I am finally in Ireland!

 My trip initially started out well but quickly went bad. 

The Link train came with perfect timing and then the plane to JFK left on time. 

I did rush for the bathroom before boarding and lost my ear buds. Minor mishap compared to what happened next.

I lost my brain! Yes, my phone fell out of the seat pocket and crashed with an ominous thud onto the metal between seats, damaging the screen right in the middle. I could only see half the display. I couldn't see the code in order to unlock it or even turn it off. I couldn't call my cousin meeting me at the airport.  I couldn't take photos of Ireland from the plane.

At JFK I tried to find a cell phone store open at 10:00 pm without success.  In the terminal where my connecting flight was there were barely any restaurants open. I had a lukewarm cheeseburger at a take out place about to close and then a beer at a Mexican restaurant/bar about to close its drink service.  

Wifi in the airport on my tablet was very iffy. I did manage to email my cousin after a few attempts. 

The flight to Dublin was due to leave at 9:40 pm and the flight from Seattle taxied on the runway for 40 minutes so it was late coming in. I probably would have missed my connecting flight if it hadn't been delayed. I naively hoped I could get my phone repaired in the airport after I saw my flight was delayed until midnight, and then 1:20 am.

And then they changed the boarding gate. Why, oh why, are the moving sidewalks not moving? The big 15 lb backpack plus the 10-11 lb backpack on my front was starting to weigh me down.

We did finally leave at 1:20.

The young woman next to me on the NY to Dub flight had a black eye. She and her two friends had gone to Tulum, MX for vacation and as soon as they arrived they took a taxi and their taxi was hit by another car and all 3 young women had injuries.

Yes, it could be worse.

I am supposed to pick up my repaired phone tomorrow at 11 am. It will cost $230 just to replace the screen.

My cousin and his wife were waiting for me at the airport. They have been great!