Hurricane Schmurricane!

Ok, resurfacing here! So, of course there was this big to-do about Hurricane Sandy. Many people would say, "What about your flight? Is it still on? I hope the hurricane doesn't mess up your plans...". I wasn't even going to think about it until departure day - way too much else to worry about with packing! And... nope, no problem! Made it here to London safe and sound! Thank goodness I opted to fly out of Boston and not New York. Logan airport, Tuesday night flight, totally fine. Immigration stamp in my passport: Halloween, 2012. Success. I was even told that next time, since my husband is European and I've got my EEA Family Permit now, I can use the EU immigration queue. Fabulous. Only minor drama was the $270 in excess/overweight baggage fees, but I was prepared for it. Packing my luggage I knew there was no hope of actually coming in under the weight limit for some of my suitcases. I'm too high maintenance with too much *stuff*. These dreamy stories of "I arrived in [blah blah] country with a suitcase and some cash, and that's it!" - not this gal! This also gave me no choice but to wear my top hat around the airport and onto the plane. Simply no hope of actually packing it. Another amusing highlight of check-in was sending my alien through the x-ray machine at airport security. The TSA agents got a real kick out of that.  

 

So, flight was just fine. Collected my luggage and tried to heap as much as I could on the rather small luggage cart. Right, I'm in Europe now, guess I'll have to get used to smaller versions of things that I'm familiar with. Like ovens. But that's another rant for another day. I manage to heap three suitcases on top of the luggage cart, pushing that along with one hand, and pushing the smallest suitcase strapped to the largest suitcase with the other hand, with an achingly heavy duffel bag over my shoulder, and awkwardly hobble my way towards the "nothing to declare" exit, trying to prevent the inertia of the rolling masses, barely under my control, from running people over. As I emerge through the door, into my new homeland, I see my Dear Hubby waiting for me, and he immediately laughs in astonishment and asks my sweaty (because of course I'm wearing as many bulky coats as possible, and my top hat) disheveled self what on earth I've brought with me. And also asks me if I seriously expect that all of this baggage will actually fit in my cute new little red Mini that he had waiting for me. "Probably not?...".  So we herd all of my luggage out to the parking garage and upon seeing my car, I burst into fits of giggles and cannot contain myself upon seeing what Dear Hubby has done to my car!

Finding a guy who will 1) do that for you and 2) be willing to be seen driving said car to the airport to pick you up... now that, my friends, is love! I haven't yet tried driving my new Hello Kitty Mobile. That will be the next challenge. Kind of intimidated, but I kind of have to learn! Oh, and yes, amazingly enough, my ungodly amount of oversized luggage really and truly did fit into this cute little vehicle. I am highly impressed.