So here I am sitting in our Condo in Lake Buena Vista Florida, into my second week of a 5 week epic.
For anyone every contemplating taking your loved one's ashes abroad to be laid to rest be aware of the Jobsworth piece of inhuanity I had to deal with at Manchester airport. I had been meticulous in gaining all the correct paperwork, carrying Mick's ashes in a purpose built bio degradble cardboard tube, packing them along with the paperwork into a carry on bag that meets all airlines specifications. So what could possibly go wrong? At check in the lovely lady from Vorgin gave me a spcial security pass to fast track through a massive queue for security. She also told me to gain the attention of one of the security staff ahead of the scanners to explain what I was carrying so that they could deal with me appropriately.
I did just that and spent the next 10 minutes trying to explain to a young head phone toting gum chewing chap who had limited command of the English language to start with. I tried to explain what was in my bag but he just told me to stop stressing and whacked the whole thing into the scanner and proceeded to shoo me to go through the dreaded x ray tube myself, now no laughing at this point please....the underwiring in my bra set the scanners off (at least that was what the lady said as she frisked me and waved her weirdy wand thing over me) so I move along to hopefully be reunited with my handbag and carry on bag AKA Mick. Neither item was at the collection point so a mild panic started to set in as you might imagine. Finally another less young and thankfully not gum chewing chap looks my way and summonses me to the end of the collection point where my handbag sits untouched but my carry on bag has been virtually dismantled. "What is this" he says pointing at the tube .. my Husband's ashes and I have the necessary paperwork right here I reply .. why didn't you report these before screening he challenges, well actually I did to your colleague over on the other side but he did not seem to understand me at all.
OK now I am going to have to swab them and check it is what you have said ... at this pont I asked if he could have just a little more respect and perhaps we could continue somewhere out of the public area like that little cubby hole over there although by now I was visibly crying so probably not forming coherent words. After a further 2 or 3 minutes of prodding and poking, swabbing etc the whole opened carry on bag and its contents was shoved back at me together with my handbag to repack. I started to put things together and was told in a very officious tone you can't do that here move over to that table over there. Oh you mean the one in the cubby hole that I wanted to go to in the first place. By now I was past crying and almost into a rage I felt Mick urging me to pick him up and whack the guy over the head but I resisted. Laughably my Humira injections for my Rheumatoid arthritis attracted no attention at all maybe I should have crackeed one of them open and stabbed him with it!
anyway the flight was great have to say Virgin Atlantic did a really good job of looking after me cusomer services had informed them the reason for my trip and they could not have been more helpful.
Arrival at Orlando and I did the usual mad dash to immigration, Mick always made us sit near the plane exit so we could be first off and virtually run there so I did the same this time. I was first in line and through in minutes when I collected my bags I looked back to see a queue of Disneyesque proportions so it had been worth the dash.
Collected my car a Nissan Rogue (hope that was not how I was meant to drive it) anyway I remembered Si telling me that he had done his bit by giving Mick a very smooth ride to the airport so now I just needed to ensure that I did not frog leap all the way to the Condo. Actually t was a piece of cake, I enjoyed driving so much I spent the next 2 days driving to all my favourite stores to shop till I dropped.
Friends and family of friends arrived on Wednesday, lots of hugs and tears initially but then 4 days of fun and laughter.
Now I am solo again still with Mick's ashes which stay with me until stage 2 of the trip next week when I go to see my lovely friends in Georgia.
Feeling quite lonely but managing to keep busy with my Understanding the genetics of cancer course and getting ready for the new one with Paul Yorkhull which starts soon.
My lovely caring daughter Karen is in touch daily (as are many of my friends on this forum) she had coffee with Karen Newman a couple of times last week whilst on holiday in Weymouth. so life really does go on it is just tough sarting over
xxx
Mo
Edited by member 23 Sep 2014 at 18:15
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