So returning to the states for Ben’s wedding involved a lot of airports and planes. After 6 flights 5 airports, layovers both long and short and a total of 34 hours in the air, here are the random things I encountered.

Fiji’s airport is a little different in that you don’t have to re-check in, but you have to get your boarding pass from the transfer desk and go through security again. When I got to security they asked me about the juggle ball. The choice was throw it away or wait for the woman checking people in to take me to the baggage area, find my bag and put the juggle ball in my bag. Yes this is the same ball I had to take out of the bag in Tonga. Wow I love the hoops we jump through in the name of security? I had a 4 hour layover so I decided a little wait might
be worth it. If it came down to it I wouldn’t miss my plane over this, but what’s the difference between waiting here and waiting inside? So I stayed by the desk. They offered a chair but I didn’t want to be
forgotten so I stayed close. After a while of passengers trickling in I started wondering if she will ever get a minute? The next passenger was Tongan so I struck up a conversation in Tongan of course. It was just Hi, how are you, where are you from sort of stuff but all the Fijian workers were shocked. One guys mouth was actually hanging open. What white folk can’t be bilingual? This sparked a bit of
conversation about peace corps etc. and the supervisor of the security area took notice. She then asked why I was there and the other workers explained the juggle ball. She just looked at them and said ‘what’s the problem? We allow golf balls on the plane” They explained that it wasn’t a golf ball so she asked to see it. Upon a brief inspection she
shrugged and said ‘looks like a golf ball to me’ Perfect! Now I can wait in the real waiting area. Off to LA.

Northwest lost my ticket, but some stressful calls and emails to Tonga straightened things out, wow at least I have a ticket to Detroit. Once that bump was smoothed out it was smooth sailing to the airport,
check in, take off all seamless. Then in the middle of the flight it was what I like to call bathroom time. The man next to me needed to go and after I stood up the guy across the isle got up to, then I saw the couple across the isle returning, so I enjoyed some standing time. The couple was old, probably Indian (that’s a guess) and the man was moving very slow. He needed help getting out of the chair so I gave space and was glad to help when asked. I also hit the flight attendant button as I know I can’t lift a person so if that was needed, hopefully they (3 strapping men? Seems reasonable) can help. As I reached for the mans other arm his wife looked me in the eyes and said EMERGENCY! I immediately ran to the front of the plane and told the flight attendants there is an emergency in isle 10. They ran off and I stayed in the isle. In trying to stay out of the way I just hugged the side of the isle hoping to make room as they ran past for towels, water, ice, medical kits and all they needed. Then it happened, just like a movie, they ran to the PA system and made the announcement ‘if there is a medical doctor, nurse, or anyone with medical training please go to row 10 now’. Luckily there was a doctor in first class and he ran to help. Even more lucky, he spoke the same first language as the woman!

Wow. So I am still standing in the isle and the man (looks familiar?) who was sitting by the doctor offered me the empty chair. Better than standing, I took it. Now when I said I would like to fly first class, this is not what I meant, be careful what you wish for I guess. As soon as I sat down I could feel the plane descending. Wow we are landing. It wasn’t too harsh but you could tell the pilot was hurrying as we went down fast. Well as fast as you can for a 747 at cruising altitude. So I started talking to the man next to me mostly about the situation at hand. I was sitting by the isle so I gave him the play by play as they moved the man to the floor in first class by the door, started CPR including mouth to mouth, chest compressions and the defibrillator! (don’t know how to spell it, but, yup they shocked him.)

They used many things from the various medical kits and I am sure did the best they could. When we landed we basically drove the plane through the airport right to the gate and there were paramedics
waiting. Wow so that just happened. Crazy. He did get the best support that he could have given the situation. I hope he is ok, but I have no information either way.

On the ground it took about 30 seconds to get the man off the plane and two hours to sort everything else out. They had to restock the med kits (go right ahead, we now understand their importance) refuel the plane and of course fill out all the necessary paperwork. The doctor came back and I promptly gave him his seat. A nice woman let me use her phone to call my parents to inform them of the delay and shortly thereafter, we were off, on our way to Detroit again.

During the rest of the flight I started thinking of the things the familiar looking man said while we were landing. His name is Jimmy, he is a comedian. He told me of his current jobs, stand up in Tennessee and a movie in Michigan. From the east coast, lived in New York for a while. Oh my gosh, I was sitting next to Jimmy Fallen! And I didn’t even know it. Here I am the ignorant Peace Corps volunteer without a TV who doesn’t know famous people when she sees them. Oh well it was fun talking, just like other people. I guess this proves famous people
are still people and we can treat them as such.

After this whole ordeal we landed, I got off the plane and as I walked through the doors there they were, my parents and two wonderful hugs waiting for me. Joy.

In LA on the way back it took me forever to find the Air Pacific desk. When I did I was one of the last passengers. But wait, they can’t find my ticket. So much discussion, sorting out, asking if I know a Thomas Birney (the first name my ticket was changed to) and then calling Fiji. The attendant that I started talking to asked why I wasn’t yelling at him. I explained it wasn’t his fault and I would deal with whatever situation I ended up in, plane or no. It’s not looking good the flight is boarding and I am at the ticket counter. Still on the phone with Fiji… anything? Then she wrote down some numbers in magic marker on a piece of paper and explained they couldn’t figure out my whole ticket, just to Fiji, but this paper will get me on the next plane. Yea right, but hey I'll take it. At least I will be closer to Tonga. So we ran to the security and I was escorted to the front. I GOT ON THE PLANE!!!

Guess what, in Fiji, the magic marker sheet didn’t get me on the next plane, huh. They explained how I had to leave the airport, which means pick up my bags, enter Fiji and then turn around and check back in. I left, spent some time in Nadi and headed back. So back a the airport guess what, the new piece of paper I got that morning didn’t get me on the plane either. The attendant was a little overwhelmed when I pulled out all the papers that were supposed to get me on the plane (maybe 7 in all) and said she couldn’t help me. So I looked around and finally found the manager I talked to several hours before and told her to talk to him. I waved him over and he sorted everything out. So now I have my final boarding pass. Thank heavens. I am getting slap happy and need to sleep. When I boarded I checked in and walked through the doors then turned left and walked out towards the stairs. No one else was there, but oh well. Then I heard someone calling me. I turned around and the same attendant from this morning was waving for me to come back. “Where are you going?” he asked “I don’t know to the plane. Why?” “the plane is this way” and he pointed to the right. Why did I turn left? Wow I don’t know, this is why people travel with partners.
When I landed in Tonga I was amazed to have gotten through so many trials and still arrive, on time with both bags and my principal waiting to give me a ride. Amazing, can I sleep yet?