USA holiday 2023 the voyage home nightmare

 The holiday was over too soon. That last saturday I decided to just rest and lay on bed at Koen's aunt and uncle. We were going to leave for the airport after lunch and I was dreading the long journey. I never sleep on planes and I did not expect to sleep this time so any rest I could get now would help.

Boarding in Philadelphia was smooth and we were lucky this time. The plane was nearly sold out but we had an empty chair in between. We had eaten something at the airport. It was not very big so it was hard to find something that was not absolutely crowded.

If I was the airline I would do things differently on a flight like this. It is only a 7 hour flight to London. and it took nearly two hours before they served us a meal. So by the time that was finished it was nearly 3 hours into the journey and very little time go get some sleep. I don't think many people managed it. An hour before landing they wake you up already. I would not serve a full meal, because I know the staff can't do it faster on a busy flight. I would just do a light snack quickly and then let people sleep. Easier for the staff as well. I don't envy them their job.

We arrived in London Heathrow pretty tired. And now we had to travel on the tube to St Pancras. And this was were troubles really started.

The tube line we needed was out not running. So we had to divert to trains. I think there we two different trains and we took the wrong one. More expensive but at least it did not take long. Only it took us to Paddington and not straight to St Pancras as I had planned. Navigating the old tube system with heavy luggage is not fun. Especially not if you are sooooo tired.

We got there though. I have taken the eurostar from st Pancras many times an never ever have I seen the station this crowded. We sat down for some breakfast and the staff there said they had never seen it like this either. Later I heard from a Belgian couple in the queue that they had booked a saturday train but that got cancelled. So they had booked people on the Sunday trains and they were all packed. Koen wasn't feeling too well and we were both really tired.

After breakfast we had a bit of energy left and we braved the queues. When Koen had just gone through and I was next the computer systems at the check-in gates crashed. Delays until they finally decided to do it by hand writing down all the passenger numbers. And then I had to go through baggage check in lifting my suitcase on my own. They promised help if you needed it but that seemed to be a no go. Needless to say I was very very glad when I got through this process and could wait in the very crowded waiting area for the train.

The trainjourney itself went very smooth. It is amazing how fast you are in Brussels. I had to change there for the train to normally Rotterdam. I already knew they would be working on the tracks near Rotterdam and that journey was impossible for me. It meant changing at a station without escalators and lifts and going on the metro as well. So I decided to get the train to Utrecht in Breda. It meant chaning in den Bosch. All well and good I just made it onto a train to Den Bosch but we stopped at the first station of Gilze Rijen and we were all told to get out of the train as there was smoke visible. Of course we all did. A little later a train rolled in from the other side but that one did not leave anymore either. Turned out there was a default in the bovenleiding and we were stranded. By now had been travelling for 24 hours and had been awake for longer and I was desperate. Going back to Breda would not help me as I could not travel through Rotterdam. In a panic I put a message on Facebook asking if anybody knew anybody near Gilze Rijen who could at least bring me to Den Bosch. I felt so lucky when a friend from Gouda responded that she was going to come and pick me up. 

Got home hours later than planned dead tired but overall very happy with a great holiday.