Start of Second Grandson Trip

After we got back from Our Winter Road Trip (Florida, Louisiana, Texas and St. Louis) at the end of January, I had about six weeks at home before my next trip.

For my second grandchild trip, I took a 13 year old grandson. He, like his cousin before him would be 14 in the month after our trip. He had so many baseball games in June that the only time he could go was Spring Break. His trip was the shortest - only 12 days. We left on Thursday March 27th after school, and got back Monday April 7th too late to get to school. He was studying Spanish in school and wanted to go to Spain

At the beginning of the trip, I wrote:

I'm sitting here in the airport, and I am next to a plug. I don't want to pay for the internet, but I figured I could at least start writing. I have not been able to get the printer to work wireless, so I went over and sat down at it to print out some things (like my boarding pass for today) and promptly gave myself a paper cut the whole length of the last segment of my forefinger, which I do use to type. That thing was really sore. I was afraid I had gotten it infected, so I sprayed it with Bactine and then later I dipped in alcohol. I did get the printer to work when I was attached to it.

I checked in for this flight and printed the boarding pass, printed out the information on hotels and other flights etc, and also purchased a Barcelona Turistico bus pass for two days. I thought of doing the same for Madrid, but wasn't sure if it would be worth it.

I also realized that I'd done internet research, but had NOT done anything about getting maps or anything in hard copy, so I went to the St Mary's County library website and found two books that I thought would do. So I went to the library, and found two books and tried the self checkout at which time I realized that I had the set of keys with the World Gym tag on them and not the set with the library tag. Oh well - fortunately before I left the house I checked that I did have my library card

Then I decided to go to the bookstore, and there I found maps for Madrid, Barcelona and Venice as well as a small (but heavy) book on Venice and one on Barcelona.

I was rearranging the computers - I decided to take the old silver Dell and not the new silver Dell because the new one is bigger and heavier and doesn't do as good a job finding wireless. I'm leaving Bob with mom's old HP so he can read the emails too.

I started packing my roller bag. It is absolutely stuffed full. Bob couldn't even get my nightgown in there that was down in the laundry basket.

I was going to take a shower last night, but they turned the water off for construction (again without notifying us) about 11 pm, so I had to wait until this morning.

We left the house this morning about 11:40, and got here (to the airport) about 1:15. The Express lot was full. Bob dropped me off , and I walked across the median to the curbside check in (which they charge $2/bag for now). The man who took my bag asked if I wanted a wheelchair, and I said no, but after he checked my single bag, he said there was a lady who wanted to take me in the wheelchair so I did that.

I had some strange idea that I could get lunch here in the airport, but with my coat and waist bag and cane and computer bag, I'm too weighted down with stuff to move around very much. I did get my sports drink bottle filled at the water fountain, so I hope I don't lose that like I did on the last trip when I left it in the excitement of boarding.

The gate area was full of people who were leaving on a flight to DFW, but eventually they all boarded (or didn't).

waiting at BWI

--- stopped writing here ---- continued in Miami -------------

The plane that came in which we are going to Miami on had someone on it that they were waiting for to do some kind of celebration. Eventually, the person that they were waiting for came out - tall, white hair, florid face, and in a pilot's uniform. Maybe he is retiring or something. The group made a LOT of noise. Most of the people who were waiting to get on the plane retreated out of the area. So the desk agent called first class and then group two and anyone that needed assistance. And no one seemed to be moving, so she just called everyone to come and get on the plane - all groups. I was in a window seat over the wing and there was an (East) Indian couple next to me. I put my cane and coat in the overhead compartment, the water bottle in the pocket and the computer bag under the seat in front of me.

The plane was supposed to take off at 3:10, but we were already taxiing out to the runway at 3:05. The wing got in the way of taking really good pictures unless the pilot banked.

Taking off - BWI

I have rearranged my luggage so I think I can find things. The stuff I had packed has gotten compressed somewhat so I can get more in there. After we got here and dropped our stuff, we went to Outback for dinner.