We woke, packed our bags, ate breakfast, and was back at the terminal by 10:30 AM. When we checked in we were told that there were 5 other people signed up and that they were all categories above us...here we go again. The somewhat good news is that if we don't make this flight then we can drive the 3.5 hours to Dover, Delaware where there is a flight tonight and another one tomorrow into Germany, but lets take this one step at a time.
We went up to the waiting area and counted the 5 people that would be ahead of us and was feeling about 50 / 50 at this point. Then we heard more people coming up the stairs. A total of 8 people, two families, are now checked in. After talking to them we found out that they were active duty, so they will be ahead of us as well. That now makes 13 people ahead of us...our odds just dropped. As we watched the C-5 being loaded we were just hoping there would be seats for us.
About 30 minutes later the C-5 aircrew came up to the holding area. We asked if they were going to take passengers and they said they were and there was enough room for all of us. We all just wanted to give them a big hug, but resisted the urge and celebrated among us all. 20 minutes later our name was called and we went down to get our boarding pass:
We went up to the waiting area and counted the 5 people that would be ahead of us and was feeling about 50 / 50 at this point. Then we heard more people coming up the stairs. A total of 8 people, two families, are now checked in. After talking to them we found out that they were active duty, so they will be ahead of us as well. That now makes 13 people ahead of us...our odds just dropped. As we watched the C-5 being loaded we were just hoping there would be seats for us.
About 30 minutes later the C-5 aircrew came up to the holding area. We asked if they were going to take passengers and they said they were and there was enough room for all of us. We all just wanted to give them a big hug, but resisted the urge and celebrated among us all. 20 minutes later our name was called and we went down to get our boarding pass:
The low cost of flying space-a.
Notice the total cost in the bottom right corner. I can't believe we are about to fly to Italy for free...well, not totally free..it cost us 20 years each in the military. About 1 hour later we boarded the flight:
Our C-5 awaits.
We took a bus out to the plane and climbed the 5 stories or so stairs to the top deck where the passengers sit. The seats were old commercial-type seating, but faced backwards and there were only small round windows on the couple of doors up there. We made ourselves comfortable along with the other 13 others and a Navy unit going to Italy. It should be about 7 hours to Rota, Spain and then we continue to Sigonella, Italy 12 hours later.
6.5 hours later we touched down in Rota, Spain. It was now about 4:30 AM local time, 8:30 PM the day before to our bodies. We now had about 12 hours till be had to show up for the continuation to Italy. We walked around the base some waiting for sunrise. During this time some circumstances arose that I will not post here, but can discuss at a later time, that led us to decide to stay in Spain for a while instead of continuing to Italy.
It was now 6:30 AM and decided to wait for the rental car window to open at 8:00 AM (midnight to us). 1.5 hours later we talked to the rental car people and went to look at the one car they had available. It was small and would barely fit our bags in the trunk. They didn't have anything bigger and I thought the price was high compared to what I saw online.
We decided to then walk to the Starbucks to use the WIFI. I first found a local hotel to overcome jet lag in, and then researched rental cars. After going back and forth and having trouble making decisions due to being so tired, we returned to the terminal to rent the car...and then we didn't rent a car...I was so tired it was hard to think. We decided to just take a taxi to the hotel and figure our the rental car later.
It was noon (4 AM to us) when we arrived at the hotel. I thought we would be sitting in the lobby till at least 3:00 PM, but they allowed us into our room at 12:30 PM where we immediately went to sleep. After a few hours with Tim still sleeping I rented a car online that will be delivered right to our hotel for $120 less than the base rental car...cool deal. I woke Tim up, or was it the noise my stomach was making because I was so hungry.
We got up around 8 PM and found a local place to have beer, simple tapas, and little sandwiches.
6.5 hours later we touched down in Rota, Spain. It was now about 4:30 AM local time, 8:30 PM the day before to our bodies. We now had about 12 hours till be had to show up for the continuation to Italy. We walked around the base some waiting for sunrise. During this time some circumstances arose that I will not post here, but can discuss at a later time, that led us to decide to stay in Spain for a while instead of continuing to Italy.
It was now 6:30 AM and decided to wait for the rental car window to open at 8:00 AM (midnight to us). 1.5 hours later we talked to the rental car people and went to look at the one car they had available. It was small and would barely fit our bags in the trunk. They didn't have anything bigger and I thought the price was high compared to what I saw online.
We decided to then walk to the Starbucks to use the WIFI. I first found a local hotel to overcome jet lag in, and then researched rental cars. After going back and forth and having trouble making decisions due to being so tired, we returned to the terminal to rent the car...and then we didn't rent a car...I was so tired it was hard to think. We decided to just take a taxi to the hotel and figure our the rental car later.
It was noon (4 AM to us) when we arrived at the hotel. I thought we would be sitting in the lobby till at least 3:00 PM, but they allowed us into our room at 12:30 PM where we immediately went to sleep. After a few hours with Tim still sleeping I rented a car online that will be delivered right to our hotel for $120 less than the base rental car...cool deal. I woke Tim up, or was it the noise my stomach was making because I was so hungry.
We got up around 8 PM and found a local place to have beer, simple tapas, and little sandwiches.
Our first Spanish beer
Dinner, or what's left of it.
We returned to the hotel around 11 PM, watched some Big Bang Theory dubbed in Spanish along with too much CNN, CNBC, and BBC, the three English language channels. Our plan is to stay up as long as we can and hopefully wake before noon.
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