Made it to Washington, Dulles

After one of those nights in which you wake up every hour thinking "is it time yet?" we left for the airport at 4.30am.  Frost was groaning and had bed hair while Wren popped right up hearing noises and kept up a constant discourse on "I never drove in the night before!  This the best day ever.  I LIKE going on the airplane!"

Thunderstorms on either side of the plane

His tone changed a bit midway into the flight after the captain announced we were deviating to "avoid twin thunderstorms on either side of us."  Wren started crying and asking if we had to fly into the thunder and would the plane start burning.  Um.  This was all asked VERY LOUDLY to the concern of a Romanian lady sitting behind us who was clinging to the armrest.  After some reassuring he kept peering out at the clouds but felt better.

The plane was very full.  It was actually overbooked by 15 and many people were turned back with overstuffed hand luggage.   United is really bargain basement these days.  It feels as if you are stuffed in - I'm not large but I barely fit in regular economy and Wren's feet hit the lady in front (many times) about which she was quite graceful.  Thankfully, we got off on time and have now landed in Washington, checked into SAA and found our next flight (via Senegal) to be on time.

All around the skies are dark with mountains of thunderclouds but its sunny and clear at the airport.  It was a bumpy descent and I felt a bit ill because we didn't have a good view out our window because we were seated over the wing.

Wren enjoying Frost's "alien spaceship" sticker book

We have just finished Sushi lunch and are off to Ben and Jerry's for a last icecream before the long haul flight boards in an hour.  We have found a power point to recharge the iPad!!!