Our day in New York City

I am really glad this is now and not 24 hours ago.   I was probably about to go on the wildest ride of my life.  But let me start at the beginning.

Miki and I boarded the Megabus at our local Walmart just before 9 AM.  We knew we could have left on the 1:30 bus and still made JFK on time, but since it was the first trip to the airport for both of us, we felt better giving ourselves plenty of time.  We were armed with Lori's very well-written, very specific instructions.

The trip to New York City from  here is about five hours, which includes a one-half hour stop at a truck stop.  Miki and I couldn't get seats together, but I was right behind her.  The AC was really jacked up, so Miki figured out a way to take care of hers.  She rigged up a shield with paper and zip ties.  It really worked!  We realized later in the day that she had forgotten to take it down when we got off the bus!

The bus let us off just a block or so from Penn Station, where we needed to catch a train.  We had plenty of time to get some pizza at the food court.

We figured out how to get our tickets out of a machine, and we were off on the train to Jamaica Station.   From there we got the AirTrain that took us right to Terminal 1 at the JFK airport.  It really was quite easy.  Of course, Lori's written instructions were very helpful and so were other people.  

Once we were at the airport we settled in at a table at a little cafe.  I read my new book (which I will be telling you about before long) and Miki was doing all kinds of puzzles in a magazine she bought.  Occasionally we took little walks.  This was our view.

We expected Bjorn to arrive at 8:00, so at 7:30 we made our way down to the lower level where he would enter.  We were happy to see on the board that his flight was even expected a few minutes early.  But alas, the board soon said that his flight was waiting for a gate.  It continued to wait and wait and wait.  I kept looking at the clock and going over and over in my mind the connections we needed to make in order to get back to the Megabus, which was scheduled to leave at 11:05.  In my mind I was imagining missing the bus, and needing to spend the night in Penn Station.  That was not a happy thought.

Around 9:00 I texted Lori to tell her our situation and to ask for prayer.  She suggested we check how much it would cost to get a taxi all the way from the airport to the Megabus stop.  Miki did that, and was told it would cost $58 (plus tip, of course).  At that point, even $100 would have sounded better than missing the bus.  As it turned out, Bjorn did not come in until after 9:30.  We could not have made it back to the bus stop in time if we had taken the trains.  So we piled into a taxi and we were off on the ride of our lives.  Seriously.  I was not at all sure we would make it out alive!  One time we almost hit a biker, and our driver got out of the taxi to yell at the biker!  I tried to keep busy on my phone, but sometimes I covered my eyes!  

I forgot to say that when Bjorn greeted me he said, "You're littler than I remembered!"  I thought that was so funny.  He was only 12 the last time we saw each other.  Now he's a big, strapping 18-year-old.  

Our taxi driver got us to our bus stop in good time.   We got in line, then I guarded all Bjorn's luggage while he and Miki went to a nearby McDonald's.  The big boy was HUNGRY!

Then we were finally on the bus for home.  GREAT BIG SIGH OF RELIEF!!

I was able to sleep on both stretches of the trip.  We had the half hour stop in the middle again.  At 3:45 AM we pulled into the Walmart parking lot, and shortly after 4:00 we were home.  No socializing this time.  I made a bed for Bjorn on the sofa, and Miki and I were off to bed.  My alarm ringing at 7:30 was not a welcome sound!

Amazingly, I didn't feel too bad at work today.  Miki, Ingo, and Bjorn left today for Lancaster County. There is testing and appointments for Bjorn this week.  

This coming weekend is our annual Stauffer Camping at Camp Hebron near Harrisburg.  They will join us there.  Then next Monday Miki and Ingo return to Sweden.  That is going to be a sad day.  But there's too much to do to dwell on that, and more good times to be had!