The Day From Hell.....

Ok, so most of you know I left last Friday going to Ireland....here is the beginning of the rest of the story. Day 1 we left Atlanta airport at 11:18 Eastern time....which meant...I got up at 4:00 Central time to get to the airport and through security within the time frame they have alloted for you. Our first ray of opportunity occured around 7:15...when they were able to put us on an earlier flight to Chicago's O'Hare....at 10. There were six of us....and we all got to be bumped up....so we took it. Off to Chicago we went.....arriving there....about an hour and half before we should have.....but with the same layover....4+ hours. We discovered about 2...that the plane we were supposed to be on.....was running late....2 hours. Whew I was so glad we were on the earlier flight. Finally our boarding time was called and the next leg of our journey began. There would be a 5 hour time change on the next part....so leaving Chicago at 4:50....was now actually 9:50. We flew through the night and arrived at Heathrow at 5:15 in the morning.....leg 3 would be at 9:10....so we ate some breakfast and changed some money to Euros and Pounds. They eat beans with their eggs. We ate breakfast at Giraffes....it was a posh little health food restaurant....but beans with eggs....was gross. Finally our flight was called to Dublin...and we marched over to the gate for AerLingus...as we entered the AerLingus compound....Marian....remembered she did not have her camera....and took off back to where we had been sitting....we began to sweat bullets hoping she would make it back before the plane took off. One of the last of three to enter the plane was Marian...smiling with her camera.....and leg 4 began.....we then headed to Shannon....and landed around 12:30 only to find out that our luggage did not make it with us. With so many changes it is a miracle any of us got luggage. Tori, Mary, Marion and I are without luggage. Dakota and Rachel have theirs....lucky stiffs. We have now been traveling...over 24 hours....and we are all zonkered. Satyen Kells, our tour guide met us....and off we headed to Killarney....our destination for the next couple of days...we had to pick up the other Alabama group.....at a hotel where they were waiting....and then take a long bus ride to Glenna House. We arrived, checked in, ate supper - pork, french fries, and beans.....what is with the beans?....and I took a shower and headed for bed. Luggage arrived at the hotel around 9:30. We were so glad to see it. Tomorrow is another day.....and actually...day 3....Sunday....we will be doing the Ring of Kerry tomorrow and taking a Jarvey Ride. I can't wait....head on pillow....and I am out. Come back for tomorrow's episode of Ireland.