Nightmare, Turned Detour, Before Christmas

The 9 hour cue that seemed to never end...


Living abroad has opened the door to travel and lots of exploration. When traveling by ‘planes, trains, automobiles (metros and even buses,)’ you never can fully know what to expect. As I recently traveled cross-Atlantic and country-hopped here in Europe, optimism is a key component to making it in one piece.

I was extremely excited to come home for the holiday season but after weather delays and missing my connection flight from London to California, all I wanted to do was cry. Thankfully I stayed strong and kept myself together and took my ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ in full stride. I was encaged in a 9 hour cue,(I swear you only see in movies,) ‘sitting, waiting, wishing,’ in hopes I would make it out of London Heathrow airport the same day. When the hours continued to pass and the cue was hardly moving, I wasn’t left with much to do. I began chatting with those around, all trying to get to loved ones. Traveling is stressful, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Why not make that time more enjoyable. It is a lot more fun having a travel buddy and someone to help pass the time. Little did I know that some of these once strangers are people I can now call friends.

I was a slue of emotions once I found out my re-scheduled flight to California wouldn’t be leaving London for another 48 hours. I was happy to finally be leaving the airport knowing I had another flight and finally heading to my hotel to sleep. I was sad knowing I would now be missing my trip to Vegas with my girlfriends and I was simply frustrated with the whole situation. There was nothing I could have done to change it. After making collect calls to the states and finally getting in touch with my family and another encouraging phone call, the only thing left was to make the most of my time in London.

After a much needed sleep in my hotel room, my new friends and I went out to see what London had to offer. As the 5 of us wandered through the streets, in the same travel clothes, we laughed, played tourist and it felt as though we all had known each other for years. It may have helped that we all are from California!

I awoke Sunday morning to a sun-filled sky, and I knew I would be finally making it home that day. As the Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet raced down the runway and lifted off into the air, I cheered! After my 48 hour ‘detour’ in London, I was finally California bound.






St. James Park