Fred's Blog
  • Fred's Blog
  • 2019 Guest Blogs
  • 2019 Authors Showcase
    • James Robertson 2019 - 6
    • Val Vassay 2019 - 2
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 6
    • Dawne Archer 2019 - 1
    • Susan Mellsopp 2019 - 3
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 6
    • James Robertson 2019 - 5
    • Sarah Owens 2019 - 1
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 5
    • Dolores Banerd 2019 - 1
    • Val Vassay 2019 - 1
    • Helen Bing 2019 - 4
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 5
    • Tina Mattern 2019 - 4
    • James Robertson 2019 - 4
    • Robyn Boswell 2019 - 3
    • Helen Bing 2019 - 3
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 4
    • Adrian Sturrock 2019 - 2
    • Jill Stoking 2019 - 1
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 4
    • Tina Mattern 2019 - 3
    • Cherie Magnus 2019 - 1
    • Roger Knight 2019 - 3
    • Susan Mellsopp 2019 - 2
    • Robyn Boswell 2019 - 2
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 3
    • Catherine Berry 2019 - 1
    • James Robertson 2019 - 3
    • Nancy McBride 2019 - 2
    • Tina Mattern 2019 - 2
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 3
    • Susan Mellsopp 2019 - 1
    • Mike Cavanagh 2019 - 1
    • Helen Bing 2019 - 2
    • Nancy McBride 2019 - 1
    • Malcolm Welshman 2019 - 1
    • Mary Mae Lewis 2019 - 1
    • Patty Sisco 2019 - 1
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 2
    • Adrian Sturrock 2019 - 1
    • Tina Mattern 2019 - 1
    • James Robertson 2019 - 2
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 2
    • Roger Knight 2019 - 2
    • Liliana Amador-Marty 2019 - 1
    • Celia Dillow 2019 - 1
    • Helen Bing 2019 - 1
    • Syd Blackwell 2019 - 1
    • Ronald Mackay 2019 - 1
    • Robyn Boswell 2019 - 1
    • Kelly Reising 2019 - 1
    • James Robertson 2019 - 1
    • Roger Knight 2019 - 1
  • Showcase Guidelines
  • Contact Us
  • Author
  • Competitions
  • 2018 Travel Highlights
  • 2018 Travel Stories
    • Robyn Boswell 2018 - 5
    • Apple Gidley 2018
    • Lindsay de Feliz 2018 - 5
    • Helen Bing 2018 - 3
    • Julie Watson 2018
    • Anisha Johnson 2018
    • Philip East 2018
    • Mary Mae Lewis 2018 - 2
    • Mike Cavanagh 2018 - 3
    • Ronald Mackay 2018 - 5
    • Malcom Welshman 2018 - 2
    • Celia Dillow 2018
    • Syd Blackwell 2018 - 5
    • Lee P. Ruddin 2018
    • Cat Jenkins 2018
    • Anierobi Maureen Ogechukwu 2018
    • Dede Montgomery 2018
    • Valerie Fletcher Adolph 2018 - 2
    • Parishka Gupta 2018 - 2
    • Angie Clifford 2018
    • Emma Yardley 2018 - 4
    • Roger Knight 2018 - 2
    • Mark Boyter 2018 - 2
    • Laurel Casida 2018
