We arrived...

The London team (myself, Kristian Berg and Louise Gibson) met at Gatwick ready for the week ahead. We had packed light (well some of us had), we boarded the plane ready for our 11am take off and after a 10 hour+ flight which went quickly, we landed at Houston airport to learn we had to get through customs, collect our bags, check them back in and then board our connecting flight to New Orleans. No problem, we thought then we realised we only had 1 hour to do it in.

The custom line, as expected, was long but we keep positive as we know we HAD to get this flight…..50 minutes to go…no problem, the line is moving, our spirits are high despite the long flight…..40 minutes to go….our line slows…..30 minutes….we can do it ….20 minutes….mmm, starting to worry now, can we make it…of course we can…..15 minutes….we start to wonder how far the connecting gates are…..10 minutes…Kristian is at the front of the line…go Kristian, go….finally we get through to find we have to run to get to the next check-in desk. “It will probably be the further gate, knowing our luck”, I joke and once we get through the 2nd customs area, we are still positive…..5 minutes to go, ok we are through, we just have to find our gate….

Where or where is terminal C gate 32…..not far we hope as we start a gentle jog then a sprint as we realise how far it is. 4 minutes 10….oh no, we are at gate 45…we really start to sprint now (as quickly as you can with rucksacks on your back)…..3 minutes 20….we are only at gate 42…...needless to say, we start to panic as we must get this flight…..15 seconds to go….fast footed Gibson (Louise) reaches the gate first….and we stagger down the tunnel to see the airplane door closing….”nooooooo”, we shout, wait for us”.

We make it with just seconds to go, panting and sweating heavily (and we have not even started building the house yet) with everyone looking disapprovingly at us as we find any available seats. If only we had enough breath to explain that we had just got off a 10 hour flight and ran for what seemed like miles but we only have the strength to get to our seats before take-off. A quick 45 minute flight later and we arrive in New Orleans. After ringing for our shuttle bus, we sit and wait. We see it and jump onboard, pleased that we are nearly at the final destination and can check in before the Irish team (Alan Meaney and Laura Diskin) arrive an hour later.

We arrive at the hotel and check in. “Your names aren’t down here”, they say, “they must be, try Duncan, Berg or SEI”. “No”, they say, “we do not have any record of your booking. “But you must, this is the Country Inn Suites”. Without a blink of an eye, he says,” this is the Comfort Inn Suites”. We all burst out laughing despite being exhausted. In our haste, we had jumped into the wrong courtesy bus, how funny but then Country Inn Suites and Comfort Suites looks the same when you are tired so where exactly is our hotel we wonder. “Everything comes in threes” I say stupidly….

We order a taxi which arrives 15 minutes later, “Country Inn Suites”, we say and off we set. Knowing it should cost no more than $10, we start to get concerned when the clock hits $15 dollar and still no sight of our hotel. We panic even more when the driver says; I think it was just around the corner from where I picked you up and then adds "it is literally 2 blocks from there". “Sorry”, he says, “we have to head back”. We are happy when he turns off the clock. “I really must get a new map”, he says, “mmmmm I agree, I say in my head hoping he finds our destination soon as we are starting to tire rapidly.

We pas the original hotel, he starts the clock again, and we arrive quickly at our destination, a whole 2 blocks away and only costing $4 dollars, just in time to see Alan and Laura checking in. We were glad to see them and the hotel, and after nearly 14 hours to travel, we checked in. After a quick supper of crisps and beers and two episodes of CSI, we retire to bed. And the good news was that we got an extra hour’s sleep as the clocks went back. Absolute bliss

After an eventful journey to New Orleans, we are all now ready to start a week of hard work and to see the fruits of our labour! Signing off for today but please check in for further updates.