Traveling
Mom and Dad got everyone together the afternoon before they were to leave. Dad said, “We need to have a few rules to keep everyone safe as we travel tomorrow.
“First, always stay with other family members, with either Mom or me in the group.”
“What if I have to go to the bathroom?” asked Ruth.
“Tell me, and I’ll go with you,” said Mom.
“Second, always keep your things with you. If you leave your backpack anywhere, someone may steal it. If security finds it in the airport, they may destroy it,” Dad continued.
“Third, keep this card with you all the time. It has your name and Uncle Mike’s phone number here. It also has our flight number and Grandpa’s phone number back home. When we check in tomorrow, we’ll add our gate number and give the card to you. If you get separated from us, you would have someone to call and know where to go to find us.”
“Why does it have two phone numbers?” asked Ruth.
“So that you have someone here to call before we leave. And you have someone there after we get home,” said Mom.
“Fourth, the final rule is: If you need help, ask a policeman in uniform or an airline person in uniform. Don’t talk to other strangers,” finished Dad.
Early the next morning they left for the airport. When they got to the terminal, they went right to check-in. They got their boarding passes and checked their suitcases as baggage.
Dad gave their tickets and passports to the airline agent. As she entered information into the computer, Paul asked, “Why do we need passports?”
Mom said, “Those are documents that prove we’re citizens of our host country. Whenever you travel to another country, you have to have them. They prove who you are and where you’re from.”
Dad soon returned with the boarding passes. He said, “We leave from Gate 14 on Concourse B.”
Mom quickly wrote “Gate 14, Concourse B” on the cards. Then she handed one to each child.
“What is a concourse?” asked Ruth.
“It’s just a large hallway that leads to the gates where the planes are waiting,” said Mom. Watch as we walk down it to Gate 14. You’ll see waiting areas and planes on both sides.
They got through security fine except for Dan. The metal detector beeped as he walked through. Dad said, “I thought you might have trouble with that big belt buckle.”
Dan went back and took off the belt. Then he walked through without a problem.
The family boarded the plane and took off only 15 minutes late. The flight was long, but they read books, played with toys, and wrote with things they had in their backpacks. They especially liked getting drinks from the flight attendants. They watched the movie, and everyone but Dad fell asleep for part of the flight.
After they landed, they got off the plane. They headed for Immigration. Looking at their passports, the man said, “Welcome back. You’ve been gone a long time.”
Dad said, “It’s good to be home.”
Ruth thought, “I’m not back. And it’s not home to me.”
Then they headed for the baggage claim to get their suitcases. As suitcases came around the carousel, it seemed like theirs would never come. Just as Esther said, “Do you think they lost ours?” one popped out.
They finally got all their baggage and headed for Customs. Paul asked, “What is customs?”
Esther answered, “It’s where they inspect baggage. They want to make sure you aren’t bringing anything into the country that you shouldn’t. For example, they don’t want you bringing in any fruit with insects. Insects could eat the fruit trees here.”
Right after customs they went through a door. Grandma and Grandpa were there. So was the other Uncle Mike. Some of their cousins were there too. The cousins had really changed. They looked so different that Esther and Dan hardly knew who they were.
There were hugs and kisses and lots of greetings. Then they went out to the parking garage and headed for Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
In the van Dad said, “It surely is good to be back. We’re really looking forward to this week with you all. It will be so good to see everyone at the church again.
“We have a cabin reserved up in the mountains next week. We need a week alone to get some rest after this busy time of moving.”
Things to do and think about
1. What were the four rules for traveling?