We arrived at DIA at 8 am for an 11 am departure. We sat there chatting away, saw our plane arrive and deboard and were pleased as punch that our flight would be on time because we only had 2 hours to connect in NYC? When it came time to start the boarding process.....no one was called. Oh dear! Soon, we were notified of mechanical problems and then delays and finally gate changes. Now, you know how my mathematician brain works. They tell us we will arrive at 5:30 pm. We need to exit terminal 3, take the tram to terminal 4, get new boarding passes for our international leg, go through security getting rescreened again, removing everything from our bodies, reassembling ourselves and getting to the gate by 7 pm.
Think there's a chance this will happen?
Think either of us gorgeous - over 55 year old women can RUN through JFK???
HA HA!
In reality, we forgot a few things. When you go outside terminal 3 at JFK, there are no signs to tell you which direction to go to terminal 4. To make it worse, the exit doors simply say 2/3. No indication of where 4 might be. love the pilot guy who assured us we could run with him which is exactly what we did....RUN!!!
When we got to terminal 4, we suddenly realized we did not even now what gate we had to go to. And each security is separate for a block of gates. So up to EL Al ticketing to find out. A nice security guy started a series of questions. Such things as....Did we speak Hebrew? Why did we pick the JNF fund tour? Why did we want to go to Israel? Did we have to belong to a group to go on this tour? What were we going to do while we were there......it just went on and on.
Finally. they told us gate B31. We RAN. AGAIN!!! Down flight of stairs. Get to the line - security - it's a mile long! We will NEVER make this flight! But we beg, pull, claw our way through the line. OK, April says we pushed, shoved and crowded our way to the front. And once through security, we RAN again. OK. Do you realize that of course, gate B31 is the absolute last gate on the concourse?
By now, I am sweating up a storm. Seriously wondering about whatever poor schmuck that has to sit next to me on the flight for 10 hours! Sweat dripping down our faces, we're panting and huffing and wondering where the asthma inhalers are at?
But we made it. Got on the flight. Got seated. Got cooled down about 2 hours later. An absolutely wonderful flight over. The biggest, best meals on any flight ever. They couldn't get us enough water, but did a pretty good job. Guess I should mention that between our delays and running, we had eaten a power bar and had 2 cups of diet coke.....all day long!
So, we fell asleep, and woke up to a fabulous breakfast. Thinking life is wonderful and all excited to land in Tel Aviv and get started with this grand adventure.
Now, even though we 2 old women could run our legs off and make this connection.....I guess our luggage couldn't. Arrived in Tel Aviv with Zip, Nada, Zero luggage. That means tomorrow....no makeup. no deodorant. Same clothes we wore for the last 36 hours......
And we remember that there are no wash rags In Israel!
Finally we discover that we are sharing a bed! Gosh...I haven't slept with my little sister in 42 years. She better keep her feet on her side of the bed! Haha!
so some might say we are living life.
we say, this is life, so always wear a chai.
Jen and April's amazing adventure - only the beginning!!!
Location:Denver/NYC/Tel Aviv Israel
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