July 14 - “Benvenguts”

We have arrived.

I started to let that be the entire post this morning, but we do want some kind of record of this little excursion.  And it has had its interesting moments.

We made our way to DFW airport in plenty of time Wayne is a stickler for details like that, and since he and Sheri are by far the most experienced travelers among our little group, we pretty much followed his guidance blindly.  We were actually several hours early.  Wayne and Cary dropped the rest of us off at the terminal, and they went to park the cars.  Before they returned, however, the little app on our phone indicated a last-minute change in gate for our flight.  Well, three hours before departure isn’t really last minute.  But there was a positive.  We checked in our bags at that terminal and then we got to ride the Disneyworld tram thing over to a different one.  Weee.

And about the time we got there and got settled in with a bite to eat ... there’s another gate change.  Yep.  Back to the original terminal.  Different gate.  Back on the Disney train ride.  And then the delays began.  Generally came in fifteen minute increments. We were getting worried that it might even be dark by the time we arrived.  Of course that wouldn’t happen until 2 or 3 in the morning.

While waiting we met a guy affiliated with a group called Praying Pelican Missions.  They are a group of Catholic, Methodist, and Episcopalian youth heading to Alaska to lead Vacation Bible School.  The young man we met was one of their leaders.  He introduced himself as Brother Matthew.  I found out later that he is a monk who teaches theology at a boys military school.  Upon further investigation I found out they were heading to work at Radiant Church in Anchorage.  Ready for this?  Radiant Church is where our friends Kenny and Lauren attend.  Small world.  It got even smaller, though.  When we found our seats on the plane, who should be sitting next to me but ... Brother Matthew.

The flight was ... long.  5 hours and 53 minutes.  3,131 miles. I did something I haven’t done in, maybe ever.  I watched an animated movie and pretty much stayed awake through the whole thing.  It was that Spider-Man Alternate Universe thing.  Had some really cute parts.  Probably the highlight of the flight for me (other than sitting next to my lovely wife, of course) was the time Cary and I spent hanging out in the little crew kitchen areas with some of Brother Matthew’s kids.  One young man is considering attending Texas A&M Galveston, so I did have a few insights to share with him.  We did finally set down in Anchorage, with a reset on our watches and three extra hours to play with.  I have a new all-time favorite word that apparently means “Welcome.”  It showed up on the little TV screen when we landed.  No idea in what language.  Benvenguts.

The bus was waiting for us at the terminal.  Oh, excuse me.  It had a bathroom, so it magically transforms into a “Coach.”  Our driver talked ... and talked ... her way all the way to the Captain Cook Hotel.  We received our room assignments from the tour guide, who was already in town.  And finally we made our way to a restaurant in the hotel for some supper.  Or I guess it was technically dinner.  Isn’t that what you call it when you eat after 8 p.m.?  Problem was, our bodies thought it was sometime after midnight.  I did enjoy the fish and chips - fried halibut.  Chris had chicken gumbo.  Cary had bison meatballs.  Hmm. Interesting food up here.

We finally got to bed ... I have no idea what time it was, though.  The rooms are very nice.  Five star hotel and all.  The plan today is to go on a trolley tour of the city.  Then Chris and I will hook up with Kenny and Lauren for church and maybe some lunch.  The rest of the afternoon is sightseeing and souvenir hunting, I suppose.  And so it has begun ...

Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Chris has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Father, thank you for our successful flight.  Give us a great day at church and around town.  Amen.