Guess whose back?

Well, here I am - back in America. Good to see my family, bad to be here in Erie. Good to wash my clothes in a real washer and dryer, bad to have to only walk down a flight of stairs to the washer and..... err, wait. No, that's on the good list. It really isn't that bad being here thus far, I just know that once Sunday rolls around and I've been home officially for 1 week, the depression will set in. Well, lets not think of that - let me tell you about the flight home instead.
I get to the Heathrow Airport and find my way to the terminal to check in, only, I got off at the wrong terminal to begin with. I was on time so far, but I needed to get to Terminal 4 and it's not connected to the rest of the airport. Nice. So me and my 4 suitcases, large carryon and laptop, run around until we make it to the correct terminal. I patiently wait in line until I'm called to check in. Oh, what's that you say, you have no seats available? That's funny, I booked my ticket in bloody October but it's not available. And I have too much luggage and I need to pay for it as well, that's fantastic. So they tag all of my bags and tell me to load them back onto the trolley because I am going to have to wait for them to either 1. find me a seat or 2. book me onto another flight. So I sit and wait, and sit, and wait... 10 minutes before the flight takes off they say they have a seat for me. My next logical question was "it's in first class, right?" She doesn't answer. Good thing? They take my luggage and put it onto the plane with no extra cost. It was going to be about $300 extra. When I finally get to the plane and show the attendant my ticket, she tells me to keep walking straight back. So, I go through 1st, business, world, etc to the absolute rear of the plane. I was in the last seat, in the middle row, in the middle seat. I see, so they gave me the worst possible seat available. Brilliant. Then during the flight, Mr. No Brains opens the overhead compartment to get out his briefcase. He did this 2 times, the 1st he kind of dropped my carry on full of wine to the floor - I shot a look at him (thought he got the hint). The 2nd time a little later on, he opened it and all of the wine fell out of the bag onto the floor. Hey there Buddy, thanks. Thanks for that. He had the bloody nerve to say "Uh, yeah, the clasp is broken on this bag, not my fault..." I bit my tongue and said to him "Look, sir, why don't you put the bag with the wine in the REAR of the compartment so you can continue to fiddle around with your little briefcase, ok?" He says to me that he is done. Him and some other bloke stood around for almost the entire flight - didn't sit in their seats, no no, continued to stand right next to my row and chat. So not only did I have the worst seat available in the plane, I had the most annoying people planted strategically around me as well. I thought, ok, whose behind this one - ha ha, funny joke. Oh Jamie, the jokes not even close to being over...
So we land in lovely Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Yes, home of the airport employees who don't know if they are coming or if they are going. Starts out by having to pay $5 to use a trolley for your luggage. Com'on now. Pay to use it? If you fly often, you know how ridiculous this is so I don't even need to go into it. I find some 'sky captain' with a cart and ask him to help me with my trillion bags and he obliges then stands there asking (yes, actually verbally asked me for a payment) for money. I looked at him wearing his airport uniform and said "Sir, if I had money with me, I wouldn't have needed you to help me with all of these bags, I would've gotten a trolley - besides I think that's why your wearing that uniform isn't it?" Unbelievable. Think that would have happened in the Heathrow? Anyway, I went to the information desk and asked where I needed to go next. She tells me to terminal A. I go to A. There I'm told to go to Terminal B instead. I go to B instead. Then they tell me that I'm not where I'm supposed to be and that I need to go to Terminal F. Are you #$^% kidding me? Does anyone here know exactly here what there job is or what it entails? Or are we just hiring the lovely people of Philly to fill a quota? So, I walk myself to F. I get there finally, check my bags (should have said goodbye to them as well when I had the chance) and continue on to gate 13. Only, after 30 minutes, they change our gate from 13 to 17. When we finally board the plane, we continue sitting on it for another 1.5 hours because they have a 'mis-baggage' count. Really. We finally take off and get to Erie. Then we sit on the plane for another 30 mins (not quite sure about this one) until we can get off the plane. When we do, I see my cute cute nephew Tristen, my pregnant sister Jen and my half-mom Bonnie & brother-in-law Josh! So good to see some family! Then I go to get my bags only, that's funny, my bags aren't there. Then I go to the desk and they tell me that they don't know where my '2' bags are. 2 bags? That's funny. I quickly correct them. They continue to tell me that they're not sure where the bags are at the moment but kindly give me a claim number to call on. Splendid. Fortunately, my stress levels have been surprisingly moderate and I just let it roll off my shoulders. We went home and had some pizza (yum, p i z z a) and I called the number they gave to me. The recording was hysterical "Sorry, at this time, we have not located your missing luggage, please try again, thanks and have a great day" Thanks, I will have a great day. I may be walking around naked, but it will be lovely. I did get them back the next day rather early in the afternoon though. I asked them if they had a nice trip and if it was warm where they went, but no one is talking :)
Here's something else - the minute I get off the plane in Erie, I start coughing. And sneezing. Great, look who has a cold. Did I say cold? I meant look who has bronchitis. I love coughing and having it feel as if your lungs are on fire and are going to stop working altogether. I love the feeling of not being able to breath. I call my Dr. and they called in an antibiotic for me. Hopefully whatever European illness I contracted while I was there isn't too contagious, considering my bloody Dr.'s office couldn't be bothered to see me in person.
But I am feeling better and have finally finished unpacking. I went in for my internship interview for the DA's office/county detectives today. I will be working from 0800-1445 with them and then 1500-2300 at EPD. Looks like it's going to be one quick summer! But, I can't wait to graduate and move o u t o f ...... I know, I won't say it. I already am getting flack from my mum and my friend.
Side note: Guess who has a gelateria? Guess who has a gelateria? W 18 St & Cherry St!!! Erie has a Gelateria!! That was the best news I could have ever come home to. Hmmmm... I took Dave to have his first taste - he loved it!
Well, until I start my official bugger of a summer - hope all is well with my devoted fans (hee hee, kidding... ) and stay tuned!