So early around 3;30 am on the 31st morning, I was driven to the tiny Knoxville airport. It reminds me of the Goa airport before it became humongous and I really love it. There are around 5 desks of American Airlines and United and that’s all. Annika sweetly dropped me, as my son got called in for a procedure, right when I had to leave. Happens, but then a man’s life is at stake and I feel overwhelmed to think my son is the saviour. My mother’s heart is filled to bursting.

As I rolled my suitcases into the airport, the look of the waiting passengers said it all. Infact one lady just burst out to me, rolling her eyes and saying, no one at the desk yet and we were here from 12 midnight. I was not worried, as I know the three hour in advance rule only applies to huge airports. Little ones like this just need ½ to one hour check in time. That’s why I love them.

Sure enough in half an hour, one Check in officer arrived and started boarding passengers. As expected even though I was so worried about the weight of my bags, I was just 15 grams over and so Annikas weighing of my bags was perfect. Sadly no last minute shopping and the pure Tennessee honey and Beef jerky requests from London, thankfully were in the bag.

I do not have to carry a lot of my clothes as Annika sweetly has a whole cupboard for my things down to shoes,including several for the garden, house, running shoes and when we go out. It’s like I have a leg in all three countries!

The flights were uneventful and I enjoyed my aisle seat as always. Prefer the aisle from being cooped up at the window and worse in the middle. Two kids travelling to the UK to study from the US were my companions. They swore that the education in the UK was superior to the US. Made me feel good as one of my degrees is from the UK.

Chicago, O’Hare is a massive airport and I was worried with the two hour check in time being too short, for the next flight, but I need not have worried as it was as good, as a domestic flight and the gates were very close and my suitcases were checked through to London, Heathrow.

I was rather shocked by the quantity of Single Use Plastic in all the flights and feel airlines with such massive passenger loads, need to be more mindful of the environment. There is simply no need to wrap everything up in plastic. Such an utter waste, and every single passenger had the same quantity. We need to be caring of the kind of planet we are leaving our children. Or do we really only care about our well being and ourselves?

Landing in Heathrow I got ready for the massive lines at immigration. But, what was interesting was they have done away with the immigration check card, which we struggled to fill in as we stood in line, scrabbling for passport details etc. Now one just goes up to the officer, who clears you in minutes, especially if several visas are in your passport. Less is more, seems to be the adage now in these countries, though India had done away with it over a year ago.

My David was out waiting for me at Terminal 3 with a huge grin and a bear hug. It’s so wonderful to have my sons come collect me in their new home countries. I am so glad they respect and care for their parents no matter how well they are doing in their adopted home countries.