This is my final blog as there were too many exciting experiences to keep to myself regarding my trip home.

Courtesy of FIVB U.S. Women's National Team on the podium after winning the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix. I woke the morning of the 30th with an adequate amount of courage to tackle the 24-hour trip to get back to Kaua‘i. Since I travelled separately from the team, a car took me to the airport. We stopped at the officials' hotel to pick up the Argentine referee. It would take him at least twice as long to get to him home, so I was feeling pretty good until our cab driver started weaving around huge semi-trucks in the rain. I saw my new friend cross himself about 10 times.

A huge storm was hovering over the Ningbo airport and all the flights were delayed. That wasn’t such a big deal except that I would have to claim my checked bag in Qingdao and get to the other end of the airport and recheck it. We finally boarded only about a half an hour late so I was greatly relieved. As soon as the door was closed and everyone seated, the flight attendants started serving breakfast and coffee while we were still at the gate. I had the sneaking feeling that this was not a good sign. Now I was trapped and time was ticking by.

I thought of every possible scenario from getting stuck in Qingdao without any English-speaking person for miles, to demanding to be let off the plane and just start over. At least in Ningbo, I could find someone from the organizing committee to help me reschedule my flights. I tried to explain to the flight attendants showing them my itinerary. They smiled politely, said OK and then left me sitting and worrying. I asked two more times. The guy next to me seemed very annoyed.

Finally they came and got me so I thought they were taking me off the plane but we went to the front of the plane and they put me on a cell phone to talk to someone who spoke English. He already understood the problem. He said my flight was leaving in a few minutes and that I would have 15 or 50 minutes to connect. I could not hear him clearly and there was nothing I could do. Doing my own figuring…I’m sure he said 15.

About this time water started dripping in a steady stream from the overhead bin onto the guy next to me. At first I was concerned that the plane was leaking but it was so funny watching his reaction. The attendants came and discovered that the lame brain seated in front of us had a plastic bottle in her bag overhead, with some kind of stopper that obviously wasn’t stopping all the water from leaking out, filling the overhead bin and dripping on the guy. So the male flight attendant ran up front and came back with a roll of toilet paper, because as you know, this is really absorbent and would surely sop up all the water. So the two attendants stuffed toilet paper up into the spaces over his head and used it to wipe up the water in the bin.

The flight attendant assured me that there would be an agent at the gate waiting for me to help me. I was first off the plane and there was a little gal there to help. She escorted me to the baggage claim and told me, “You have 10 minutes”. After a couple of minutes waiting for the bag, I asked her if she had called Korean Airlines to tell them I was on my way and to wait for me. Not much English on her side. She looked confused, but she did finally understand and it was clear that this was a new idea, so she started calling people. After about three calls, she assured me that it was ok. She told them I was coming. I got my bag and she said with a look of defeat, “You have 5 minutes”, as if she meant to say in her limited English, “You are screwed, now what do you want to do?” To her surprise I yelled, “RUN!” and off we went, she in her heals and me pushing the trolley behind like two crazed people.

We reached the elevator and I implored the man standing waiting with his trolley, “I only have 5 minutes!!!” He let me take the elevator first. As the doors opened I could see the Korean Airlines ticket counter dead ahead. Can you imagine, there was no one remaining in line to check in for the flight to Seoul? I ran up, now sweating like a cow and they assured me I would make it. When they gave me my boarding pass, they said….RUN!

So off I went again. Turned the corner and saw three lines of about 15 each waiting for passport control. I didn’t even blink but ran right to the front and screamed at the lady in the front of the line….”I only have 5 minutes”. I’m sure she thought I was a terrorist and she looked frightened and motioned for me to go ahead.

…Closer…then the agent showed me my Debarkation card that I never filled in and pointed to it and said, "Empty." I pleaded ignorance but he insisted. So squinting to read it and fill in the right info, I scribbled the information and jumped back in the front of the line. He smiled and said “no problem”, pointing to his watch. I was still not comfortable that this plane was waiting for me.

I got past him and scurried to security check. Three people in front of me all with their stuff already on the conveyer, so I had to wait...an eternity...while they wanded each one. I could see my Gate #7 over the top of the security partition just ahead of me. I was tempted to scream out, “Wait for me, I’m here.”

I was next to go through the scanner and this Chinese lady was crowding close behind me like she was going for an end around play. I edged over and thought to myself, “No way you are getting ahead of me so just back off. I grabbed all of my things and ran around the corner and the three gate agents were smiling, waiting there for me. I had stopped breathing like a pit bull but was now one hot and sweaty mess. I found my seat. I felt like Pig Pen with that little cloud that follows him around. I’m sure the guy next to me was thrilled to sit next to this steaming gringo. However, I’m certain that the smell of Kim Chee in the Korean Airlines plane covered any possible odor coming off of me. Throughout most of this entire experience I kept thinking...my husband wants us to compete on the Amazing Race.

The worst was over and I made it to Seoul, had a small pizza and walked around waiting for the nine-hour flight back to Hawaii. It was a great flight considering I slept for seven hours. There was a short layover in Honolulu, and little hop on to Kauai where my husband was waiting with a flower lei. I can laugh now, but getting out of Ningbo was stressful.

After two fabulous weeks with the team, I guess I might have been disappointed with an uneventful trip home. It’s great to be home with a lot of great memories to add to my adventures.

Thanks for reading. Our Championship photo is attached.

Aloha,

Laurel