Day One -- oh la la

This was a day spent almost entirely in airports!

It started Thursday evening when I went up to Boston for my flight.  Before hand my husband and son and I went out to dinner at CPK -- that was fun!  I got to the airport, had time to sit in one of the Boston Rockers the airport provides -- I know, there should be a photo of it here!  I tell ya, sitting in a rocking chair instead of the awful airline waiting area chairs is such a treat!  My flight left at 10:45 pm and it was uneventful.  I think that was the last uneventful thing of my day.

I flew to London's Heathrow airport, where they were having quite a bit of early morning fog.  Somehow, this caused them to cancel all sorts of flights.  Looking back the cancellations were pretty random.  My flight to Marseille was cancelled.  

There were no seats to Marseille to be had yesterday.  And the earliest they could book me would have been today at 3 pm, arriving many, many hours after I was s'posed to pick up two of the women traveling to the art workshop with me.  So, what's a girl to do?  Talk to the agent nicely and see how to get me to France.  I figured once in France, anywhere in France, I could somehow find my way to Marseille.  I had paid for a hotel room for last night, I had an agreement to meet L & C at the car rental place.  I was on a mission.   

The agent was able to book me on a flight to Nice.  The options were Toulouse (4 hrs away), Lyon (3 hrs away) or Nice about 2 hours down the coast from Marseille.  I was there a long time ago with my brother and have fond memories.  At this point I have moved from Terminal 5 to Terminal 1, only to be told I needed to return to Terminal 5 again.  So back thru airport security for a second time, and definitely feeling like a pack-mule.  At this point I'm thinking this sound like stories my sister told of her trip to Ireland with our Nana!  For them is was lost luggage, the Blarney Stone, etc.

The flight to Nice was delayed just a bit.  Enough so the buses and trains that might have taken me to Marseille have left their stations.  I have no idea how I am getting to Marseille.  I mention this to the woman next to me on the plane.  Turns out most everyone flying British Airways yesterday was negatively affected.  She says have them get you to Marseille this evening and don't take no for an answer.  Not my usual way, but ok.  At this point I am hoping that someone will hear my plight, and offer me a ride to Marseille,  Isn't that a movie with John Candy and a Polka band?

No Polka band, no need to hitchhike.  I gather my luggage, make my way to the British Airways desk, throw myself on the agent's mercy and am offered a paid taxi ride right to my hotel!  The ride was long, the driver was nice, I didn't have to slep my luggage another foot.  My room was waiting.

   

As you can see -- simple and small.

And wifi, breakfast in the morning and 

a hot shower with great water pressure!

Thurs/Fri 2/3 October