h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Mum and Dad should have been home from holiday hours ago.

It's only now that you realise the last time I heard from them was 4 days ago.

And all I can get on mum's mobile is some sort of busy signal.

I've had Nan on the phone just now who is pretending she isn't panicking and doing a terrible job of it.

And well her mood is infectious.

I could ascribe it to any number of things: bad weather; congested airport etc etc. but at now getting on past 5 hours when we were expecting to hear from them the silence is....worrying.

So.... now what?

Bed I suppose eventually see if they turn up overnight - but I can't imagine what that'll do to Nan and frankly I'm starting to wonder what I should do.

Is there any way to phone where they've been staying/airport and see if they've checked out/in?

Not much to say here

Well I was thinking about that. But then I realised they didn't really stop and tell me where they were staying. I know the general area but not the name of the hotel etc.

I'd have t go trawling through their emails to find it I expect.

I know they were supposed to be landing back at Liverpool for example but whether they did or not I don't know - I keep thinking weather was awful, the flight was delayed, they've checked into a hotel and just fallen asleep etc etc. but in all case I'd have expected a phone call or a text or some description saying what they were up to.

If you've got access to their email accounts, check on the tickets to get the flight number and airport and then check the airport website. That'll tell you if the flight has been delayed.

If the flight has been delayed, the tickets will also give you the name and abbreviation for the airport they left from. Again, you can check this out to see if there is any reason for the delay.

your parents are probably sat in a foreign airport in an area where they can't use their phones; waiting and waiting for their flight. Be prepared with plenty of hot water for long soothing baths and

You can check to see if the plane was delayed or maybe call your equivalent of the Highway Patrol to find out if there have been road closures.

Well here is what I have done.


I found the hotel - and dad has booked the car parking space until TOMORROW.

So maybe this is just a futz up with the date. In any event the night watch at the hotel are going to look for the car registration - tell me tomorrow morning if it's there or not.

Meanwhile just got off from speaking to John Lennon Airport - and their advice was wait 24 hours (as the futz ups over dates is apparently pretty common) and then if they still haven't turned up to call the police - as it is only they who have the authority to access customs , flight manifests etc and see if they boarded and where, whether they went through customs etc.

3rd phone call from Nan. It's going to be a LONG night....

Been looking for the flight number but can;t find it, either as a record in their email or just written down somewhere; which is odd as mum especially would usually be fastidious about that sort of thing.

One further bit of evidence in-favour of getting the date wrong - on the calendar it say they are home tomorrow, which tallies with how long the car space is booked for at the hotel (which is the concierge tells me tomorrow is still there - would also agree)

So those being the facts, mum and dad are guilty of sending out some VERY mixed messages as both me and Nan were operating under the assumption that they were coming home on Tuesday.

If they haven't turned up by tomorrow...well then things are going to get interesting fast.

I hope it was just a date mixup. Is it possible that, when they told you and your Nan when they'd be returning, they didn't mention the day of the week, just the date? Because I can see getting numbers mixed up easier than names.

Ah-ha!

Just got a text message from them - so looks like all is well.

They are going to get 1 massive hug when they get home, followed by 1 massive telling-off in that order!

Are they leaving tonight and arriving tomorrow our time?

glad it's all mon amour

Smashing news after the storm!!!

You can now get to bed and relax!!!



Man


GT

Phew!!!

It's awful, isn't it, waiting & wondering & trying to stay calm &

Did they maybe forget the time difference if they were travelling somewhere far away?

zdt

Phew.

Glad to hear it, Clive.

Great news

It is a relief.

and yes, is great advice - tougher in practice, although reading back my own messages form last night I don't think I did too badly.

I don't see the time difference being an issue - they are in Italy it's only GMT +1

No, I think what happened is they booked everything for the 17th but TOLD us everything was the 16th.

Parents: who'd have 'em?

You will have to outparent them this evening: "Where were you? We were so worried Couldn't you have sent a message", etc.



And it seems that you could spend a normal night then too