Month: December 2011

I arrived home in one piece. The flight from Frankfurt to Vancouver was long and fairly boring, but I didn’t feel nearly as bad as I did on the Riyadh-Frankfurt flight, so that was good. I didn’t have anyone sitting beside me, which makes a huge difference, and I managed to sleep quite comfortably for a couple of hours. Unfortunately a good number of the movies available on their entertainment system were really choppy, so I couldn’t watch them. Hence the boring factor. I am not embarrassed to admit that I watched an episode of Glee that featured Madonna songs, and I loved it.

We had a two hour stop-over in Vancouver which was okay — got to go in the Air Canada lounge. I also got a chai tea latte from Starbucks, which totally treated me right.

Greg and the kids were at the airport to meet me, and it was so great to see their smiling faces as I got off the plane, and feel their hugs. They chattered on during the ride home and I managed to give them a decent amount of attention (I think), even though all I wanted was a bed. I forced myself to stay up until Amy’s bedtime. I barely got through three books with her, then I lay down beside her to sing. In five minutes of songs, I fell asleep three times. She kept saying “Mummy, why are you stopping?”. I just couldn’t stay awake.

I had promised Elliot I’d read his books as well, but I was done for the night. I have never been that tired. I asked him if he would mind if Greg read his books, and he took one look at me and said, “that’s okay, Mummy, you look really tired”. What a sweet boy.

I slept for 11 hours with a brief wake up call at 3:00 to help Amy pee. I’ve felt pretty gross all day (head-achy and light-headed) and I’m looking forward to another good night’s sleep — drug induced if I have to. I hate this groggy feeling and I hope it goes away soon.

But it’s certainly wonderful to be home.

Writing this from the Frankfurt airport. The flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt was a brutal one for me. It left at 12:50 am (which is not a great time to start your 30 hour trip home). I took an Ativan but hardly slept at all. I was hot, tired, nauseous and squished. I have a window seat for the Frankfurt to Vancouver trip so I’m hoping that helps the nausea. Thank goodness for movies — I watched “Friends with Benefits” and “Thor”. Both were good, although I’m pretty sure my judgement was impaired.

We landed, had a shower and I had an hour’s sleep in the lounge. We have a 6.5 hour layover so there’s plenty of time. I wish I’d slept longer but I woke up needing to pee urgently. Plus I was cold. So I’ve been sitting here for the last couple of hours doing my expenses, drinking luke warm tea and generally feeling sorry for myself. I’m debating lying down again but I think I’d have to set an alarm to wake myself up and I think I’d feel worse afterward. I feel like a zombie, and I’m crossing my fingers that I can sleep on the next leg.

I think I’ll go sit on a couch and veg.