The longest day from hell

 

Sorry for the language, but it's the only way I can best describe this day. Lets see...up at 3 am to travel to the Faro airport - a 30 min drive. Then a flight from Faro to Lisbon for 1 hour. Then the 27 hour nightmarish travel time home. We arrived 3 hours early and I thought that was plenty of time. We all went to check in on the kiosk. Nope, the kiosk wouldnt take any of our info and 3 workers had to check all 42 of us in, checkin our passports and addresses and IDs. That took an hour. Then we Had to get through security. That took an hour. Then we had to walk through this huge mall in the middle of the airport looking for the passport check! That took another hour and by the time we got to our gate, we barely had time to buy a sandwich and board. I'll forever be grateful for these yellow shirts and for these women who got me through this day.

There was one moment I was beginning to panic, because time was so tight no one was staying together and we were all spread out trying to get to all the places. I didn't speak the language and there weren't signs like there are in other airports. I went from place to place frantically looking for yellow shirts and feeling so much relief when I found one! 

Kelsie, the mom in the middle, was such a God send to me when I was about to have a panic attack. She saw me walking around and grabbed my arm and pulled me into the passport check line with her. I maybe wouldn't have made the flight if she didn't see me. She's flown international several times and seemed calm and collected. I was so grateful for her and her calm nature several times over the trip! 

 

Once through the gate, it was down an elevator to a long line to a shuttle. Once on, a 15 minute shuttle ride to board the plane outdoors! I've never done this! Wow, 3.5 hours to get from point a to point b. Ridiculous! Kid were dropping like flies once we boarded. 

These fearless leaders were incredible and worked well together and communicated well and were super helpful. They were so exhausted that last day! But I'm so glad for them!

We flew 7 hours to Philly where we had a 6 hour layover. 

One last group shot before we boarded in Philly .

As not fun as it was the kids kept their spirits high by eating junk food and playing games, on the floor....ewwwww. A dirty airport floor. But at this moment I didn't even care and laid down right beside them. Many of the adults napped on the floor. 

Once we boarded we had a 5 hour flight, i think, to Utah. On to home! 

Nope. 

Our plane was delayed 2 HOURS on the tarmac. Something about a tornado warning, paper work and I thought they said freezing ice...I'm not really sure, everyone heard something different. 
As we boarded there was a belligerant passenger freaking out about how his seat mates didn't like him and he just wanted to get home and his daughter had tried to commit suicide....it went on and on. I was a little nervous what they would do with him, but luckily they ended up removing him from his flight. 

In Philly, 2 kids had luggage lost. So that also slowed things down. How do we travel 10 days in Portugal and when we get back to the STATES luggage is lost?! What the heck! 

Finally we were in the air, I slept on both flights and I was so glad I was able to. flying for long is NOT glamorous. We traveled for 27 hours and I was so so SO glad to be back on Utah ground and hug my family so tight. What an experience, I'm so thankful! But really, the USA is where it's at. I'm so proud to be an american! 

The jet lag from 27 hours of traveling is BRUTAL. I spent most of the next day sleeping. I was glad I could just rest the next day. Here are some trinkets and treasures I brought back.

A purple mister that was quite the hit among the kids on hot days, a bone shot cup, 3 jewelry holders for the girls, a cork fan. A bee and a flower pen for G&G Reed some candy, tile coasters, a trivet with tile, a spatula, deck of cards, an ornament, a few bracelets and my favorite....the sparrow. 

I saw them everywhere in Portugal and I didn't know why until we were told the symbolism. Sparrows build their nests and will go out and see and stop at a lot of places, but they will always return home to their same original nest each year. They symbolize family and coming back home. I loved that and I knew I'd have to find some to take home. Gladly, they survived the flights and luggage transfers and each person in the fam has a sparrow. 

I also go this dress and I love it! I feel so fancy and its so light and breezy. I loved all the dresses there! 

Welp, back to reality we go!