Stranded in Europe

Yes, it's true. We were supposed to fly home yesterday, but we're still here and haven't even been able to make contact with our airline yet. So we are stranded in Europe...indefinitely.

My favorite part is that Delta is unreachable. The website says we can change our itinerary online, yet it gives us no options for changing other than today's flight out of Paris, which is canceled. The website does say that they will help us make new travel arrangements with as little inconvenience to us as possible. I try to call and they say, "Due to unusual high call volumes, we are unable to take your call at this time." Thank heavens they add the phrase, "Your business is important to us." I find incredible relief and comfort in knowing this process will be made convenient as possible and it's nice to know Delta appreciates my business.

I realize Delta can do nothing about a volcanic ash cloud that is hovering over most of Europe. But I'm frustrated by lack of information. Are they even booking flights? Are they waiting to book anything until they are able to fly safely? Is it even an option for us to fly out of Brussels where my brother lives (and where we are currently staying) instead of Paris where we were originally scheduled, assuming of course that flights open up sometime in the next couple years? I would just like to get our tickets booked for another date and if that date gets canceled, I want to book another date. It's unsettling to be told, even in an indirect manner, that we can't even schedule a flight for a future date. Let me have something to look forward to, to plan on, and then adjust to glitches as they come.

I've worked in customer service situations where unforeseen events cause complete chaos. It's not fun to be on that side of the fence, but I'd rather be dealing with the headaches of angry and frustrated customers on that side of the fence and go home to my regular life at the end of the day than be separated from my two-year-old until who knows when. Please don't tell me I have to wait two years until the volcano settles down. Reports incidate that she's already calling my brother-in-law and sister-in-law "mom" and "dad." At least that tells me she's happy and her new mom and dad continue to assure us that she's doing fine. It would just be nice to reunite with her in a manner timely enough that she remembers who we are and wants to come home with us!

We're planning to go to the airport today, even though on the news they are encouraging people to stay away from the airport. We'll give it a good college try anyway, although my brother doubts that there is a Delta ticket counter at their airport here. If they can't help us at the airport, that's okay because we've heard that we can call...or change our itinerary online. And they will help us do that with as little inconvenience as possible because they appreciate our business...a lot.

In the meantime, we're planning on being here a while. We're trying to have good attitudes. And I'm looking for materials online to homeschool the girls. Now there's something I never thought I'd do. I'm sure good things will come from this and I'm just waiting for the windows and doors of opportunity to open wide. There are worse places to be stranded and many travelers are in circumstances far more unfortunate than ours. At this point, however, the vacation is over. Please get me home before my daughter, and my dog, don't want me anymore!