The flight back to Texas from Pakistan Part II

The lady sitting next to me on the flight was pretty chatty. I'm not complaining at all because sometimes having someone to talk to can make the flight seem somewhat shorter. Her daughter was 4 years old and a little on the spoiled side and kept whining that she wanted to go sit about 4 rows back with this little boy that she met. So that did get a tad annoying after listening to about 20 minutes of it.

The plane takes off and once we are leveled out in the air, I call for the flight attendant regarding the bassinet. The flight attendant comes and brings one for me. Now, one of the reasons I chose to sit bulkhead was because I knew that the bassinet would attach right in front of me. The flight attendant is just working and working trying to get it attached and it is not one that attaches. So they just put it on the ground at my feet - which took away any leg/foot room I had. The bassinet was just pathetic. I described it to someone as a lined cardboard box. Not at all comfy for a baby.

Since I you're not allowed water on the flights due to security reasons, I had to call the flight attendant to get water for Sara's bottle. Flight attendant was not so prompt with coming so I just got up and went to the back of the plane and asked for water. The flight attendant filled up the bottle and offered me the rest of the bottle of water which was nice because that would make it where I didn't have to keep calling them for water. Sara took her bottle and went right to sleep. It was a bit hard at first getting her to lay in the bassinet. The lady next to me helped getting a blanket doubled and put in it there for some padding. I'd lay Sara down and she'd instantly just raise her head up, then up on her knees and would cry. I just kept trying and it wasn't long before Sara just gave up and went to sleep.

Since Sara was asleep that enabled me to eat. They are pretty prompt with getting food out once the plane takes off. The first meal was eggs (like omelet style), some chicken pieces or what looked like chicken and cup of Nestle yogurt. I couldn't eat the eggs because they just didn't taste right nor the chicken. I ate the yogurt though - it was pretty tasty.

I'd chat on and off with the lady next to me and again she was just so nice and so helpful. She told me if I needed any help with Sara, to hold or whatever just to let her know that it wasn't a problem and she didn't mind at all. There was a man to the right of me and he was pretty quiet and didn't say anything to me until the very end of the flight.

So this leg of the flight was from Lahore to Manchester. That's about an 8 hour flight. I really don't think I slept more than an hour that leg of the flight. The next meal they came out with was I think Chicken Biryani and again I was able to eat since Sara was still asleep. Wasn't bad but I really couldn't eat much. I did have a cup of tea though which was nice.

Those 8 long hours start to come to an end when I feel the plane start to descend. It's a good feeling to know that you are halfway home but boy was I feeling tired. Sara slept that whole 8 hours - not even waking up once. The plane lands and Sara was still sleeping in the bassinet and everyone was not sure whether or not we were going to have to disembark. I've taken this flight before and you are told to disembark, go through security, then to the gate and back on the same plane. I've always found it to be ridiculous since we are going back to the same plane. So we're all just sitting there on the plane wondering what they are going to make us do and just when we thought we were not going to have to get off - they tell us we have to get off. Sheesh. I had to wake up Sara, grab my carry-on luggage and get off the plane.

Once off the plane, we head to security where there is a HUGE line. It seemed that line was moving so slow. Sara managed to stay content for about 20 minutes and then started to fuss. I had to get a bottle ready while standing in line and feed her while standing in line. She took the whole bottle and stayed content the rest of the time thank goodness. We were in line for about 2 hours - maybe more when we finally made it to the area where they scan your baggage and make you walk through the metal detector and possibly get frisked or patted down I'd say. Sara and I walk through the metal detector and they take Sara's diaper bag off to the side to search. They of course take EVERYTHING out and lay it out on the table. They took Sara's Panadol (which is like liquid infant Tylenol), diaper rash cream telling me that neither are allowed. I wasn't happy because that was medicine for Sara if she was to get sick, fever or something on the flight or just needed something to relax. Thank God I didn't need it.

Once through security we have to go upstairs and find which gate to go to and just wait. Finally, the time comes when we get to board again. The lady that sat next to me and grabbed some Burger King for her little girl and was taking that on board. When we made it back to our seats she pulls out some onion rings and said she got them for me. Nice, huh?!?! Those onion rings tasted damn good! Don't think I didn't just devour them up! Plane takes off again and we're off for the last leg of the journey home - about 9 hours to go. We spent a total of about 3 hours that the Manchester airport which is normally only about 45 minutes to an hour. Needless to say, I was a bit bothered about the delay considering I had a connecting flight to catch in Houston that would take me home.

Sara was awake for a couple of hours before she napped again. I forgot to mention that we were flying an older 747 that didn't have diaper changing table in the bathroom. So, I would have to lay Sara down on the toilet lid with a small cribsheet that I brought to change her diaper. Not fun and not easy at all!! The pee-pee diapers, I'd change in my seat but the poo-poo diapers I'd have to head to the teenie tiny restroom.

The next meal that came out was pretty much a snack of chicken sandwiches and some other stuff. I can't even remember now. Maybe because by that time, I was getting delirious. I had been up wayyyyyyyyy too long. I was up all day and night before leaving so that didn't help much.

I'm watching my watch those last couple of hours just hoping that we'll make it to Houston on time but I knew it just wasn't going to happen. It was looking as if we were going to land at 5:30 p.m. which we should be landing at 4 p.m. My flight was due to leave at 7:15 p.m. I was just so afraid I was going to miss the flight due to the delay in UK.

Last meal served was Chicken Korma. I couldn't even eat a bite of it. I pretty much just polished off the dessert which was some Kheer and it was really good. I think I was just getting really anxious about getting to Houston. Sara was just so good the entire flight. I bet if you calculated up how much she fussed the whole time - it would only add up to 1 hour. I could not have asked for a better baby. She was just wonderful.

The plane starts the descent into Houston - I'm keeping an eye on my watch just hoping and hoping to make it in time but knowing that I have to go through immigration, wait for baggage, go through customs and I just knew I could NEVER make it on time.

When the plane lands it is about 5:30 p.m. and we taxi over to the gate. By the time, Sara and I get off the plane it was 5:45 p.m. and I'm all but biting my nails just wanting to run.