The flight back to Texas from Pakistan Part III
You know it just seems like forever to get off the plane nowadays. It just seemed as if the line to get off was not moving at all. Finally, I reach the doorway to get off. The flight attendant says Allah Hafiz and I respond back with Allah Hafiz and I was on my way. I already had Sara strapped onto me in her baby carrier and we were just walking as fast as we could. We were on our way to immigration. I'm still looking down at my watch checking the time every few minutes.
Just when we're about to reach the immigration area - we all get stopped by immigration officials. I couldn't believe it nor did I know what was going on. I of course voiced that I had a connecting flight to catch but it really didn't help much. They said the reason we were stopped was because there was a flight that just came in from UK and those passengers require escort. Whaaaaaaat?? Escort? We just came in from Pakistan which they seem to think is a high risk country and we didn't get an escort. The officials said they were really getting fed up with having to escort every UK flight coming in. So, the reason for the hold up was to separate those passengers from us. They had to go to a completely different area than us.
Few minutes go by, I check my watch again and we're on our way again. When you reach the immigration area in Houston - it's huge! There are lines for foreigners and US citizens. The lines seemed pretty long and I was looking for the shortest line but I always manage to get in the longest even though it looks the shortest.
Finally, its our turn and the immigration officer scans Sara and I's passports and we're finished with the immigration portion. Again, I'm rushing as fast as I can to get to our next stop which is collecting my baggage. I grabbed a cart and headed over to the carousel to just wait. At this point, you really start to think why the heck was I rushing - rushing to get to baggage claim and wait again. So I'm standing there with Sara still strapped onto me (btw, those carriers couldn't be convenient - they're great for travel). There were a nice couple standing next to me and the woman started playing with baby Sara and Sara of course just ate it up - she loved it. I made mention to them that I was in a hurry because I had a connecting flight. They asked me where "home" was and I told them. They guy said, "well you only got about 45 minutes left to fly". 45 minutes sure sounds better than the 18 hours I just finished.
About 10 minutes pass by and the baggage starts to come out. I'm looking and looking for my baggage, don't see it...still don't see it. Then, the belt that baggage comes out on - stopped working! For crying out loud, I couldn't believe it! Just my luck. So the baggage guys start tossing out the luggage - nice huh? Yeah right! I'm looking down at my watch and it was almost 6:30 p.m. My flight is leaving in 45 minutes is all I could think of and I still didn't have my bags yet nor gone through customs. I just knew I wasn't going to make it.
All of the sudden they apparently got the belt working again and baggage is coming out. I'm looking and looking and then I see my big red piece of luggage come out. That couple were still standing next to me and the woman's husband offered to pull the luggage off the carousel for me. So nice. When it comes around to me, he pulled it off and put it on the cart for me. During this time, they had already collected their luggage but waited to help me with mine. It was just so nice of them and you know there aren't so many people that would do something like that. I really appreciated it. My next 2 bags came out almost right after the first one. I thanked that really nice couple for their help and Sara and I headed towards customs.
I look at my watch again and it is just after 6:30 p.m. I was expecting this to take a bit of time because last time they made us go through a different area. I wheel my cart and all the luggage up to the desk where the customs official is. He takes my customs declaration, gives me a "how are you"?, kind of looks at me and says I can go on. Whewwwwww, was I pleased!! Once you leave out of customs, the check-in counter for Continental Airlines is right there in front of you. Really couldn't be more convenient. I head over to the check-in counter and I'm standing there in the line. No one else is in the line but me. 2, maybe 3 women working the counter and they are just chatting and taking their sweet time. I'm all but stomping my foot waiting and once again...checking the time. It was about 6:35 p.m. - connecting flight due to leave at 7:15 p.m.
Finally, the woman calls me up to the counter. I told her I have a flight to catch at 7:15 p.m. and asked her if I was too late. She said "no, do you already have your boarding pass"? I told her no. She took my id, checked me in, printed the stickers for the baggage, slapped them on my baggage and they were off. She handed me my boarding pass and told me to hurry.
I throw everything in Sara's diaper bag and she and I head toward the escalator and go upstairs where we have to go through security - yet again. I arrive at the security entrance and I can feel the sweat bullets start to run down my forehead. Again, looking at the watch, it's about 6:45 p.m. The line is long and it wraps around a few times. At this point I KNOW I'll never it make it on time. I ask the attendant if she thinks I'll make it and she said "yeah, you should". Should or I will - that's what I really wanted to say.
Part IV will be out soon!!
