On my four flights home.

Four flights to get home? YEP. You read that right. I had to fly back to Brussels so that I could fly from Brussels to the States. Sunday morning I got through security at the Manchester airport with three hours to spare. I grabbed a cappuccino from the bar and settled in to catch up on some reading and writing. It was fantastic and so, so relaxing. At around 10:30am, I started noticing groups of people getting beers from the bar. And then I remembered. The airport is a no-judgment zone. Nobody cares. Do what you want. So I went for it.

Why not?

The flight I was waiting for was the one to Norway - which I was actually super excited about - it's another country I can add to my list! Some people may debate that it doesn't count, that I was "only in the airport." BUT I did also walk outside to get from the plane to the airport so that argument would be invalid. Since I wasn't flying on a budget airline for this flight, I got to check my backpack! When I was checking in for the flight, the guy asked me, "Do you want to check you bag?" I was like, "Um, is it free?" He looked at me like I was crazy. "Of course!" A half a second later my backpack was on the scale ready to be checked. It was great to walk around the airport and pretend like I was a normal person.

I was a bit nervous about my 30 minute layover in Oslo. Granted, probably not as nervous as I should have been, but I still wondered a little if I would definitely make it. But thanks to Norwegian efficiency, I was off my plane and in the next one in under 15 minutes! And THAT is with going through passport control! 

Got my passport stamped and everything! No one can tell me I wasn't in Norway.

On my flight from Oslo to Brussels, I sat next to a super nice pilot that got all these extra treats from the flight attendants - which he in turn shared with me!

At the airport in Brussels, it took me FOREVER to figure out those stupid pay phones again... but I finally did and the people from the Zav center came and picked me up. I had this whole plan to shower and get dressed up and go to a bar in Brussels one last time... 

But this is what I did instead. 

Walked to my favorite kebab place and grabbed my favorite beer. Last night in Europe well spent.

The next morning I got a ride to the airport. I had gotten out cash to pay them for the ride and for letting me stay there for the other night - but they said it was all free! I then had all these extra euros that I didn't know what to do with, so I went to a chocolate shop in the airport and bought my family A LOT of chocolate! 

On my flight to Frankfurt, I was chilling and reading my book. The guy next to me would not stop commenting every two minutes on what he was reading from my book over my shoulder. I was so annoyed. Also, he had a really thick accent, so I couldn't have even had a great conversation with him if I tried... nor did I want too. Get your own book dude.

My flight from Frankfurt to Philadelphia was everything I hoped it would be. There was no weird guy reading over my shoulder and I had my own TV to myself and I had free alcohol. Those are the flights that I wouldn't even mind if they were longer. It was a great 9 hours.

I watched some great movies, met some interesting people and was home before I knew it!