And an even longer way back.

August 3, 2009
0800-Always the procrastinator, I began to pack my bags. Spices, clothes, books, and of course a float with “cup” holders (an essential item for long weekends resting on the islands).

0900 Tearful goodbyes curbside at the Nashville airport. It’s never easy to leave my family.

I believe I do qualify for the Expert Traveler Lane, thank you very much.

1025 Surrounded by our honored Men of Service, Delta announced the cancelled flight. Smoke and engine in the same sentence is never a good combination. I was put on standby for the next flight to Atlanta and my international connections bumped someone out of their seat.

1430 Arrived in Atlanta 25 minutes after my flight to Tokyo departed. I missed the connection and all my other international connections had to be changed. This must happen frequently with Delta Airlines, because all of us (and we came in masses) were sent to self-service stations. We scanned our boarding passes and our new itineraries were printed. The machine spit out one $7 food coupon, a hotel voucher for Nashville, and a boarding pass to Minneapolis 6 hours later. My itinerary scheduled me to depart from Minneapolis the next afternoon and resume the same flight times to Tokyo and Hong Kong only a day behind. How was I going to tell this ‘machine’ that this was not going to work? I had additional international flights beyond Hong Kong. The flights out of HKG to PNG run once per week and I had scheduled myself a day in Hong Kong to insure I made the flight (and I wanted to buy a camera). Arriving a day later would only give me 25 minutes to exit the plane, go through customs, the rigorous health check, baggage claim, find my gate in the expanse of Hong Kong’s International Airport, and check-in with Air Niugini. “Excuse me Machine, isn’t there another way to make these international connections? And if I am to stay the night in Minneapolis, why is my hotel voucher for Nashville? And if I am expected to delay an entire day, how could I manage to buy 3 meals with $7!”

Finding a Human wasn’t much help either. The Delta Rep hastily directed the masses to a station filled with phones. As time crept by without any sign that a Human voice would be heard on the other end of the line, the masses grew in hostility. I followed the example of those who had abandoned their stations and insisted immediate assistance from the Reps behind the counter. Finally, a Human. An annoyed, over worked, underpaid, self-righteous, American Human. She did not know about International flights. I was in the wrong line, before the wrong counter, and obviously talking to the wrong Human. My work in developing countries has helped me to practice my skills in patience and flexibility, but I was not in a developing country. I was in the United States of America. Surely, in this land of Leaders, someone could manage to sort matters such as these efficiently.

Guess not. Delta counter. International Terminal. Tired, stressed faces from across the Globe stood in line. As I stood and watched our visitors’ frustrated faces, I could not help but to be embarrassed. Of American inefficiencies. The rude tones of the Reps. I soon shared their frustrations. There were no other flights to Tokyo or any other Asian Pacific destination that would put me in Hong Kong in time to make my connection to PNG. No, Delta would not compensate me for my missed connecting flights with Air Niugini. No, they would not upgrade my seats (stomping my American foot again). Whose great idea was it to fly to Minneapolis when the same flight can be made out of Atlanta? The Machine? In the end, I left with an Atlanta hotel voucher and three $7 meal tickets in my hand. Such a crap deal. I headed straight for the bar to join the masses!

August 4, 2009
1230 Hotel-Airport shuttle dropped me at the terminal. More self-service machines. More Reps directing me to phones. Too hung over to fight to speak with anyone. To no surprise my machine could not print my boarding pass. More long lines. Baggage claim tickets, but no sight of my baggage.

1420 Delta Flight Atlanta to Tokyo 13.5 hours. Distance: 7504 miles.

I sat next to a child who had just visited the Coca-Cola museum. Needless to say he wanted lots and lots of Coke. Coke = caffeine. Caffeine = high energy child = no sleep for me. This also meant lots of trips to the bathroom and I wasn’t willing to give up my aisle seat. In and out. Out and in. And on top of all that, with the rebooking of my flights, the Machine or the Human failed to transfer my vegetarian meal request. So I was hung over, hungry, annoyed by Coca-cola boy, had no idea where my baggage was or if I was going to make my connection. Nice.

0500? 1700? (Day or night, I didn’t bother to ask). Tokyo to Hong Kong 4.5 hours.
Would I be able to make the connection to Port Moresby in 25 minutes? The next available flight would be next week, could I possible stay in Hong Kong? Who would pay for my hotel? The Delta Rep made it clear they would not compensate my missed connections. VSO? A week holiday in Hong Kong!!! I would be willing to pay. Maybe VSO would prefer I make another connection, maybe out of Singapore or Australia? It would be nice however to have an unexpected holiday in Hong Kong.

The flight left Tokyo a bit early “to avoid Hong Kong weather,” and arrived 45 minutes before my connecting flight to PNG. At the arrival gate I was met by a young Cathay Pacific Rep holding a sign with my name. “Follow me!” he yelled. We took off with a sprint. Guess we were going to make a run for it after all.

We ran up and down escalators, through Staff Only doors, down empty corridors. We made it to the Cathay Pacific counter. “Ms. Ramsey, are you willing to make this connection without your baggage?” I feel as if I have heard this in a previous life. “We have only located one of your bags and there isn’t enough time to transfer it.” The young guy looked at this watch. A decision must be made soon; I could tell we had more running ahead of us. It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. “Yes, I will board the flight.” No week in Hong Kong. No camera. No duty free. No chance to wash my face or brush my teeth.

Boarding pass in hand, we took off again at a dead sprint. We ran through all the red tape. No customs. No masks or gloves. No health checks. We went through personnel security. No long lines just a pounding heart and a sweaty brow. When we arrived at the gate it was empty; all passengers were boarded. The young guy turned to me and asked, “What about your baggage?” Oh my goodness! What? I thought we had that taken care of at the first counter! Here we go again. By this point I was completely done. I no longer had the energy to deal with airlines, baggage claims, airline representatives typing away on their computers. The Cathay Pacific Rep told me to make a lost baggage claim once I arrived in Papua New Guinea. Yeah right I thought. After giving them the best smile I could manage and pushing a few words around, all three Reps flipped open their mobile phones. I was given a lost claim number and guarantees that once my bags were located they would put them on the next flight to Australia to make a connecting flight to PNG within the week.

Air Niugini Flight PX 110 Hong Kong to Port Moresby 8 Hours.
I looked out my window and realized I wasn’t the only one in the middle of a storm. Supposedly the flight was leaving a bit late because of typhoon warnings! The plane was filled with missionaries and their football team of screaming children, Chinese nickel mine workers and international development workers.

Air Niugini Flight PX 115 Port Moresby to Madang 1 Hour.
I literally never want to board another plane in my life! And I will not need reminding to only pack a carry on!

Back in Madang! Shower, lunch at The Lodge and a nap! Welcome back to Paradise!