Unexpected Emergencies, Train Stations and Foreign Keyboards

If you are wondering if our trip began swimmingly, and by swimmingly you mean drenched in a pile of vomit.... then yes. Here's the depressing, foul and pity-invoking tale of how I yakked before even taking off.

After making it past the gate (which almost failed since Liz left her pillow in the terminal) we thought we'd seen the worst since the plane smelled like salmon and felt like an incubator. Maddie and I desperately grasped at what we thought should be the air consul, but apparently was not. We realized we were having the lives sucked out of us by recycled air. Then the true debacle began.

As we were taxiing, I looked over at Doobz and saw her puking into a barf bag, then silently hand it to a flight attendant. I immediately felt sick and asked Maddie to look for a bag. She desperately thrashed around, searching for something to give me and the best she could find was a plastic earphone bag (note: it was extremely delicate). I told her I would only use it if "worst came to very worst." It did. I found myself repeatedly blowing chunks into the tiny, transparent plastic bag. Fellow British Airways passengers looked displeased that I was holding a bag of my own vomit just moments before takeoff was to occur.

Maddie frantically began pressing the flight attendant button, to no avail since they were all strapped in to launch. Taking matters into her own hands, Maddie began badgering Lizzy and Kelsey for sturdier bags. Unaware of the desperate situation, Lizzy halfheartedly searched for something, finally handing Maddie a small paper bag. Here is the KICKER. As I attempted to place the clear bag into the paper one, like a water balloon, the entire plastic bag burst open onto my lap, iPod and US Weekly (which I had been saving for the plane).

Deborah, Maddie and I looked at my lap, at each other and began to simultaneously gag and giggle. Meanwhile, I hear the surrounding passengers remove their safety instructions and begin fanning away the oppressive smell of my stomach acid and AG Ferrari sandwich.

Maddie and I stared at each other for roughly 20 minutes, my lap growing warmer by the moment. I wasn't sure what to do. You could say I was paralyzed with confusion. It wasn't even embarassment... that ship had sailed. I knew the situation could not have been any worse. But riddle me this.... should I have walked past everyone to the bathroom to change? Or should I have just changed in public? I chose the latter. Doobz and Maddie held a blanket over me and I shimmied into some PJs a horrified flight attendant handed me.

And I sat. For eight hours, I sat without moving my legs for fear of what I'd find. I literally just closed my eyes and did not move for EIGHT HOURS. Poor Maddie and Doobz.... we used all of the accessible handwipes, tissues and towels, but the smell lingered.

I would now like to apologize to the Davis and Goldschmidt families. I truly put your daughters through an ordeal. I hope you forgive me. As Maddie scratched my back comfortingly, her face was smashed against the window and she was gagging. Bev, I'm so sorry. I don't know what else to say. I feel like I've hurt your child.

Okayyy moving on. We arrived safely with all of our baggage in tow. We boarded a train to Paddington station, where we hurried to the closest coffee vendor. The bagels were subpar, but edible, and the coffee was delish. It only took us 3 more Subway trains and a 10 minute walk to arrive at Kelsey's aunt's house. We even encountered two jolly Englishmen who hollered at us to "put our backs into it" as we shuffled pathetically through Clapham Commons. Props to Kelsey for navigating us there.

When we arrived, Kelsey's aunt Katie greeted us with homemade scones and fresh towels for our stanky bodies (and a washing machine for Maddie and my vomit encrusted clothing).

The good news is that the travel cannot get any worse. We're all excited to be here and to start our trip. For the rest of the day, we plan to explore the neighborhood and spend time with Katie's children.

We love and miss you all!

Love,

Val (with help from Maddie and Lizzy)