Our recent trip down to California was a much needed vacation from the record-breaking snowiest winter ever recorded in Alaskan history. In addition to the warmer weather, we were showered with love and fun times while visiting aunts, uncles and cousins. The only down side to our short little getaway was that Brian couldn't join us due to preparations for an upcoming overseas trip and immediate training that needed to take place for his newly assumed job. Although I joke and tell him he had quite the kush and relaxing 10-day break from me & the kids, he really stayed busy with 12-hour days at work. I suppose we will just have to take another trip soon to sunny California so that he too can enjoy a little vacation.
As most of you know, the kids and I traveled down to California complements of the US military... Space-A travel. After tracking flights for almost 2 months to try and determine any type of regularity when it comes to the HOP flights out of Elmendorf AFB, I decided that the last week of March and/or the first week of April seemed to be the best time to travel.
Despite a slight hiccup with a last minute change in flights (cancelled one day and it departed the next), the kids and I were ready to take our first Space-A flight on a military aircraft. We showed up at the passenger terminal with all of our goods (which someone might have mistaken for a small Household Goods Packout when you PCS bases). With 2 suitcases, 1 travel pack-n-play bed, 1 double jogging stroller, 2 mini-travel pillows, 2 kiddy backpacks, 3 car seats, and 1 super-duper big travel backpack for me that Brian called my "Bug Out" bag (because it included one his military bags)... you can see why we had quite the large load. Thank goodness all but the backpacks and Marilyn's car seat were checked baggage.
We arrived pretty early in the morning and we earned our 4 seats quickly (even as Cat V passengers). Have I mentioned that it was FREE? Yep. Free! The kids hardly had time to play in the very newly renovated children's play area before they called for all the passengers to go through security. We said our goodbyes to Daddy and told him to have a nice relaxing and quiet week without us (ha-ha... he worked his butt off).
After making our way through the gate, we waited only a short time before we loaded a bus and we were transported across the flight line to the waiting C-5 aircraft that was hauling cargo down to Travis AFB that day. We were just hitching a ride with the cargo... that is ultimately what Space-A travel is all about.
Once we got off the bus, we were helped onto the aircraft by the most helpful airmen ever. It was hands down the best customer service I have ever experienced in any industry - and most certainly the airline industry. And it wasn't just the low-ranking Airmen... it was also the Senior leadership that stopped to help and offer their assistance. Whether it was carrying the kids up the loading ladders to the top deck or getting little kid band aids to help secure the earplugs in their ears (it is quite loud until you get used to the roar of the engines during the flight). Never having traveled on a military aircraft, or Soldier Plane as Thomas called it, I wasn't sure what to expect when we got inside. I will just say this... it is enormous. Passengers were seated in small section of the upper deck. I was surprised to find that the seats were set up like those of a commercial plane... center isle 3 seat rows on both sides. The Hecks were lucky that day because we had 6 seats to ourselves with tons of leg room. We quickly made ourselves comfy with Thomas & Abby on one side and Marilyn and me on the other side. The kids stayed busy playing and entertaining themselves almost the entire 4+ hour flight.
Because this isn't a commercial airlines, there are no stewardess' that walk up and down the isles taking your drink order and passing out snacks. HOWEVER, when you fly Space-A you have the option of purchasing a boxed lunch for less than $6. I decided this day to purchase two of them for our flight. To my surprise, the young airmen delivered them to our seats shortly after we reached cruising speed & elevation.
Can you say too much food?
Thomas' earplugs.
He didn't have any trouble keeping them in, but the girls had to have little band aids put over them to keep them secure. Needless to say, we all got pretty good at lip-reading and using our hand gestures to communicate during the flight. In all seriousness though, it wasn't bad at all. It's like having seats on a commercial airlines that are near the back of the plane... but louder. Not a big deal in the big scheme of things. Remember, its a cargo plane and we are just tagging along. Oh, and its FREE.
With 15 minutes left in the flight, Abby finally crashed out and took a short nap. 5 minutes after this picture was taken, Thomas was also asleep. Poor guy was so excited about landing too... he missed all the action.
Once we were on the ground at Travis AFB (which is less than an hour north of San Francisco/Oakland), we sat outside with all of our baggage while we waited for the rental car company to come by and pick us up. Needless to say, we were there waiting much longer than I had expected. The upside to the longer-than-usual wait was the beautiful sunny & warm weather that greeted us... not to mention the green grass!
I'm not sure Marilyn knew what it was - poor little girl only knows a life of snow. Thank goodness the snow up here in Alaska is finally melting at lightening speed. We have less than 2 feet left of the white stuff in our front yard and already the dead, brown, wet grass is showing its face to the sun hoping to dry out and grow in the next month. And yes, Marilyn did try and eat the grass. And yes, she did giggle as it tickled her toes.
I wasn't the only Mommy who let her children run around and burn off some built up energy after the flight. Despite the unexpected wait for the rental car, it really was nice to just seat down in the sunshine and relax.
This doesn't even include my two suitcases. Please notice the double backpack that is attached to each other underneath the pack-n-play. It is huge. That is what I carted around on my back. Yes, I'm sure I looked like a mule.
After almost 10 days of enjoying visiting with family (blog entries will follow over the next few days), we headed home this past Sunday... Easter. Unfortunately for us, we tried to leave on the flight which was scheduled the day before, but there were only 10 released seats for passengers which meant that as a Cat V passenger... our chances were limited. Needless to say, we didn't get on. Instead of us getting on, a mom traveling with her 2 young kids who had been stuck at Travis for 4 days with no luggage (commercial airlines lost all of them) while trying to get back to Japan where they live. And all of that is after traveling for 35 days visiting family in the states while her husband is deployed to Afghanistan. I'm pretty sure she deserved those seats much more than we did. She told me that if she got on, she would then try and take a HOP from Elmendorf to one of the bases in Japan. My fingers crossed she got there quickly.
The following day was Easter and luck was on our side... we earned 4 seats on a C-17 aircraft which was returning to Elmendorf AFB that night. Again, I wasn't sure what to expect but Brian (and many other passengers) told me that this was his favorite aircraft to fly on.
It was completely different than the C-5... there was no small little passenger area in the upper deck. Instead, the passengers sit in "bucket seats" that line the perimeter of the aircraft. Picture military men & women with their gear all being transported to some determined location. That was us that night. It was really cool. Here are Thomas & Abby already with their ear plugs/protectors on while listening to a crew member give some directions and helpful advise.
Some of the cargo
We took off shortly after 9:30pm, but not before an emergency potty break by a little 2-year old as we were starting to taxi down the runway. Once back in our seats, with what seemed like seconds to spare, we took off into the night sky. Needless to say my little kiddos were tuckered out. They slept the entire 4+ hour flight home.
I think one of the neatest things about flying on the C-17 was that everybody just found a spot on the floor with their pillows and blankets and went to sleep. The kids were no different. I made sure they were cozy and covered (got a little chilly) and just let them fall into their dreams while we headed home to see Daddy.
There are so many stories and pictures to share about our adventure down to California. I hope to have a blog or two each day sharing the fun times we had with the Fieberlings/Brennans/Sullivans/Wests!
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