Back to the Ould Sod: Lowell to Dublin via London

Getting a snow day off from school was convenient for our departure from Lowell and allowing me to ease into the day and get my mind right.  We left extra early and the roads were a mess.  It took us two and a half hours or get to Logan airport from downtown Lowell.  When we finally got there we had a good 5+ hours to kill in terminal E.  I people watched and had a delicious prime rib French Dip at Durgin Park for dinner.

Airports are fun place to pickup the vibes.  There's a latent excitement because people don't seem to mind waiting for hours.  I certainly didn't.  Most other places people are furious when they have to wait.  But as soon as the status quo is disrupted people are ready to draw their fangs.  I saw a lady bump into a man standing idly and there was a crash and a brief instant of animosity.  This aggression also manifests itself in line for boarding as people inch aggressively in fear of getting locked out of overhead compartments and armrest claims.  

It was the slowest boarding I've ever been a part of and when I boarded the plane I was impressed by the size of the aircraft.  I hadn't flown internationally since 2005, so perhaps I had become accustomed to smaller aircraft.  I passed a section of seats that reminded em of 'the couples' toilet' I had seen on a Saturday Night Live.  It was a toilet where couples could sit side-by-side, face-to-face and hold hands and stare into each others' eyes as they shitted together.  Despite that image I would have preferred for sit there and have space to exhale. 

Our group was scattered throughout the back of the plane - 4 chaperones, 22 students.  I sat next to a couple of nice kids.  I had the window seat and I informed them how I had consumed an excessive amount of water in the airport.  We laughed, but soon they'd probably be concocting ways to poison my dinner.  However, the plane is so damn hot and packed that I might sweat it out.  The flight attendant hassled me about putting my backpack all the way under the seat in front.  The plane was about to split open, but we have to follow procedures.  I gave my bag a couple of kicks and she was eventually satisfied.  

As we took off into the storm and disappeared into the raging winds and cloudy, dark night there seemed to be a nervousness simmering in the cabin.  U2's One played from my Irish Hit Parade list and as Bono sang I did feel like we were one, and carrying each other.  I'm never afraid so I'm sure the other passengers appreciated the strength that I was transmitting.  It was the bumpiest takeoff and climb I can remember.  Then The Wolfe Tones version of You'll Never Beat the Irish played and I was certain we'd be ok.  But, then again, we were flying British Airways and stopping over in London first so I didn't want the storm mistaking us for a bunch of tea-drinking British snowflakes.  Within thirty American minutes the cabin reeked of vomit.  The flight attendants struggled desperately to distribute beverages.  

The flight was long and cramped.  I watched Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity as we soared at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean going 583 mph with an air temperature of -72 degrees, so it was the closest I could conceivably get to feeling like they did in the movie.  I enjoyed it mainly because of how terrifying it made outer space seem.

Finally landed in London-Heathrow and I really am not yet prepared to relive the experience we had there.  I'll just say this -  Heathrow is the worst airport in the world.  Heathrow essentially terrorized us and we eventually boarded for a short trip to Dublin.  This short flight would turn out to be, as Tommy said, one of the three worst flights ever.  It was filled with huge drops and swings and everyone agreed that it was brutal.  I was nervous that I was going to throw up on one of the lovely girls sitting on either side of me.  It shook some people up.  It was miserable.  Once we landed in Dublin and deplaned I was gassed.  One kid's bag didn't show up at the baggage claim.

After checking in at the hotel we went to Dublin's city center and did a short driving and walking tour before dinner.  We walked down Grafton st and went to our arranged dinner at Thunder Road Cafe where they served us bangers and mash.  Some people seemed skeptical of Irish cuisine, but I think generally it was better than expected.  I love bangers and mash so I was in my glory.

Whenever we got on our "coach" people were dozing off, including me.  It was a long, hard day and people are very tired, I know I'm exhausted.  Despite the travel obstacles I've had a great time so far and we have a long way to go, so after a good sleep we'll be rejuvenated and ready to get back at it.

Cheers!

Grafton st

Bangers and mash

Tommy and I are basically sleeping together