Still Traveling!

well its been interesting....boarded the plane at Kennedy in preparation for departure to Helsinki. Pilot announced traffic would delay our take off, 30 planes ahead of us. In the mean time weather turns sour and we get lightning and thunder grounding all flights. The storm worsens and we end up sitting on the plane for 4 hours! Will someone please medicate the children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally we get the green light and reroute. Off to Finland...woo-hoo...but the child cries the whole frikin way! How can a kid cry for 12 consecutive HOURS!

I'm in Helsinki holding a drink and calming my nerves. Did I mention I didn't sleep a wink?

Of course I have missed my flight to Ivalo...so here I sit waiting ...AGAIN. fortunately the people watching is entertaining and I have found a bar with free internet and pretty good drinks.

The Winston 11' 7 is turning out to be an omen! It was my only rod that of course would not fit in my rod bag so no big deal ( I thought) I carried it on. While we were sitting on the plane going no where...I decided to stow my rod and my carry on bag in the overhead compartment. I later needed to get something out of my bag so I went to reach for my bag when the metal winston rod tube sky rocketted out of the compartment going off like a missile. I reached for the rod tube as it was sailing in mid air but managed to miss it while it torpedoed right into the head of a Finnish man seated in front of me! Can you beleive my luck? he let out a scream like I had just shot him or something. Flight attendants came running, EVERYONE was staring and I did not know what to do as the rod tube landed in the center of the isle with a BIG THUMP! I instintively reacted doing the only thing I could do which was to pretend the rod tube landed on my ankle. With a pained look I grabbed my ankle and somehow diverted the attention away from the Finnish man with a concussion. The flight attendant made sure I was alright and then she took the rod tube and stored it in the closet. WTF...if they had a closet why didn't they offer it to me in the first place!

I finally arrived in Helsinki..only one hour flight remaining, sounds simple huh....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO they now inform me the rod tube must be checked in according to European regulations....now you tell me!
So...off I go to another terminal of course in search of where i can check in luggage. I probably should have just put it in the trash can. My chances would have been better that I could have garbage picked it out of there on the way back home.
After standing in line for 45 minutes...she slaps a sticker on that beautiful Winston green rod tube and sends it off to never never land. What are the chances of me seeing my 11-7 again?
Funeral service will be held for my lovely switch when I return.
Anyways...i'm sitting at a lovely bar called "Intermezzo" the drinks are great and the internet is free and so you get the priviledge of this blog.
Forgive me if I sound a bit irritable..I haven't showered or slept in 24 hours....but did I mention the drinks are good?
I just ate a lovely graavilohiruisrengas...its delicious if you love rye bread with lox and egg and onions!
Ok I am off to another gate for the final flight...pray for my rod, pray for all my gear!
See you on the next post!