Italy: The Flight to Milan

I am so lucky that my husband doesn't travel much for work, but that when he does it is to some pretty exciting places.  This year he had a trip planned to Istanbul and Milan.  I would really have liked to see them both, but Italy was my first choice so plans were made for me to meet him in Milan after his work in Turkey was done.

You know how it is when you are using air miles - you don't get the best flights, you have long lay overs and get to take the route less traveled.  Well that really turned out to be the case on this trip.

From Portland to LA, then on to Paris via a little detour in Ireland before finally arriving in Milan.

Another passenger on the flight got very sick while we were over the ocean and an emergency stop had to be made in Charlotte, Ireland at some little podunk airport.  The country looked beautiful from the plane window.  I'll have to add it to my list of places to visit.

Luckily I was a smart traveler!  If I had been on the amazing race, you would have been cheering for team Keri.  Thinking ahead, I made the most of my four hour layover:  I exchanged a little money in LA for euros and then thought it might be wise to pick up a map of the Paris airport so I could find my connecting flight once I got there.  With the short stop over in Ireland, I missed my connecting flight in Paris. It was a huge benefit to have the map of the airport with me.  I was able to navigate my way to the ticket kiosks, transfer my ticket to a new flight, go through customs, change terminals and make it to my gate without any hindrances.  I was even able to help a few other people.  I survived the "boarding press" in Paris and was glad to be on my last leg of the flight to Milan.

Our hotel in Milan, The Atlantic Best Western

Once in Italy I made it through customs again, found the bus terminal, bought a ticket that would get me within blocks of my hotel and was so pleased to see my hubby waiting for me patiently at the bus stop.  He didn't look worried one bit about my delay.  Since I did not have international coverage on my cell phone I had no way to let him know what was going on.  At one point I found a wireless network in Paris and was able to send him a text - "took a detour to Ireland, had to find a new flight, will meet you in Milan about an hour late."

The adventure had begun!