Sigh. Leaving Istanbul

June 19, 2011 – Sunday

Up early and the ‘net is much more cooperative.  I insert photos and post the blog and we swing into our morning routine.  Everything is packed for the plane and we go down to breakfast.  

 Our faithful driver is right on time and we arrive at Ataturk airport with time to spare.  It's our last view of the gorgeous coast.

Good thing!  The security here in the international departures terminal is amazing.  

First everything goes through a scanner as you enter the building.  Then we had to figure out where in the world to check in.  There are four flights leaving within a forty-minute period and they all are being processed from one line.  About half a dozen employees ask us each individually the standard airport questions, or at least some of them, and there are separate passport checks.

We get our boarding passes and say good-bye to our bags.  They are tagged for JFK and ATL but we don’t see how that can work since we arrive at JFK but leave from LaGuardia!

Now we head for the gate and take a brief tour through our last bazaar and the duty-free shop.  I don’t see the bottle I bought the other night, so I’m pleased.  We are also looking for evil eyes.

Back at our gate we head for the boarding area and go through security again.  Everyone gets wanded and liquids and computers are removed.  When that is over, you have to go over to a table and open the bags that have just been x-rayed!  It is quite strange!  At any rate we are finally on our way to JFK with our little gift diddie bags and a nine and a half flight ahead of us.  

Once again there are two complete meals and they are both divine.  I have eggplant stuffed with minced meat (beef?) in a tomato sauce and all the possible side dishes including both a hot roll and crackers, butter for one and a creamy cheese for the other.  Pudding with chocolate shavings for dessert!  The second meal is a pasta and equally yummy!  In between there are endless movies on our own personal screens.  We trade recommendations and pannings! 

Finally we are at JKF and head for passport control, baggage claim and customs.  We are in several different lines for passport control and, as usual, Andy and I choose the slowest line!  Customs, however, is amazing.  Each citizen is allowed to bring back eight-hundred dollars worth of goods, so my list is easily under the limit.  The customs agent takes each of our lists in turn, glances at them briefly, and waves us on!  Never even looked at much less touched our bags!

There is a line for luggage that is going on another flight and since our is tagged for Atlanta, we try that.  Of course it doesn't work since our next flight leaves from LaGuardia;  but it was worth a try and goodness knows we've got time with a five-hour layover!

Two taxis (taksis!) take us across town and half of us check our bags for the next leg.  It turns out that it is free since it is the continuation of an international flight!  The line was kind of long, so the guys use the self-checkin kiosks.  They miss out on the free baggage check!  Sorry, guys!  But you're young and strong and you can take it!

We are pretty sure that eating now is a good idea, since there probably aren't any restaurants on the other side of security, so we all have Five Guys burgers!  I love Turkish food;  but it's good to be home, too!  Then it's on to yet another gate.  This time we have a long time to sit.

Turns out we have even longer to sit!  The previous flight was delayed so we have to wait for its passengers to get off and the plane to be cleaned.  Oh! There is something wrong with our plane.  It won't start!  There will be a delay.  There will be an even longer delay;  they are can't fix our plane and are looking for another plane.  There will be an even longer, longer delay;  they are still trying to fix OUR plane.  Now there is a gate change.  WAIT! They have a plane for us!  We've been up since 6:00 Turkey time and it is now 9:30 p.m., which, for our bodies is really 4:30 tomorrow morning!

The good news is there is a plane and we have the same seats, so we can finally board and maybe even nap a bit.  There is no food, of course, we back in the State!  Oh goodie, there is beverage service, if you're awake when they come by!

HOME!  Steven and Jarrett pull up at almost the exact same moment!  Ginger had called and told them to come to the south baggage pickup because there is a car fire blocking the north one!!

You can see it about as well as we could see anything! By the time we got home and to bed we'd been up more than twenty-six hours and you can't get a lot of light through slitted eyes!

It's been a fantastic trip!  Now all we have to do it edit our photos, share them with each other, catch up on mail and phone messages and...and...and...  Oh yes - I still have to get home!

I'm staying until Wednesday which is a wonderful thing because I will get to meet, Tae, Andy's beloved, who arrives on Tuesday evening!  Yay!  (He's even shaved off his beard for her!)