    • Mike Cavanagh 2018 - 2
    • Alison Galilian 2018
    • Colleen MacMahon 2018
    • Zahra Makda 2018
    • Ronald Mackay 2018 - 4
    • Susmitha Subramanya 2018
    • Lindsay de Feliz 2018 - 4
    • Aleksandra Krysik 2018
    • Swarnabha Dutta 2018
    • Delores Topliff 2018 - 2
    • Sourabha Rao 2018
    • Valerie Fletcher Adolph 2018
    • Swatilekha Roy 2018
    • Syd Blackwell 2018 - 4
    • Robyn Boswell 2018 - 4
    • Mary Mae Lewis 2018
    • Parishka Gupta 2018
    • Helen Bing 2018 - 2
    • Madeline Sharples 2018
    • Joe Dodkins 2018
    • Andrew Klein 2018 - 2
    • Roger Knight 2018
    • Rob Johnson 2018
    • Anu Devi 2018
    • Lu Barnham 2018
    • Amy Bovaird 2018 - 2
    • Helen Bing 2018
    • Emma Yardley 2018 - 3
    • Lindsay de Feliz 2018 - 3
    • Robyn Boswell 2018 - 3
    • Alan Passey 2018
    • Ben Stamp 2018 - 3
    • Susan Mellsopp 2018 - 2
    • Alyson Hilbourne 2018
    • Sunny Lockwood 2018 - 2
    • Syd Blackwell 2018 - 3
    • Ronald Mackay 2018 - 3
    • Brigid Gallagher 2018 - 2
    • Martha Graham-Waldon 2018
    • Mark Boyter 2018
    • Kristen Caven 2018
    • Neyda Bettencourt 2018
    • Robyn Boswell 2018 - 2
    • Logan Wood 2018
    • Ben Stamp 2018 - 2
    • Emma Yardley 2018 - 2
    • Wenlin Tan 2018
    • Tom Czaban 2018
    • Claudia Crook 2018 - 2
    • Lindsay de Feliz 2018 - 2
    • Dolores Banerd 2018
    • Piyumi Kapugeekiyana 2018
    • Stephanie Dagg 2018
    • Gabrielle Chastenet 2018
    • Bonnie Jean Warren 2018
    • Rasa Puzinaite 2018
    • Patricia Steele 2018
    • Ronald Mackay 2018 - 2
    • Syd Blackwell 2018 - 2
    • Louise Groom 2018
    • Malcom Welshman 2018
    • Delores Topliff 2018
    • Claudia Crook 2018
    • Robyn Boswell 2018
    • Amy Bovaird 2018
    • Emma Yardley 2018
    • Ben Stamp 2018
    • Jesus Deytiquez 2018
    • Ria Chakraborty 2018
    • Brigid Gallagher 2018
    • Jules Clark 2018
    • Nancy McBride 2018
    • Susan Mellsopp 2018
    • David Greer 2018
    • Lindsay de Feliz 2018
    • Aditi Nair 2018
    • Mike Cavanagh 2018
    • Frank Kusy 2018
    • Andrew Klein 2018
    • Ronald Mackay 2018
    • Syd Blackwell 2018
    • Sunny Lockwood 2018
    • Robert Fear 2018
  • 2018 Guest Blogs
  • 2017 Travel Highlights
  • 2017 Travel Stories
    • Matthew Dexter - 2
    • Sandra Walker
    • Rishita Dey
    • Lisa Baker
    • Patricia Steele - 2
    • Sue Clamp
    • Debbie Patterson
    • Jill Stoking - 2
    • Robyn Boswell - 2
    • Cherie Magnus
    • Mark Boyter - 2
    • Rita M. Gardner
    • Alex Curylo
    • Graham Higson
    • Jill Dobbe - 2
    • Amy Bovaird - 3
    • Elizabeth Moore - 3
    • KC Peek
    • Lucinda E Clarke
    • Nancy McBride - 2
