Now..... We REALLY Made It!!!

The first post was just us trying to figure out how to make the computer show us English!!! Now that it is in English instead of Hungarian things are MUCH easier.

So.... Our friend Susan kindly trucked us to the airport yesterday (Thursday). We promptly checked in and found our way to the gate. Our flight to Miami was perfect. We had about 5 hours to kill so we went through security and found some Cuban fare. We made our way back to the gate with a couple of hours to spare, the GIANT 747 arrived, people gawked and took pictures, the flight crew arrived and went to the plane. Everything was going along as expected and then the "fun" began. We were to leave at 5:40 pm then a delay.... and another delay.... a few phone calls and a meal voucher later (7:30 pm) we were told we would board at 9:00 pm. That actually happened... yay! We proceed to board the plane happy as 2 little clams when, halfway down the jetway we realize that we are missing a neck pillow.... vital to trans-atlantic travel. I (Sarah) board the plane and Mark goes back to get the crucial pillow that had been rescued by a fellow stranded traveler we had befriended. Mark comes to meet me at our seats only to find out that I cannot figure out the crazy numbering system and have moved in to the wrong row. We shuffle our belongings to the appropriate place and Mark says "did you put my passport away?" Well I hadn't.... we go in to total defcon 5 panic mode searching for his passport which HAD to be on the plane since we had to show it upon boarding. After several LONG minutes of searching a flight attendant pages "Monsieur Lemieux"... his passport had been found by a kind-hearted fellow passenger and thus our adventure rescued!!! Mark hugged the flight attendant whose response was "ahhh.. okay" with a smile and a lovely French accent. We settle in and prepare to take off by now it is about 10:00pm. The plane is actually moving... thank goodness! Then... the lights flicker. Apparently, something else needs to be fixed.... it'll take "5 minutes". We return to the gate. Twenty minutes later we are told to take our seats we are a go for lift off. About this time some crazy people decide NOW they don't want to be on this flight anymore. Seriously, what the heck?!?!?! After 4 hours of crap now they're uncomfortable flying on this plane? There is some arguing with several flight attendants and the pilot. The Miami police board the plane, 3 of them. They "kindly" escorted 3 no longer fellow passengers off the aircraft. We have proof---Mark took some pictures with his phone... did anyone see us on the news? Finally, almost 2 hours later (12:00 am) we taxi to the runway and take off!!!

We make it to Paris and we have obviously missed our flight... by 6 hours. It is 2:45 pm (Paris time) there is a flight (pardon the interruption, but while typing this blog our executive lounge hostess just forced us into *another* shot of Palinka. Abresheygadra---cheers!) at 3:30 pm. We are told it is not possible for us to make it. The ticket agent will re-book us on Mal-something Hungarian airline at 6:50 pm but, first we have to go upstairs and get a paper ticket instead of an e-ticket. We head upstairs, heartbroken at the late departure. We get to the second counter (3:05 pm) the agent up there tells us we are booked on the 3:35 pm flight.... we think as a result of Mark calling Delta while the nice people were getting kicked (aka: escorted) off the plane. The gate is actually within our sights. All we had to do is make it through security... and we did!!! At 5:35 pm... finally... wheels touched down in BudaPest quite smoothly after a lovely flight over the snow-capped Alps!!!

We are so excited to be here. Our hotel looks out over... (pardon once more, but another offer for more Palinka!--this Hilton girl is CRAZY!!!) the Danube with Parliament on the opposite bank and just below our window the Fisherman's Bastion. Really... The view couldn't be better!
So anyway, we are here safe and sound (that's for you Linda!). Tomorrow we are excited for the arrival of Jessica and Andrew who are due to arrive about 7:00 am (early after all the Palinka!). So far our limited exposure to BudaPest has been positive. Heck, the cabbie didn't screw us out of extra Forints and did we mention Jolina, our Hilton hostess, keeps offering us free shots of Palinka?.... We hope the next couple days in BudaPest are as lovely as our start (perhaps with a bit less drama).