Heading Home and Back to Reality

Hello all,

Well, the end of the trip finally came, as much as we didn't want it to. The end was certainly eventful. We had heard about the air traffic controllers' striking in France, so we were a little concerned about our layover in Paris. Little did we know, that was not what we should have been worried about. After some trouble checking in for our flight online, Dan and I decided to head to the airport early, just in case. This turned out to be good instincts.

Apparently, when our flight out of Boston (to get to Rome) was cancelled and we were put on a different airline, Continental accidentally cancelled our entire reservation, including our return flights to the US. Here we were, stuck in Italy, with no cell phones or internet. We were originally supposed to be flying AirFrance, which had an alliance with Continental when we booked our flights. However, that alliance no longer exists, so AirFrance wasn't willing to help us find new flights. After insisting that they help us, they finally called the Continental Star Alliance representative and let me speak with them. She was able to get us booked on new flights, with a different airline, Lufthansa, which had us rerouting to Frankfurt and then heading to Boston from there. To make up for the trouble, she also booked us business class seats on the long flight from Frankfurt to Boston, which meant we enjoyed an amazing flying experience! Here are some pictures from our Business Class adventure:

Dan sitting in his special seat. These seats were ridiculous. It's like every passenger has their own cocoon.

I think they give you enough leg room in these seats...what do you think? lol

We were treated to a 3-course meal of our choice. Dan had "Red Mullet Terrine with Vegetables and Olive Sauce" for his first course (picture below); "Lamb Stew with Bell Peppers and creamy Polenta" for his entree; and "Duet of white and dark Chocolate with Strawberry Sauce" for his dessert.

I had "Summer Lettuce with Belle Pepper Ragout, Olives and grilled Zucchini presented with Herb Dressing" for my first course (picture below); "Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagne with Sun dried Tomatoes" for my entree; and the same chocolate dessert as Dan.

During the flight, attendants were constantly coming around offering us drinks, ranging from Champagne and wine to coffee and tea.

The seats can lay completely flat for comfortable sleeping positions. They also give you nice pillows and blankets.

Then, we were finally home in our own apartment. Sammy was really happy to see us as you can tell by the picture.

Overall, this trip was one of the most amazing experiences. Dan and I were able to see so many great places and enjoy so many different adventures. Thank you again to everyone who helped us plan, finance, and prepare for the trip as well as to those who took care of Sammy for us. We appreciate all of your help and suggestions.

We will be suspending the blog posts until our next traveling excursion, so until then...

Yours truly,

Dan and Kari