The day has finally arrived.  After three weeks of travel and fun we’re headed home.  Matt and Sam were out the door by 4:00 a.m. for a very early flight to Dubrovnik.  At 4:30 my phone rings- Matt has left his camera by the door to our apartment;  it’s still there, beneath the rear tire of a parked car. No way to get it to the airport though.  As I walk back into the apartment using my phone as a flashlight I somehow hit ‘FaceTime’  which is an app I never use.  There is a voice over the speaker.  I’ve somehow dialed my old college roommate Rich Scott.  He’s in San Francisco on business and fortunately it’s early evening there so we have a brief chat – half a world away.

We’re up by 7:30 and begin the arduous task of packing for the flight home.  With our new suitcase things are easier. Books, shoes and our never used raincoats all go in the  new bag, to be checked through to Toronto.  It weighs a ton and I hope the cheap thing doesn’t split wide open when we move it.  Gratefully our other bags are now lighter and more manageable.  Final packing done and the apartment looking pretty good, we wait for the car to the airport.  It arrives shortly before 11:00, and we’re off for Fiumicino Airport.  On a Saturday morning the traffic is light and we’re there in plenty of time.  Driver paid, we enter the terminal.  New suitcase makes it to the check in desk and is weighed.  The Alitalia staffer looks at it warily, but checks it through- the benefit of flying business class.  Next is security, and we’re through that quickly.  Sarah and Margaret are off to the Air Transat gate, and Melissa and I have a final espresso while we wait for the plane to board.

Now normally when you’re flying a trans- Atlantic flight on a big plane you have a pleasant stroll to the plane down a walkway.  But there was a fire at Fiumicino in May and we are forced to ride two shuttles to get to our plane, which is sitting far out on the runway.  They keep us locked in the shuttle while several disabled passengers are helped up the stairs. We then climb mountainous stairs to reach the plane ourselves.

Settled in to our seats we relax and await the take-off.  Here we go.  Dinner, drinks, fold flat seats, its all there.  But I can’t relax.  The vacation ending, all those daily tasks and worries that run our lives come flooding in.  Is the grass mowed, are the cats alright, do I have a mountain of paperwork on my desk(of course).  Still, I try to doze and watch a movie.  There is a camera on the plane that allows you to see the earth below.  Except the earth below is covered with clouds for the entire trip.  Still it’s a nice idea, and I check it repeatedly over the nine hour flight.  Finally, about 30 minutes out of Toronto I can see the earth.

Plane landed, we get through customs easily, wait for our new suitcase, which arrives intact although barely- the zipper is half open and the plastic on one side is starting to tear.  Shuttle to the car is right outside, and we reach the car quickly.  We open the car door, and there is that damned GPS, upside down on the seat, and nearly invisible.  Oh well.  The ride home is uneventful and we pull into the driveway by midnight.  Home at last.