Sunday, July 6, 2008

You would never believe - airport story


Amman airport - people are waiting for flight to Istanbul, Aga is not there


People are getting into the place to Istanbul - Aga is still not there


All the people who were waiting are on the bord - Aga is not there


Amman Airport is sorry for Aga, she will not flight home tonight


But no!!! Aga is coming!!! How come? What happened?

read the whole story...


After two amazing weeks in Amman it was time to come back home. I went to the airport (with 4 more polish people and 4 swedish) to catch the plane Amman-Istanbul and then Istanbul-Warsaw. We came to the ariport with few friends but only people with tickets and passports could enter the airport so we say goodbye and went into the building.

Of course there was a lot of controls in the very baginning. First showing your passport and ticket to get into the airport, then lagguage and personal control. All females went to the special cabin and were searched (instead of going through the gates). After that my hand lagguage was marked that I have to go to the more detailed control.

Well that moment I was still having my passport in my hand. I went to the special table - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIRPORT WHERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE - and I have started taking out everything from my backpack (small one but I have a lot of things). The officer told that everything is OK and I have started packing.

Suddenly...


I realized my passport is gone. I am loosing a lot of things so I started looking for that. I was sure that it is in my backpack. Then I have asked polish group to help me, because I couldn't find it, and it is always better when someone else will look for that. After few minites the atmosphere was getting more seriuos and everybody was running around and looking for my pass. After around 30 minutes, after checking every lagguage by everyone, checking the movie from cameras on the airport - we didn't know where my passport is.

I am not flying with you...

Time for check-in was ending. I couldn't come so I told to my companeros de viaje that they have to check in, and take care about themselfs. In my head there was only one question - what next? I was trying to talk to those officers, but their English was pritty bad and they were saying all the time "don't worry" but not what to do.

After Polish Group came back from check-in we prepared they for going back and me for staying:
- i gave Ania all important documents - train tickets, other tickets and all I thought they might need
- I gave Ania all money thich we got for travel reinbursement
- I took the simcard with Jordanian number (I thought I will need that)
- I took from Grzes postcard to his Grandmather, he forgot to send
- I gave them all unnessesary stuff I had
- i ensure myself that I know what to do (with going to embassy, police and so one)

Looking on that from this perspective I was very calm and racional. I was freaking out only once, when I realized that I might not go to US for my exchange. Well of course staying longer in Jordan it will cost me a lot of problems in my University and my boss at work would freak out (especially that I was in the last phase of preparation to the next project, and only I knew whats going on). But from the other hand having a bit more holidays in Jordan it was tempting:)
I was laughing from to things - firstly we said with my Jordanian friends few hours ago - see you soon, and it was very soon, that noone was even dreaming about:) Secondly I had a lot of contacts with polish embassy in Amman already this year and it would be funny to go there and visit them and say that yes it's me the person who was anoying you for almost 2 months with calls, faxes, e-mail and so one:)

Splitting with the polish group


It was already time for me to go to police station and for polish group to go to transit. I have found some helpful people on the airport (especially the manager of Turkish Airlines - he was amazing! and so helpful thank a lot) and also that time I got SMS from one of my Jordanian friends, so I answered (I think not so polite) what happened and I was exchanging with him SMSes till everything was fixed.

I went to the police station on the airport, I was there not alone, of course I had to wait, but finally one policeman who could speak English came:) So some people were making the report and I was sitting and chatting with this one who could speak English. The guy from Turkish Airlines ensure me that I will not pay for a new ticket. I took some contacts where to call in order to rebook my ticket, I was getting my papers confirming that my passport was stolen (or I lost it - or something in between).

My phone start calling.


In the police station someone was trying to reach me. I was answering but there was no connections. Different numbers were calling finally - I have heard Ania, "We found it" - she was screaming - "We are next to the gate 12". I told it to this policeman who was standing next to me, so he run to take my passport, I took all my documents from the desk of policemen and the guy from Turkish Airlines start calling someone.

I still didn't know what is happening, it was late, I didn't know if I can fly tonight or not. But they stopped the plane and were waiting for me. This policeman who had my passport told me that he will not give it to me and he will company my till my plane. So I went with him to check-in. Noone was there but manager from Turkish Airlines was already calling someone who can open check-in (they even toom my backpack), when we went to border control, but there was no officer and they were also calling for someone, the funiest thing was that this guy even didn't have a pen and I had to borrow him.

And like that waking through the airport we afound gate number 12. Som eof my friends were already waiting for me. Big hug at first, then we started laughing. I couldn't stop. Last SMS that I am on bord, I sit down and felt that all the emotions are gone, totally! And not even connected with this situation, but also with all stay in jordan. It took me few seconds to put my Jordan's experience behind me, into some nice memories.

I was tired...

And where was my passport?


I still do not know how did they found it. They told me that my passport was in the pocket of one German guy. He realized that he has one additional passport and he gave it back. He told that he has no idea how this passport get into his pocket!

.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey Aga, did u meet Sami or Anas ?

Aga said...

Hey Panos,

I was trying to contact Sami, even I have found someone on facebook with the same name, but it was not this Sami, so unfortunately not,

but maybe on the beginning of next year I will be in Athens