    • Frank Kusy - 2
    • Melisa Quigley
    • Yvonne Kilat - 3
    • Mike Cavanagh - 2
    • Susan Mellsopp - 5
    • Mather Schneider
    • Syd Blackwell - 5
    • Gundy Baty - 3
    • Elizabeth Moore - 2
    • Jill Dobbe
    • Heather Hackett
    • Bob Manning - 2
    • Mark Boyter
    • Jackie Parry
    • Matthew Dexter
    • Amy Bovaird - 2
    • Gundy Baty - 2
    • Susan Mellsopp - 4
    • Susan Joyce - 2
    • Syd Blackwell - 4
    • Yvonne Kilat - 2
    • Bob Manning
    • Elizabeth Moore
    • Yvonne Kilat
    • Olivia-Petra Coman
    • Susan Mellsopp - 3
    • Gundy Baty
    • Syd Blackwell - 3
    • Paul Spadoni
    • Phil Canning
    • Jill Stoking
    • Robert Fear
    • Anna Coates
    • Kelly Reising
    • Syd Blackwell - 2
    • Susan Mellsopp - 2
    • Sine Thieme - 2
    • Alison Ripley Cubitt
    • Angie Clifford
    • Philippa Hawley
    • Nancy McBride
    • Robyn Boswell
    • Mike Cavanagh
    • Amy Bovaird
    • Susan Mellsopp
    • Patricia Steele
    • Susan Joyce
    • Peggy Wolf
    • Sine Thieme
    • Syd Blackwell
    • Frank Kusy
  • 2016 Travel Highlights
  • 2016 Travel Stories
    • Robyn Boswell
    • Elizabeth Moore - 5
    • Susan Joyce - 3
    • Bob Manning
    • Jackie Parry - 2
    • Mike Cavanagh - 2
    • Lisa Fleetwood
    • Mark Boyter - 2
    • John Rayburn - 5
    • Mark Boyter
    • John Rayburn - 4
    • Elizabeth Moore - 4
    • Mike Cavanagh
    • Graham Higson
    • Philippa Hawley
    • Jill Stoking
    • Nancy McBride - 2
    • Susan Joyce - 2
    • Lucinda E Clarke
    • Elizabeth Moore - 3
    • John Rayburn - 3
    • Jill Dobbe
    • Richard Klein
    • John Rayburn - 2
    • Jackie Parry - 2
    • Elizabeth Moore - 2
    • John Rayburn
    • Jackie Parry
    • Elizabeth Moore
    • Kelly Reising
    • Susan Joyce
    • Nancy McBride
    • Stewart Brennan
    • Frank Kusy
  • Behind the Scenes
  • 2015 Travel Highlights
  • 2015 Travel Stories
    • Val Vassay
    • Doug E. Jones
    • Matthew Dexter (2)
    • Beth Haslam
    • John Rayburn (4)
    • Susan Joyce (2)
    • Jackie Parry (2)
    • Lucinda E. Clarke (2)
    • Jill Dobbe
    • Francene Stanley
    • Richard Klein (2)
    • John Rayburn (3)
    • Julie Haigh
    • Frank Kusy (2)
    • Nancy McBride (2)
    • Anne Durrant
    • Lucinda E. Clarke
    • John Rayburn (2)
    • Nancy McBride
    • Sarah Jane Butfield
    • Jackie Parry
    • Kelly Reising
    • Gareth Nixon
    • John Rayburn
    • Jeremy Parris
    • Matthew Dexter
    • Susan Joyce
    • Richard Klein
    • Frank Kusy
    • Robert Fear
  • Daily Diary
    • February Archive
    • March Archive
    • April Archive
    • May Archive
    • June Archive
    • July Archive
  • Reviews