Just when we're about to reach the immigration area - we all get stopped by immigration officials. I couldn't believe it nor did I know what was going on. I of course voiced that I had a connecting flight to catch but it really didn't help much. They said the reason we were stopped was because there was a flight that just came in from UK and those passengers require escort. Whaaaaaaat?? Escort? We just came in from Pakistan which they seem to think is a high risk country and we didn't get an escort. The officials said they were really getting fed up with having to escort every UK flight coming in. So, the reason for the hold up was to separate those passengers from us. They had to go to a completely different area than us.
Few minutes go by, I check my watch again and we're on our way again. When you reach the immigration area in Houston - it's huge! There are lines for foreigners and US citizens. The lines seemed pretty long and I was looking for the shortest line but I always manage to get in the longest even though it looks the shortest.
Finally, its our turn and the immigration officer scans Sara and I's passports and we're finished with the immigration portion. Again, I'm rushing as fast as I can to get to our next stop which is collecting my baggage. I grabbed a cart and headed over to the carousel to just wait. At this point, you really start to think why the heck was I rushing - rushing to get to baggage claim and wait again. So I'm standing there with Sara still strapped onto me (btw, those carriers couldn't be convenient - they're great for travel). There were a nice couple standing next to me and the woman started playing with baby Sara and Sara of course just ate it up - she loved it. I made mention to them that I was in a hurry because I had a connecting flight. They asked me where "home" was and I told them. They guy said, "well you only got about 45 minutes left to fly". 45 minutes sure sounds better than the 18 hours I just finished.
About 10 minutes pass by and the baggage starts to come out. I'm looking and looking for my baggage, don't see it...still don't see it. Then, the belt that baggage comes out on - stopped working! For crying out loud, I couldn't believe it! Just my luck. So the baggage guys start tossing out the luggage - nice huh? Yeah right! I'm looking down at my watch and it was almost 6:30 p.m. My flight is leaving in 45 minutes is all I could think of and I still didn't have my bags yet nor gone through customs. I just knew I wasn't going to make it.
All of the sudden they apparently got the belt working again and baggage is coming out. I'm looking and looking and then I see my big red piece of luggage come out. That couple were still standing next to me and the woman's husband offered to pull the luggage off the carousel for me. So nice. When it comes around to me, he pulled it off and put it on the cart for me. During this time, they had already collected their luggage but waited to help me with mine. It was just so nice of them and you know there aren't so many people that would do something like that. I really appreciated it. My next 2 bags came out almost right after the first one. I thanked that really nice couple for their help and Sara and I headed towards customs.
I look at my watch again and it is just after 6:30 p.m. I was expecting this to take a bit of time because last time they made us go through a different area. I wheel my cart and all the luggage up to the desk where the customs official is. He takes my customs declaration, gives me a "how are you"?, kind of looks at me and says I can go on. Whewwwwww, was I pleased!! Once you leave out of customs, the check-in counter for Continental Airlines is right there in front of you. Really couldn't be more convenient. I head over to the check-in counter and I'm standing there in the line. No one else is in the line but me. 2, maybe 3 women working the counter and they are just chatting and taking their sweet time. I'm all but stomping my foot waiting and once again...checking the time. It was about 6:35 p.m. - connecting flight due to leave at 7:15 p.m.
Finally, the woman calls me up to the counter. I told her I have a flight to catch at 7:15 p.m. and asked her if I was too late. She said "no, do you already have your boarding pass"? I told her no. She took my id, checked me in, printed the stickers for the baggage, slapped them on my baggage and they were off. She handed me my boarding pass and told me to hurry.
I throw everything in Sara's diaper bag and she and I head toward the escalator and go upstairs where we have to go through security - yet again. I arrive at the security entrance and I can feel the sweat bullets start to run down my forehead. Again, looking at the watch, it's about 6:45 p.m. The line is long and it wraps around a few times. At this point I KNOW I'll never it make it on time. I ask the attendant if she thinks I'll make it and she said "yeah, you should". Should or I will - that's what I really wanted to say.
Part IV will be out soon!!
posted by Tara at 2:32 PM
3 Comments:
Hey! You're keeping us in suspense! But tell me, did they make you take Sara out of her carrier each single time you went through checks? We have a 50 minute transfer time in Amsterdam and I am traveling alone with my son. Here's what I plan to take him in:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5456/205/1600/CIMG0718.jpg
Except he's much bigger now and will be wearing pants and socks. It's great to carry him in, but it's a 4.6 meter piece of cloth and has to be rewrapped each time to fit him best.
the leaving us in suspense is what makes us come back.. gotta learn that trick for my boring blog. lol..
Me,
That is a neat little carrier you got there! Looks comfy!
Nope, they never made me take Sara out of the carrier - not even once. You just walk through security with the carrier on you. Not a problem.
Take care!
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