Our EasyJet flight to England was set to take off at 8pm. See where I’m going with this yet? Well, we were informed that it was delayed for an hour. So we were stuck waiting in the airport. The kids played. And mommy and daddy drank. Then the flight got delayed another hour. So we continued with our aforementioned activities. Only this time with complimentary vouchers to the airport canteen. Then another delay. Repeat the repetition. Then, after three successive one-hour delays, they told us our 8pm flight would be leaving at 1am. And they gave us more vouchers. The kids were wrecked. So were mommy and daddy. And then I remembered our rental car waiting for us on the other side. Would the rental car attendee be willing to wait until 3am to give us our car or would we be SOL on arrival. Merry merry.

At half-past midnight, we were told that our (decrepit) plane should be arriving within the hour. The (unfortunate) car hire attendee had called me and graciously given me her personal number so that, when we landed at 3am, we could call her and she would drive the five miles from her house to the airport to give us the keys to our car. Thanks, Ali!!! And then we had the hour+ drive to the in-laws to look forward to. Fun! Thank goodness we were all still jet lagged from the return flight from the US just the day before.

Well, the plane finally arrived in Barcelona and dutifully delivered us to sleepy Stanstead. Ali met us with the keys to the rental car – a brand new red Alfa Romeo Giulietta – and we made it safely (and swiftly) back to grandma and granddad’s by 5am, where we all slept soundly till noon.

We’re still jet lagged, but everyone is now comfy and warm and enjoying some scrumptious home-cooked food. And I’m thoroughly enjoying the Alfa Romeo. Happy holidays, everyone. And thanks for your concern and good wishes 🙂