Wednesday started with breakfast and lecture. Dr. Long gave an overview of the actual D-Day invasion and Dr. Arnesen talked about the home front. After lunch, we boarded our buses for the airport. I had never checked in with a group that big, and the way the attending wanted to do it, I think was confusing, but we did get checked in and next headed for security. I got in the line of the chatty guy at border control, who liked our shirts with the institute's logo on them, and made a true comment about D-Day. "My grandfather was there, but so was everyone's." Maybe not at D-Day, but it would be hard to find someone of that age who was not involved in the war in some form or fashion.
We found our gate and took over. A group of 34 tends to do that. Things were going so well till someone said they just got an email in Spanish that there was a flight delay. I looked up, and it had been delayed about an hour and a half due to storms in Houston. So, we sat a little longer. After all my airport adventures last year, you have to take it in stride. It was fun to watch all the people desperately running for their gate when the flight from Houston got in. They were announcing that they would check bags to make extra room for carry-ons, so I took advantage of not having to carry my carry-on. Both it and my suitcase are just getting heavier and heavier.
They loaded us pretty quickly, and I was in a middle seat. However, I did have good hip room. United seems to do that best. Also, we could start watching movies right away. I watched Monuments Men, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and even though I was sleepy, I didn't fall asleep. I finally put in Frozen, and don't remember anything between Anna buying carrots and the end credits except for the troll wedding, so I guess I finally dozed a little. I turned on Mary Poppins, but by then, we were getting close. Coming through border patrol was quick, luggage was slow getting to the carousel, and both of my bags made it. We boarded the bus, with a driver who did not pack it for us. With kids throwing luggage on every which way, there was barely room. And we were on our way. Even though by that point it was Friday morning in France, I'll call that the end of Thursday and declare my step count to be 7702. I'll pick up with a second report about actual travels when I come back from dinner.
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