We had a safe and peaceful early morning drive from Kardzhali – Sofia at about 5am local time on Tuesday.

The goodbyes were difficult.

The logistics were easy.

The scenery and sunrise? magical. And Stefan slept the whole way.

Our flight out of Sofia to Istanbul was a cake walk. Just over an hour and Stefan was as pleasant as ever.

When we landed in Istanbul we went straight to the airport lounge. For €30 per adult, it’s totally worth it to inhabit a clean, quiet, comfortable space for our 3 hour layover. Food, drink anf WiFi included.

I think our look was reminiscent of the trash lady in David Bowie’s Labyrinth. Perhaps an extreme comparison.

The flight from Istanbul to Boston was long. So very long. We had a basinette seat again. Stefan wanted no part of it and chose to rage all flight while I looked longingly at that sleep space, wishing I could fit. Stefan was not great at seizing the opportunities that this flight had given to him.

As baby was not going to settle, I strapped him onto the carrier and bounced him around the aircraft galley area. Trying to find space is, of course, a challenge. But, it forced me to meet and chat with some great people. Met a womam who designs jewelry / Istanbul based but LA bound; a woman who owned a north shore pizzeria that has been in her family for 40 years; a man who just rennovated a home in the Balkans and, best of all, a flight attendant who asked me if the smell coming from the lavatories might actually be attributed to me and the dirty diapers he thought I might be hoarding in the basinette.

Really dude? I had a hard time responding appropriately to such a foolish accusation.

We took turns bouncing the babe all around. He slept for maybe a cumulative hour during the 9 we spent in the air. I’ve never been so envious of passengers watching movies and napping and drinking a cold beverage and eating dinner, all cozy in their marginally reclining coach seat.

We landed safely in Boston and made it home, somehow.

It is much more fun to reflect back, days later.

It’s good to be home.