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Friday, October 2, 2009

What would you do?

The other day I was given the choice between two very unpleasant options.

Option #1: Leave Cairo at 12:30 AM, get to New York at 6:15 AM, and then wait until 2:15 PM before catching a flight down to Raleigh.

Option #2: Leave Cairo at 4:30 AM, get to Frankfurt at 8 AM, leave at 11, get to DC at 2:30, leave at 4 and get to Raleigh at 5.

And I get to do this with two children by myself. So which particular slow death would you choose?

7 comments:

Jake and Rachelle said...

Not just two children, but being preggo on top of that. I would go with option #1. Looks like one less connection that way. Good luck. That stinks big time!

Brynn said...

I'd have to vote Option #2. Yes, it has more connections, but it doesn't have an EIGHT-HOUR layover in New York.

sarahflib said...

I would say option 1. Sure the forever-long layover stinks, but at least you can camp out in one spot, eat lunch, and walk around. Then you don't have to hassle one more time with waiting in line to board, settling in your seats, etc., not to mention scrambling around the airports instead of settling in for a while. Plus, leaving at 12:30 a.m. seems better than 4:30 a.m., because for you (I don't know about the kids) it's like staying up really late instead of getting up in the middle of the night, which I always find a lot easier.

Although, just knowing I could stop in Frankfurt would be so tempting. I could speak some German, eat at a yummy German bakery . . .

Lydia said...

Having done it at 34 weeks pregnant with 3 kids, I would take option #1. Only one layover. And when the kids are wanting to scream and run around, at least they're not doing it at 30,000 feet in a cramped metal tube. Kids get restless, take them to the bathroom to play with the automatic water faucet.

When you land in Frankfurt, there are at least 2 round of security to go through, one to get back into the airport ('cause they bus you from the plane to the terminal) then security again to get to your gate. Then once you're in the gate, where there aren't any bathrooms, if you leave the gate again, you have to turn over the boarding passes, etc. It's a pain. And all this before you get to the states where you have customs, bags to collect, then recheck and another round of security.

One airport, definitely. And besides, it's an AMERICAN airport. The Frankfurt airport is awful, nowhere to sit, I had to steal a cafe chair and the kids sat on the floor. It sucks big time.

Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1,Option 1

Mary Pugh said...

Isn't there a boat with a fancy suite you could stay in and sail directly to North Carolina?

The Olsen's said...

Option 1 all the way. Unhappy screaming kids in the airport is much better than unhappy screaming kids on airplane. Besides, you might be able to catch an earlier flight from New York to Raleigh if such thing exists. Besides by the time you get through customs and pick up your luggage and drop it off again...that will kill about two hours. I hate that about customs...

Unknown said...

I would beg my mom to fly out and help me! Or make James take time off to help. I have done that trip too many times by myself with one child. Two? I would go certifiably insane.