The Rougher the Start, the Better the Trip (rant alert)

As I've probably complained to many of you, my trip was off to a rough start. 

It all started with the snowstorm in London on January 6.  Already sick, I sat in DC waiting to check into my flight for the next day only to find that it was cancelled already.   I was flying to Lisbon via London and the entire airport in London was closed.  I called British Airways and was warned of a 52 minute wait time to talk to an agent!  When I finally did talk to someone, I was told that they could not get me out of DC for 2 more days.    2 more days with AJ didn't seem too bad :) plus, I could get over this cold that I had caught. 

2 days later, when I arrived at the airport, I was told that my flight from London to Lisbon was already cancelled, but they would fly me to London anyways and just hope for the best.   He also warned me that my luggage would probably get lost if I didn't get it in London and recheck it.  I should have heeded this warning.  I arrived in a snowcovered London 2 days after I planned.

I was also able to get on an even sooner flight to Lisbon.  My bags, on the other hand, wanted to sightsee in London a little longer.  Upon arriving, I was told that the airline had no idea where my luggage was.  

After 2 days of living in the same clothes and still no sign of my luggage, I was finally able to buy some clean clothes and toiletries.  I have never been so thankful of clean underwear and a shower!

Despite my bags still being lost and only having been in Lisbon for a day, I decided to stick with my plans and go to Spain.  The trip went amazingly until the second to last day when I came down with the flu.  My trips to the farmacias went something like this. 

Trip 1:
me:  Tengo dolor de garganta (pointing to my throat)

Pharmacist hands me a box. I buy it.  At the room find out I just bough throat lozenges. Fail.

Trip 2:

me:  Esta todo usted tiene para dolor de garganta?  (is this all you have for a sore throat?) holding a box of some sort of herbal remedy.

clerk:  Yes.  If you want medicine, you have to go to a pharmacy.  Fail.

Trip 3:

me:  Tengo gripe (at this point, my spanish was limited to two word sentences)

Pharmacist:  Qual son su simptomas? 

me:  dolor (pointing to my throat, head, neck, back, etc)

Pharmacist:  you have the flu.  here is flu medicine.  Then, he goes to the back of the store (where they apparently keep the actual medicine and gives me some kind of drug)- Score! 

After 2 nights of cold sweats, the worst sore throat I've ever had, and resorting to only smoothies as nutrition,  I finally found some relief in Madrid.  All I could think about was getting 'home'.  Once again, I arrive at the airport to learn that my flight is cancelled.  There is no other flights to Lisbon, so I would have to fly out in the morning (which caused me to miss my first day of classes).  Luckily, they put me up in a hotel and I just took medicine and passed out.

Ah, the joys of international traveling! 
 I'm starting to see the quote above is true, though.  Having such a rough start has made me so happy about the little things I have now.  I came home to both my luggages and much better weather.  My flu is now just a cough and I have new bedding (which made me incredibly happy).    I guess when you start out rough, things have to look up!