As we were getting ready to land at the London Heathrow airport, the pilot came on to make the routine announcements. Then, he explains that our connecting flight to Paris had been cancelled, and the airline would accommodate us the best that they could for rebooking. It was then around noon. I assumed that there would be plenty more flights to be taken for the rest of the day. As I walked briskly to the flight connections desk, I hoped that there was not a long line as there were also quite a large number of others on that very same plane going to Paris as well. As I stepped off of the escalator, I realized that the line for rebooking was hours long. Apparently the entire airport was shut down for six hours as there was an incident that caused a plane to have to land there. 

Luckily, a girl in line behind me saw me in a panic, and she attempted to reassure me that it was all going to be fine. However, as we watched the situation escalate as more and more people entered the queue, we decided to take matters into our own hands. She called about a dozen numbers as she chatted with her mom, friends who lived in England, and her friends in Paris. I was amazed by how quickly that she worked. We decided to try to take the eurostar train to Paris. After making it through the passport check, we sprinted to find our luggage. However, the situation looked a lot like this. The airport had taken every piece of luggage that was on any of the domestic European flights off of their planes and placed them in the baggage claim area. They were organized by flight number and destination, however, it was impossible to decipher which pile belonged to which flight. After about two hours we found our bags.

The situation caused me to have to take a mini detour to the village of Datchet, England (an annex of England where our hotel was located). However, I see this situation as both a blessing and a curse. Of course, any time that plans are cancelled and you are forced to adapt, it is extremely stressful. However, I think that I made the best that I could out of the situation. I met a new friend. I got to see a part of England that I never would have known existed if my flight had not been canceled. I also got the chance to experience many different forms of transportation throughout my journey that I might not ever get to see again. 

I, of course, was lucky. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met that wonderful girl in the airport who decided to take me under my wing. However, I think a lot of important lessons can be learned from this situation. First, never underestimate the kindness of a complete and total stranger. Sometimes they can and WILL surprise you. Who knows? You might even end up gaining a great friendship out of it. Also, while we were struggling with toting our heavy bags all over the UK, there were a ton of helpful strangers. Young men dressed in their attire for a football match carried our bags down the steps to the metro. The kind strangers at the pub in which we ate dinner told us some of the local sites to visit. Everywhere we went, it seemed that complete strangers were completely willing to not only help us but to go the extra mile for us. Second, always have a back up plan. There is no way to tell when things such as this are going to happen. As unfortunate as what they are, if you have the information and the contacts to be able to formulate an alternative route at a moment’s notice, you will be eternally grateful. Third, take the time to stop and smell the roses. Even if you are stranded somewhere, make the experience worthwhile. Looking back on it, you will be grateful. 

Thankfully, I am now safe in Besan�on with my host family! I can’t wait to see where the remainder of this trip takes me.