It's over! I am home!

Yes it is over. Yesterday was one long day. The first flight took off at 12:30 Spanish time and landed at 3:15 US eastern standard time.    As we got near Philadelphia the Pilot came on and said we were going to hit some rough weather.   At first the plane just shook once in awhile,  then at one point the plane started to fall.   If you have flown, or been on a roller coaster, you know the feeling.    Every one starts going "Oh" and "ah" and laughing.   Then as it kept falling some people started to scream.   That caused a complete panic, and a pile of people were just screeching at the top of their lungs.    I couldn't help but to start laughing.  It sounded so funny.   There had to be over 200 people all thinking this was the end.    We were flying at 37,000 feet according to the TV screen, then it went out so.   I never did see how far we fell but it was quite the ride.   The guy next to me says did you really think that was funny?" I said "Of course I did, didn't you hear the way grown men were squealing like little baby's?"  And he goes "But we could of died" and I say "Squealing was helping how?" ( laughing the whole time) I think he thought I was nuts.

In Philadelphia the plane to Toronto was to take off at 5:44 p.m.    So, I walk to the gate, find a seat and right away the screen says the flight is delayed to 6:35.  I asked the people next to me what was up and they tell me they have been trying to get out of there since 10:30 in the morning when their flight was canceled.   Then more and more people start telling me about the storm and how their flight was cancelled.    Then they start moving us to different gates saying there has been a gate change.   After 4 different gates they come on and said the flight was cancelled.  There is a line up of 30 people and I just walk to the front and asked "Now what?"  and the girl says "Oh I have a ticket for you for tomorrow at 1:11 p.m."    I said "How about a plane to Buffalo?" and she says she has one that is leaving at 6:50 but the 9:00pm. flight to Buffalo was already cancelled.   so she says "Take the flight tomorrow, it's way safer"   and I said "No give me the 6:50 one",  and she does.   Then we start the switching gates again so I am thinking this one is going to be cancelled also.    Now I can't even get the 1 o'clock flight the next day,  so I was thinking maybe  I should have listened to her about that ticket. So again, 4 different gates.  This time they say this plane is going to leave but it's going to be late but have no idea what time it will go.    At 6:45 p.m. we finally got on the plane, but we just sat there.  The pilot says they are trying to get a flight plan approved.    Every 20 minutes he says they keep having to change the flight plan.   Any ways at about 8:50 we finally took off and landed in Buffalo at 10.15.   I was at home by 10:45, even with Brenda taking a wrong turn.    So it was a long day by Spanish time it was 5:00 am when I finally got home.    I slept in until 6:00 a.m. in Madrid, so it was only a 23 hour day.  

The first two pictures below are the flight plans they were considering to get around the storm.

We actually took off with this flight plan in mind, making the 1 hour flight a 1 1/2 hour flight.

On the way, they decided to change course to this flight plan which got us there 23 minutes faster.    

Now today I feel a little jet lag.  I just do not feel like doing any thing.   We walked down to the beach  but I didn't feel like walking was what I wanted to do.   So we came back home and have done nothing all day.  Oh wait...it's only 1:00 p.m.....there is still lots of day left!   In Spain it is 7:00 p.m., no wonder I am so hungry!

I do feel strange that the Camino is over.   It's like some thing is missing.   I don't even know how to describe how I feel.   I am sure in a few days I will figure it out.   For now it's just over, and the what's next is starting to creep into my thoughts.   I am sure some of you will have some suggestions. You know who you are the ones that live vicariously through me.   So where are we going next?

I would like to thank all of you for the great comments and words of encouragement. You did make my Camino better.