Almost Home

I'm in Atlanta, almost home - just waiting for my last flight (which, of course, was delayed an hour - but what's another hour at this point?)

My flight out of Astrakhan went well, other than Aeroflot still thinks that toilets that flush are optional on in-country flights. Ugh. Talked to a very interesting lady from Paris, part of a tour group that had done a cruise down the Volga river. She was amazing - lived all over, traveled everywhere, flawless English & then could switch into Russian ... the kind of self-assured, incredibly competent woman we'd all love to be when we grow up.

Got my bag in Moscow, went outside, hopped the bus that would take me to the other terminal. Except .... after 15 minutes, nothing looked familiar. And it was taking a lot longer than I remembered it taking last time. After 20 minutes, I started to pray for airport signs. After 30 minutes, I spotted the Ikea store I'd noticed when we were going into Moscow last week, and then a road sign that indicated my bus was definitely headed into Moscow. And I realized I had to get off that bus FAST.

I got off & headed toward Ikea. I figured someone there could call me a taxi & I could get to the airport But God is good - there was a taxi stand right there!!! I managed to say "taxi" "airport" "terminal 2" and DA (yes) when he showed me the flat rate cost. That wonderful man had me at the correct terminal within 15 minutes. I could have kissed him, but I settled for giving him a huge tip.

Made it through all the nonsense that is checking in for a flight in Moscow. I was almost to the gate when I got waylaid by another oil man, one who had been on my flight from Astrakhan. He recognized me from that flight and stopped to talk. So we had a lovely long chat, and then it was time to go through additional security at the gate, and then onto the plane.

And now I'm just hours from home. Wooohooo!