A Trans-Atlantic flight (in 2016) by Mary Mae Lewis


The first inkling, on this trip, that all would not be perfect was when we checked our baggage in at Manchester airport. The larger suitcase was opened up before we were allowed through to security and the plane was delayed.
 
I was by then hungry, and nervous. Boarding in silence the air hostesses only nodded as we took up our seats. There was no welcome aboard and no life jacket demonstrations. Summoning a flight attendant, to obtain earphones, took three attempts. But at four euros a pair we made do with watching an Icelandic film with sub-titles. Only a coffee came, complimentary. Food had to be purchased! With baguettes at eight euros, minimum, we declined (we were used to Spanish prices) There’ll be a hot meal on the six-hour haul from Iceland onwards, surely?
 
Arriving in the Reykjavik we felt like we had been disgorged into a refugee camp; bodies sitting on rucksacks littered the transit lounge. Amid the chatter and foul smells, like Hyacinth and Richard in Keeping Up Appearances we toured the salon. With my sciatica, sitting on a floor was not a healthy option!
 
Luckily, hubby spotted an empty seat and nudged me. In a flash I whipped off my sun hat and hurled it, like a Frisbee, across the room. It landed admirably but as I staggered towards it I heard, “Would Mrs Mary Mae Lewis, make her way to the Icelandic Air information desk.”
 
“That’s me.” I gasped as I handed my husband my bag.
 
“Mrs Mary Mae Lewis.”  The voice over the tannoy repeated.
 
“Guard the seat.” I instructed.
 
“Mrs Lewis?” The girl at the airline counter queried.
 
“Yes”
 
“You have been chosen; a random customer.”
 
I moved closer to the pretty face and smiled.
 
I imagined I had been signalled out for a bottle of free champagne or some luxury chocolates.
“For an extra security check.”
 
Before my chin could drop, I felt an arm on my elbow and I was gently frog marched up some stairs and delivered to the USA BORDER CONTROL.
 
Passengers lined one wall, holding passports. I wasn’t. Showing the US guard my empty hands I was ordered to fetch mine!
 
I did.
 
I plead; we only have thirty minutes before boarding. I am frisked and quickly cleared! Phew!
 
We encamp to the eatery, another queue! Stuff that. I grab the only stool available at the bar but with drinks at fifteen dollars a time we order tap water. We talk to an American student about how terrible it would be for America if Donald Trump was elected president and we forget our hunger, till the flight is called.
 
“I see you have passed your security check,” the boarding pass checker announces loudly as we line up, again. I blush and my tummy rumbles like a roller coaster.
 
“When’s dinner?” I enquire as the stewardesses move up and the plane’s cabin again like Stepford wives.
 
“When you order it,” one girl says, whipping the menu, (the same one as before) from the pouch on the back of the seat in front of me. 
 
I succumb. Hubby doesn’t.
 
“I’ll have the tapas with the wine.” Included was a piece of hot pizza, apparently! The wine was fine but the box of tapas, which looked about a foot long on the photo on the menu was no bigger than a big box of matches! The pepperoni looked like burnt spaghetti, the cheese was just one mouthful of cream cheese, and the pizza didn’t exist.
 
“A printing error” the flight attendant informed me. I grimaced and delved into my book, sipped the wine slowly and ignored my hunger pangs.
 
With face and finger print recognition technology we slipped through Immigration like silver fish through pin holes and waited at the carousel for our suitcases.
 
Hubby stacked the first one onto his trolley with our hand luggage and coats and we waited and waited. Damn it our case is lost! And my hat’s in Iceland!
 
“Ok. No big deal” hubby assures me as he turns to a guard nearby.
 
“You grab the trolley and we’ll do what we have to do.”
 
“Hell, where is the trolley!” I scream as my eyes run around the vicinity looking for our distinctive blue and white suitcase. Spotting a man pushing our stuff down the baggage hall I run up to him.
 
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” I shout. “You know that trolley isn’t yours; those things are not yours. Why did you do this?”
 
“Cause I am an asshole” he yells. I yank the trolley off him and turn away.
 
“You said it.” I shout, over my shoulder.
 
“She called me an asshole” the man complained to the guard.
 
“No, I didn’t.” I defended myself.
 
“No, you didn’t ma’m. “The man is what he said, an AH but don’t worry about that now. You got your stuff back and now you must make a claim for the missing baggage, in the office.”
 
I glance at my watch; we have already missed the 7 pm bus and now will have to wait till 10. Still enough time to get a Big Mac and fries. My mouth waters at the thought.
 
Mr. Peterson fills out the forms while telling us his life story and we tell him about our son and his family in Milwaukee, who we will be staying with for three weeks; we feel confident our suitcase will turn up.  Just one week later it and delivered straight to our son’s front door.
 
We had a lovely holiday in Wisconsin and a good journey home, but I never did see my hat again!



Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Copyright © 2019
Proudly powered by Weebly