HOME 3/4 Mar - Thursday/Friday

NO PICTURES AND A WHINGE.

Leaving a hot Los Angeles at 72°F (22°C) today. 

Whilst booked out of our hotel, we were asked if we had a good stay. I yes, except we were not impressed with the tour of LA that their concierge had booked us on, and that fact that the concierge had not told us that there were wheelchair available at the hotel (a fact we only discovered today). He had told us that we could hire them from a local firm for $100 per day. She therefore offered us a $60 credit to use in their restaurant, which we accepted, the four of us then enjoyed brunch in their restaurant.

We drove to LA International Airport without the aid of a Satnav. Which made the drive interesting; we only went the wrong way half a dozen times. But we got there in one peice. I dropped everyone off at LA T2, then took the car back to Alimo Car Rental, while I was on the shuttle bus back to LA International, Dorothy rang to say our flight will be leaving from Tom Bradshaw Terminal, so I got dropped off there.

We got Pat into a wheelchair, and then went on to Check In. The guy who was checking us in, weighed Liz's case and put it behind him while he weighed Pat's and mine. While he was printing the lables for the cases, someone moved Liz's case (which had no label on it) and were unable to find it. He suggested we waited until someone came to take Pat to the gate. They eventually located Liz's case and we went to the boarding gate.

Again Pat, Liz and I had premier economy seats, which are quite spacious. With Dorothy booking late, there was only availability in economy. Our 10hr flight to Heathrow took off late, at around 17:00hrs. As I was not able to sleep, I watch 4 of 5 movies. We got into Heathrow T2 around 11:00hrs, there was assistance for Pat, which was a bit disjointed, but we eventually collected our cases. That was the end of co-ordinated assistance for Pat.

In the baggage hall, we were told someone would pick Pat up and take her to T5 for our return flight to Manchester. I asked 3 different airport staff how to get a wheelchair for Pat and was given 3 different options, none of which worked. Another suggested speaking into the information request pole, which I did and was told someone would come along with a wheelchair. I reminded them 10 mins later and was told the same. Eventually a guy turned up, buy said he did not realise that a wheelchair was required; he went of to get one. 10 mins later he returned with a wheelchair and took Pat to the assistance centre and ordered a minibus to take us to T5. It's now after 13:00hrs and our flight is 15:15hrs.

After over an hour of badgering the mini bus turned up and took us all to T5, we rushed to British Airways Check In about 14:30hrs. The girl at Check In said she would book us in straight away, Pat, Liz and I booked our cases in and got our boarding cards. Dorothy was then told that the flight was now full and there was no room for her. If she had Checked In online she would have been OK, but as she did not have access to her emails, so that was impossible. The Check In girl made several telephone calls, and then told Dorothy that she would give her a boarding card with no seat number on it. If Dorothy speaks to the people on the gate, there could be a seat for her.

Then we went of through the security scanner. Two of Pat's backs are pulled out for a physical check. Dorothy and Liz took Pat to the gate, while I wait in queue for Pat's bags to be physically checked. The two girls in front of me took a while to be checked, then I threw the bottle of water away from Pat's bag and her small bottles of bits had to be put in a plastic bag. I then joined the rest of the gang at the gate (Dorothy was allocated a seat at the gate - phew), we were then told our flight was delayed by 30mins. Our departure was actually delay by an hour, then when we landed in Manchester we sat on the tarmac for over half an hour, while we waited for a stand to become available. Apparently the early morning snow had delayed all the flights.

It was 6°C when we landed at Heathrow and below freezing during our first night at home.

This last blog is a bit of a whinge. I think that's because I'm jet lagged and it's the end of a great adventure. 

PS. Our central heating boiler was broken when we got home. Welcome back to reality.