. I am waiting for one other person. At this point the phrase every man for himself is running through my head.

I turn to see "M". Now, I am about to cry. I wish that I wasn't so sick on my trip, I wish I could have done more, I wish I felt better, I wish I would have paid more attention (especially hard when I was feverish), I wish I did not have to go. I hate good byes.

I am just about to say good bye and we grab hands. Before I can say anything he tells me that I have been strong to keep up this whole trip. I just smile. He gives me the customary three kisses, and tells me good bye.

He had said at one time during our trip that his English was not good, and he could not express himself well. Well, he is wrong he did a fine job, and he touched all our hearts.

I run like a mad woman to the gate. The flight is obviously held up for us.

The flight home was fine. I could not sleep any, but did try. I played Invasion for a while and tried to take my mind off the pain in my ear. Three ibuprofen at a time I took.

We got through all the customs and check and what not at JFK, found our bus, and started the last leg home. Three and a half to four hours later we were back in north central PA.


Thank you to all who labored through my babble.

I will continue to post pictures to my blog. It will take time, since i have dial up and a dinosuar for a computer.

I also want to post some info and links that I gathered that could be helpful to others. Just info that I have come across. I picked up a ton of brochures and info everywhere I went.

thanks. d

Signed on here to find info for Belgium trip. Hope that you will post more pictures. Thanks.