Trip from H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks

I don’t think I can put into words, the feeling at the end of a trip – when you reach that point when you are just ready to be home – when you find out that you might not be able to go home (and it’s not your fault, or in your control). I am still reeling over the experience in Moscow yesterday. I swear I don’t understand why no one with any airline would help me. Here is a reiteration of one of my favorite interactions with one of the members of the Aeroflot team:

Me: “hello, please, can you help me”
Aeroflot: “what is your problem”
Me: “I am interested in purchasing a ticket to London”
Aeroflot: “it is very expensive”
Me: “Can you please tell me how much?”
Aeroflot: “Neit!”
Me: “What about Paris, are there seats available on your flight to Paris tonight?”
Aeroflot: “Yes”
Me: “how much for 2 tickets on that flight?”
Aeroflot: “it is not available”

After that enlightening conversation, I decided to call home and get some help on that end. If we could get a hold of someone who could call Sandy, she might be able to help us. I wasn’t thinking that it was Sunday morning (about 11am) at home. In order to use the phones in the Moscow airport – you have to purchase a ‘smart card’. We got 2 smart cards – good for about 6 minutes on the phone. There are about 10 pay phones. 9 of them don’t work. I found the 1 that worked, and started to try to get a hold of ANYONE at home that could help. I started with my Mom (home – no answer. Cell – no answer). On to my brother – he ALWAYS has his cell with him, and always answers it. No answer. Then – I tried to call my friend Kathy – she always answers too. No answer. The on to Melissa – Sandy is her step-mom, so I thought she would know how to get in touch with Sandy. No answer.

After a few attitude adjusting deep breaths, I started to try to call everyone on the list again – from the top down. Where in the world was everyone in my life???? This time, Mel answered the phone – but for some reason, she couldn’t hear me. ARE YOU KIDDING???

After slamming the phone back onto the wall, and noticing that all of the guards and police-types were looking at me, I thought I better take a walk and cool off. A guy came up to me, and was asking me about the phone. I wasn’t in the mood to ‘chat’. Come to find out, there was some trick to using the phone – a trick that wasn’t written in English on the phone. Apparently, when the party answers the phone, you are supposed to hit a button to activate the ability for them to hear you. So – back to the phones I went to call Melissa again. THANK GOD! She answered. I got the phone numbers for Sandy.

I slight feeling of relief came over me…I picked up the phone, and tried to call. No answer.

At this point, I think Marty was getting scared of me. I could feel that I was about at the point of losing it. You know that feeling where you really just want to cry – but you can’t? So you are using all of your energy to fight back the tears?

I walk back up to the Aeroflot counter, the ONLY one with an agent (imagine that!). Again, this woman would not help me. I don’t know if she didn’t understand English or what. I was done – totally and completely done.

Marty and our driver, Max (yes, poor Max was with us, trying his best to help) went to the counter. I told Marty I didn’t care where we went, but we needed to get out of the country – and we only had a few hours to do that.

We ended up in Munich. Of all the places we could have ended up – it was perfect. Just what we both needed. That is a beautiful airport. The people are so pleasant, very helpful, very willing to handle whatever your problem might be. A great example is when we got off the plane, and went up to the information desk. We were trying to find a hotel. Rather than simply telling us where the hotel was, the person at the desk called the hotel, got the rate, reserved the room and gave us a kind-of confirmation. By the time we got to the front desk (about a 5 minute walk), our room was ready for us – with an upgrade to a suite! Although we were only going to be in the hotel for a few hours, it was so nice! Internet access to contact our family (and Sandy) to help us figure out how to get out of Munich, a huge bed, great shower, room service with food that was some of the best we’ve had in a LONG time!

From Munich – we headed to Frankfort – and had the same outstanding experience with everyone we dealt with. If you ever have the chance to fly Luftansa, go to Munich or Frankfort – do it! And of course, call Sandy at A World of Travel to help you. She has been our lifeline over the past few days. I seriously do not know what we would have done – or even where we would have started to find a flight home. Sandy was able to give us EXCELLENT advice, and more importantly, tell us what we needed to do to get home.