We had a 6:30 pm flight out of Gatwick this evening, so we arranged for a 3:15 taxi. We spent a good portion of our morning walking, sightseeing and visiting the National Portrait Gallery with Mom. It was lovely. And yet, as we strolled through one of the parks along the Thames, full of pigeons and workmen in the coveralls and hard hats sitting in the sun eating lunch, I was suddenly and harshly disillusioned. Who in the world says English policemen don't carry guns? Maybe they don't carry handguns, but they sure as heck carry machine guns!!!
Back to the taxi... We were packed ready and departed on time. The Kid and I both fell asleep and when we arrived at Gatwick, after a quoted half hour drive, it was nearly 5:00! We rushed inside, discovered we were in the wrong terminal, caught the bus to the right one and then found ourselves at the end of a tremendously long line. (The bus was stopped en route by a police inspection team on the road - we weren't searched or anything, but the multitude of officers were spread out with cars blocking the street, creating a bit of an obstacle course - and they were each armed with machine guns, too.)
As we made our way round and round the colored tape of the EasyJet queue I spotted a slew of policemen walking backwards through the line. There were maybe 8, maybe more, and they were all carrying machine guns too. All but one - he had the dog's lead. We were all ordered to place our hand-luggage on the ground next to our check-in luggage and step aside to let the drug dog do his job. The Kid was a bit worried that the dog would stop at her bag as she had food inside it - and I tried telling her the dog was highly trained and wouldn't do anything to the food... when the dog showed up he was more interested in the people and playing than the food so she had a bit of a laugh over the "highly trained" drug dog.
Meanwhile - there was an EasyJet rep calling for people on various flights. Right before the drug dog got to us I thought I heard him call for Prague. I was torn as I really wanted to get in to the right line - our departure time and the end of the check-in time were both rapidly approaching, but I didn't want to bolt the line as the drug inspectors approached - thought that would look too suspicious. So, after the doggie went on his way I tracked down the rep, and yes, he moved us to to a shorter, much much shorter line - even in this much shorter line - 4 people in front of us - we only had 8 minutes left when we got to the counter before they closed the check-in period for our flight.
We managed, made it through security, found our gate and got on our plane.
Our rather uneventful flight was quite nice - a bit of turbulence, a disorganized couple who boarded late and then asked everyone to rearrange their seats so they could sit together (EasyJet is like SouthWest - no assigned seating). A decent cheese pizza and lots of hangman. It really wasn't the flight that had been my concern for the day - it was knowing that we were going to have to face immigration.
The Kid's visa expired while we were gone. She is entitled to 90 days in the Schengen Zone - however, someone explained to me rather recently that the laws had changed and it's no longer a matter of passing over to a non-Schengen area, such as England, and then passing back in, that people with visas that expire are required to remain outside of Schengen for 90 days before they can start their 90 days (you are entitled to 90 days out of every 180, 90 in and 90 out.) She has only been out for one full day, this being the second of June and her visa expiring May 31st. I had prepared copies of her visa application, her school documentation, our lease, her tickets back to the US - everything I could think of should there be a problem at immigration... This is what happened:
She said "Dobry vecer." I believe he responded in kind. He scanned her passport, looked at her photo, skipped to an empty spot, stamped it, handed it back and they each said goodbye. Then it was my turn. I hadn't heard any of their conversation, she told me later, and had been so nervous I forgot to greet him - he scanned my passport, looked at my photo, skipped to an empty spot, handed it back and we each said goodbye. (I can say it, but I can't spell goodbye in Czech.)
We then walked down the airport to collect our luggage, then out and through the sliding doors to the street.
No questions, no landing cards, no "what is your purpose?" or "where are you staying?", no chance to declare any goods, no one to ask questions of, no nothing.
And now, at midnight, she is sound asleep in her bed, safely tucked away, back home in her (temporarily) adopted country. And knowing that, I can go to bed, rest and relax. We will still have to satisfy the Czech government all over again in order to get her visa, but we can do that... we've done it before, we can do it again. For now - for the next few weeks, things are as right as they can be. I'm happy, tired, grateful for my Mom, my kid, and the rest of my family, warmed by the London sun (honestly now - of those of you who've been to London, how many can say that???), and actually looking forward to work tomorrow. This week has been so full I can't say it was relaxing like a week on a beach, but the experiences and the company were more than most people can hope for. Rejuvenating would be a good work. Inspiring would be another. Gratitude invoking also works if you're willing to allow me more than just one word. And now - I'm off to sleep.
Peace out.
__________
No wait!!! I forgot about the disorganized couple! We took the bus to Dejvicka to catch the metro home... Our suitcase (she is a champ!) weighed 23 kilos - she insisted on doing it herself. A kind man helped her on the bus and she handled the rest. When we got to Dejvicka, the same couple that had everyone rearrange their seats broke the escalator. It was kinda of funny, and at the same time I was really grateful not to be their travel companions - if this is how the started their vacation off - last ones on the plane, holding up departure, forcing new seats, breaking the escalator - I would like to be a fly on the wall to see how it ends up!
As for us - she carried our huge suitcase up the stairs to our flat (3rd floor European, 4th floor American style... not counting the stairs to get in to the building proper). That girl rocks!
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