I arrived back in Joburg last night. There were no major problems with the flights, but did experience some delays. The flight was oversold and they needed 6 people to delay their travel plans by a day. We were all loaded in Atlanta, doors were closed, jetway was pulled back and we were ready to depart ON TIME but we continued to sit there ready to go but not moving. After a few minutes, the pilot came on and said that a seatbelt in one of the front rows was stuck under the seat and they were working to free it up. Meanwhile, the woman in front of me called over one of the flight attendants, asking if she could get off the plane. She said she forgot something (at home) and wanted to go get it (based on listening to her over time, I think she had a change of heart and didn’t want to go to Joburg…for whatever reason). Flight attendant politely said no. Then a few minutes later, another woman gets up like she’s going to the bathroom. As the flight attendant is talking to her (probably telling her to take her seat), she collapses. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone crumple like that before. They call for a doctor and then paramedics. Meanwhile, the seat belt has been set free. The woman in front of me sees an opportunity and asks if she can get off the plan when they take the ill woman off. The flight attendants put their heads together and agree. So off they go. Fortunately for one of the bumped passengers, he stuck around the waiting area even after the plane was boarded. So they asked him if he wanted to get on the flight…he did and took the woman’s seat in front of me. (That’s a good lesson to learn…if ever I get bumped, I’ll wait in the waiting area until the plane takes off…just in case!) Anyway, we left over an hour late…and then had a 15 hour flight to go.
The flight was “jiggley” the whole time…not terribly rough but not smooth either. I’m not sure if it was like that because I was in the back of the plane or if the winds were rough up at the high altitudes. I didn’t sleep well at all despite the sleeping pills…maybe 2 hours at best…but I had my eyes closed for probably 5. For whatever reason, my seat was especially uncomfortable this time so I was fidgeting a lot trying to find a better position. I was tired when I arrived, but not terribly so. After sitting for so long, it takes my legs a little while to start functioning correctly again. In addition, I think the jiggley flight left me feeling like the ground was moving back and forth even when I was standing on solid ground. Hopefully I didn’t look like a drunk walking thru the airport…at least I didn’t look suspicious enough to the immigration control people. Shelly (one of our GLs) and her husband Michael met me at the airport, we grabbed some dinner and then headed home. I needed to get to bed!!!
I got to the B&B and mostly unpacked before I went to bed…not because I’m overly ambitious but because I had to find my PJs. :-) I took a sleeping pill and melatonin and proceeded to sleep for 12 hours. I feel human again. Today I finished unpacking, went shopping for groceries, and started working on BSF…it feels good to be back into a routine again. I think I managed to avoid a nap…but I am feeling that temptation pretty strongly now. Fortunately, it’s dinner time, so after I eat, I’ll allow myself to go to bed whenever it seems necessary. Hopefully my foggy jet-lagged brain will clear by tomorrow morning!
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