He's Back!!!

After three long weeks and a very large suitcase of dirty laundry later, Riley is now home. Although it really is only for a few days (off to Montreal and Rio de Janerio on July 8th), I have decided that its all about quality of time spent and not quantity.

As this blog is meant to share my thoughts of what its like being Riley's mom, I must first report on how Riley went to great lengths at the end of his trip to make sure that I still felt purposeful in his life.

First sign that a fifteen year old, no matter how worldly, is going to have some trouble - frantic cell phone call from Berlin Airport - Mom - "I left my passport in my hotel room in Rostock". ( you need to know Rostock is a 2.5 hour bus ride - good news is that he did get himself to Berlin in time for his original 6:45 flight - caught a ride with the Cubans - resourceful kid). While he tried to figure out how to get his passport to the airport, I started researching alternative flights to Frankfurt that would still get him to connect with his Frankfurt/Montreal leg. After several cell phone calls later, he was able to get a hold of the hotel and arrange for the Canadian team (they left for a Berlin flight leaving at 9:40am) to bring the passport with them. I booked him a 1 way ticket on Lufthansa (Air Berlin had no feasible options) to the tune of $450! I did it on-line and used his credit card (good thing there is fine print) so he could claim it on his end. I did try and get him to talk to Air Berlin about going ahead on the flight and having the passport forwarded on the Lufthansa flight as freight but he was too worried he wouldn't get it as English was a challenge with some of the airlines. I was worried about the time he would have to change his ticket. His passport arrived in time and he caught a 9:35 am flight to Frankfurt - arriving at 11 - still 2.45 hours to exchange the ticket.

An hour later - another worried cell call - "Mom -they say I have a reservation but my ticket isn't paid for". She says its going to cost lots and lots of money". I'm reading and re-reading the email directions from our travel agent who provided the directions for the change (see previous blog re changes to Riley's travel) and I tell Riley that I'm sure that is not the case and ask him to tell the agent to read the file again. then I ask, "did you give her your paper ticket?" He digs in the bottom of his training bag (he's been travelling 3 weeks remember) and pulls out a crushed ticket. The agent smiles and says - "no problem - this will take half an hour but you have time to make the flight". Riley tells me - "I didn't know I had to give her the ticket - I thought it was all in the computer".

Lesson learned there for me to give him more detail - I thought I had explained it but I didn't write it down for him. He told me after that he could have easily thrown that part out - kids just aren't used to using paper tickets any more! Cell phone went dead so I never did hear if he made the flight but I caught up with him in Montreal eight hours later where he was pleased to report an upgrade to First Class made his trip across the Atlantic much more comfortable.

It was a sleepless night for me but so worth it as my son returned home safely and I felt needed again.