Eclectic Stories from Albania, Part 1

But what would our trip be without its share of funny, strange, and ridiculous stories? Well, it certainly wouldn't be as interesting as it was. I doubt I shall do them all proper justice, but at least I'll try.

I suppose the first story that one of my readers would have me share took place on the very first flight, from LAX to Heathrow. Since our tickets had been bought last and separately from the rest of the group, poor Jon got stuck sitting next to me on nearly every flight. We were not so far from strangers on the first one, and I remember him making some attempts at conversation, which I probably fumbled a bit. After we were content with silence and keeping mostly to ourselves, it was nearly meal time. I don't know which meal it was, that's the confusing part of such long flights across time zones! But it was lasagna, and the smells mingled and wafted all across the plane from every direction (a good thing? you decide). And I was hungry! And excited, and probably nervous, and anxious, and happy, and tired, and...who knows what else. Finally food came; Jon and I shared a few words as he passed my food in from his aisle seat. Stomach rumbling, I lifted the foil lid and poked it with my spork. Think somewhere between TV dinner and cafeteria food. I don't know whether it was the food, the smells, the emotions, or the near-stranger next to me (ha ha), but all of a sudden, I really didn't feel so good.

Now, as Jon would tell it, he had just arrived at one of the best parts of the ride, had opened up his orange chicken or whatever it was, put in his headphones, reclined his seat, and got his little movie all set to watch, when--*tap-tap* "Um, Jon? I need to go to the bathroom."

"Right now?"

I felt bad. Yes, right now!! As I'd find out for sure later, he must not have noticed my pale clammy face of nausea. The poor guy sighed and slowly paused his movie... took out his headphones... lifted his tray table...unbuckled his seatbelt... and picked up his food to stand in the aisle to let me out. I thought it was a miracle that I made it to the bathroom in time!--although we now admit it may have at least made for a good story if I had indeed lost my lunch on him. ;)

Probably two or three weeks later, when "first impressions" came up in a group conversation, part of it went something like this:

"Wait, you threw up?! Why didn't you say so?!"

"What was I supposed to say?! Couldn't you tell I was in a hurry?" ;)

Fortunately, the rest of that flight (and even other ones where I had to sit next to Jon) was delightful. ;)

Another funny but short story, I suppose, was one night when a laughing Laura told me that I looked like a duck. I don't think she ever explained why, but we do have some interesting photos to go along with that equally interesting evening.