So as many of you know one of my best friends Haley Hogan got married last weekend in Greece. Such a simple sentence with so many years of tears, heartache, joy, uncertainty, excitment, anticipation and many trips across the ocean entangled in it. And to continue the extremes of emotions the week of the wedding had to uphold it's madness. So I was set to leave 2 weeks ago Thursday for London for four days then to Greece for six days. Well, on my way to work my sister calls me and says Brandi all flights in Europe have closed. I thought she was just jealous of my highly anticipated trip and was playing a cruel joke....if only it had been that simple. Nope, low and behold...STUPID volcanic ash!!!! So I stayed glued to the internet, soon realizing London wasn't going to happen. From then I knew I just HAD to get to my best friends wedding, even if I had to blow up a raft and start paddling! I, sadly, nixed the hope of an amazing London trip, and rerouted my trip straight to Athens. I was the only smart one as many thought it would pass.
The day I flew pretty much all European airports besides Athens and Madrid were closed. The Lord knew I had to get there. I had to fly stupid Delta ( internationally there are so many other better airlines!) with no TV in the headrest. But I was just happy to be on my way. I gleefully arrive 10 1/2 hours later in Greece(of course couldn't sleep on the plane)!!! Next, the flight to Corfu. At the gate, get on the bus that takes you to the plane when they stop the bus and say something in Greeek. I hear all the Greeks grunt and seem unhappy. I say can someone tell me in English what they said. One Greek turns around and tells me b/c of the Volcano we can't get to Corfu. WHAT!!! Devastated. The rebooked me on the 9pm flight hoping it will pass. But then I worry that it might not and maybe I should try and get on a bus, which is a painful 9 hr busride across the country of Greece...nothing pretty about it at all. But I was determined to get there! So for the next four hours I proceeded to cry a lot, debated what i should do and if this volcanic ash would go away or if maybe the airlines were stupid and it was just fog. No one would tell the me anything at the airport. Not gonna lie I looked pathetic to any outsider. Lugging around my 2 big bags, crying and stopping and sitting in the middle of the walkway to call my momma!
And poor Haley, she cried so much b/c a handful of folks had already cancelled and now I might not make it. I started to get on the first bus but for some reason just had a bad feeling about doing it and stopped. Went back into the airport and waited 10 more long hours...yes you got that right NO sleep for 24 hrs plus!!! Last time I talked to Haley we both broke down b/c I was simply exhausted. After I got off the phone this nice looking, older Spanish gentleman said "are you ok? what can i do to help? I know people. I will help you, don't cry" I was like awww, you're amazing. Told him my life story (suprising, I know!) and he was so sweet. His name was Fernando. (i wish you could hear me say it how he said it, i nearly melted! haha!) So I sat there and he went to check and told me they can't guarantee it but he says it will most likely go, so no more tears. LOL! It was a lil ray of sunshine in my airport haze of delusion! So I literally sat and people watched for hours on end. Looking back I can laugh but wow, it was rough!
Finally...the airplane is on time and boarding. Ironically there were 5 monks and a nun on my flight to Corfu. I know for sure all the prayers worked!!! I was sooo extatic! Christos picked me up and we immediately went to eat w/Haley, her parents, Laura and Sarah in the local village. The faces, the food and the wine calmed me like no other! Ahhhh...it was good to be home again.
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