I made it to Paris but it wasn`t easy...

My flight left Salt Lake City at 10:30 a.m. and I had my first layover in Chicago. Normally you don`t have to go through security again on layovers, but lucky me this was not the case. I had to go to a different terminal so I had the joy of putting my carry-on in bins, pulling out my laptop and liquids, taking off my boots and being shuffled through security for a second time that morning. Thankfully it wasn`t a very long layover and I was soon on my way to my next layover - Warsaw, Poland. I was dreading this one because it was a 6 hour wait but I just planned on sleeping and getting some things done online. Once we landed, there were shuttles waiting to pick up the passengers and take us to the airport. When we got inside it was a mess, everyone was standing in line and you can imagine how thrilled I was when I realized we had to go through security yet again. I noticed people coming back after getting to the front and I had no idea why and hoped it wouldn`t happen to me. Once I got through the metal detector and was collecting my things, the man checked my ticket and told me I was in the wrong Terminal and needed to go to B. Which meant that I had to go through security a 4th time that day. It was a good thing I wasn't in a hurry! After I got to my gate, I pulled out my laptop to get online to message my friend in Paris who was picking me up and confirm everything. To my surprise\disappointment this airport didn't offer wifi access. I turned on my phone but had no service so with nothing else to do, I claimed a bench and took a nap for a couple hours. Finally it was time to take my final flight to Paris, which was only a 3 hour flight. After I picked up my luggage, I began searching the crowd for William but he was nowhere to be found. I turned my phone on again but it still wouldn't work and the battery was about to die so I quickly copied down William's phone number before it died. I had 5euro in change so I found a payphone and tried calling but the phone kept eating my money and wouldn't work. Completely frustrated and feeling desperate I asked a young man for help and when the payphone didn't work for him either he told me to wait and disappeared. After about 10 minutes of wondering what the hell I was going to do, the guy returned and let me use his iphone to call William. I was so relieved when he answered, I quickly told him where I was and he said he'd be there in a hour. So I took my luggage outside and waited but after a couple hours I was nervous that he couldn't find me and asked another gentleman if I could make a call with his phone. He handed me his phone and offered to give me a ride but I didn't even know William's address so a ride wouldn't really help me. When I got ahold of William, he was looking for me in Terminal 2 and I was in Terminal 1. Forty-five minutes later and we finally found each other and I don't think I've ever felt so relieved. By this time it was after 10 p.m. and I was hungry and tired. The only thing open that late was McDonalds so my first meal in Paris was le petit wrap and a coke with no ice. I forgot that ice in soda is more of an American thing. Then we headed to William's apartment and I was so excited to sleep in a bed. I think my body is still adjusting from the jetlag and I've lost my appetite but am hoping I'll start feeling better soon.
Anyway, that was my 28 hour adventure of getting to Paris!

Another summer ending..

The fireweed has blossomed and begun to turn red, it's getting dark now but not for long, and the cool weather has swept in and reminded us that summer is ending. The Alaskan summer that is. I'm ten days away from flying back to Utah and only 24 days away from flying to France. I can hardly believe that August has come so quickly and I'm sure it'll pass just as fast. But I must say that I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to drive to Alaska and spend another three and a half months in such a beautiful, magical place. I'm sure I'll come back and visit again someday, but I feel confident saying this was my last summer spent working in Alaska. It's been amazing and I'll cherish the memories.