So let me back up and start from when I received my airplane itinerary Sunday morning. We were leaving Wednesday! From that point on I had next to no time for anything but packing, so apologies for no posts between than and leaving. We flew Air France out at 4:15, arriving in Paris Thursday morning at 0835. Kellan was a straight CHAMPION at traveling, being patient, following my instructions and just generally hanging in there. I can't say I had any major issues concerning him, except that maybe he wouldn't sleep until about the last five hours of our about 9 hour first leg. We had three seats, so I let him stretch out on two and so being as terribly uncomfortable as I was, I maybe got a total of 2 hours of sleep.
Let me say Air France was awesome and I look forward to flying them again for Christmas. I had so much excess luggage and overweight bags, the representative cut me a deal and only charged me $500. Still pretty painful!!! On flight, their movie/TV/games selection was awesome. Kellan watched Monsters University and I attempted to watch We're the Millers, but I was soooo tired and on my anti-anxiety medicine which worked beautifully but made me slightly too drowsy to really concentrate on a movie! No fear at all! Triumph! (Side shout out to Dr. S who told me all would be well. You were, as usual, right;)
Dinner was awesome. Kel got baked Mac N Cheese topped with sliced chicken breast, apple sauce and juice. My dinner was chicken fricassee with mashed potatoes, a salad, Granny Smith apple sauce with a mini baguette and some Brie. Dessert was chocolate banana cake which I let Kel have. Oh, and the complimentary champagne was nice too!!!
We arrived in Paris, with a little over two hours until our next flight out. The part of the airport we walked through was beautiful, with the shops all tantalizingly displaying the best of France; perfumes, wines, candy, chocolates, handbags, jewelry, and even macaroons in several different colors. It was so tempting but there was no time to stop and no money to shop thanks to all my excess luggage!
It was at this leg in my flight I put my headscarf on. I didn't have to wear it as a westerner, but I felt it was respectful in light of all the Muslims waiting to board the flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
This flight was about 6 hours, leaving at 1115 and arriving 7:00 in the evening. The flight attendants were all lovely and accommodating. There were so many open seats on the plane an attendant approached us and asked if we wanted to move from our two seats against the window to an entire row of four seats in the center! Kel took two, I took two and we both probably got another three hours or more of much needed sleep! Before we slept, they served a late lunch: Mediterranean Chicken with green olives over white rice, a green salad, a lemony cous cous salad with bay shrimp, a roll and something else but I was working in a sleep deficit fog by this time so I don't remember. The food
was delicious!
They also gave Kel a Monster's Inc. backpack filled with a monster sleep mask crayons, activity book, stickers etc. I got a refreshing facial wipe, sleep mask and a pair of socks; I was a happy camper. We both got pillows, blankets and headphones on both flights, as well as various other snacks.
With 20 minutes to our decent, I made the transition to our new life pulling my abaya out of my carry on and throwing it on over my clothes. I felt no different and even felt a small sense of belonging, of kinship with the women around me. In the airport, there was a very tall, very blond women calling attention to herself by waving to and trying to shout to her husband in the men's security line. I realized how much she stuck out, how almost obscene it was how she was calling attention to herself, and realized in a second that Saudi women would never be that loud and brazen. Standing off to the side waiting for Steven, in my abaya and headscarf, I felt smug that I was at least, making an effort to be respectful and "fit in." I was concerned how Kellan would react to the more devout worshipers who even cover their eyes with a black veil, but after an initial "What's that?!", while pointing at a woman less than a foot from her face (on board the plane) he quickly accepted it and hasn't mentioned it since. The woman by the way burst out laughing and though I couldn't see her expression, I gave her a shrug and a grateful smile for her good humor.
Security is very different than elsewhere. There are men and women-specific lines. In the women's
line you wind through a series of rooms and curtains where eventually a female screener uses a wand
up your front and back, all away from the prying eyes of men. After going through the passport control line, (having my picture taken and giving a set of fingerprints (standard for all except children) I was through the first hurdle and it was time to head to customs. The dreaded customs...I'd heard so many horror stories about how strict and thorough the Saudis were, and I was nervous to say the least! I took a deep breath, hoisted up all my baggage onto the conveyor belt and waited--for thirty seconds! They passed throughout the screening area and out the other end and that was it! No hassles, no personal checks! And it was at that exact moment I heard, "You need any help?"
To be continued..........
Wow its like reading a novel. I'm excited for y'all to experience this different culture and finally reunite your family. UTA just wasn't the same without you and neither will tomorrows Christmas party. Glad you and Kel made it ok and miss you already. Have a great Holidays and send me something from Paris. Gonzales Family
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