who has got family stranded by the volcanic ash?

[MrsShu]

me ! easy jet have cancelled return flight

Had a nightmare few days trying to figure out how to get dd and ds back from France. They flew out as UMs 10days ago to spend hols with their father and were ment to return yesterday pm but obviosly could'nt. Xh no help at all hes being realy about it all im soooo with him. Me and dh were not happy about sending the dcs over as UM in the first place as usualy we drive over drop the dcs off with xh and then go off and spend a week holidaying ourselves but im 8 months pg and so ob couldnt manage it this time. We went out of our way to arrange it so dcs could spent time with their father theses hols as otherwise they wouldnt see him till aug. I asked him to drive them back and even offerd to put him up in our annex for a few days but he insists he has to be at work at 7am mon or boss will be !!! TBH id rather an angry boss than 'abandon' my dcs but being who he is he only thinks of himself!!
Luckily a neighbour of ours came to the rescue this morning. Her parents are driving back from France tomorow and have offerd to collect dcs and bring them back with them !! It means an extra 2 hr driving for them but they were more than willing to help out in what could have turned into a messy situation!! Im just glad to know my dcs will be able to come home and will be well looked after on their journey back by a LOVELY couple who will spoil them rotten and have come to the rescue of a mum and sd who was seriosly considering swimming the channel to get to their dcs Im off to order the wicker chairs neighbour has said her parents are currently saving for, for their conservitory as a way of a HUGE thank you for what they are doing......good samaritans still exsist in the form of Mr and Mrs Herbert. THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH

Aw myboots that's a lovely ending to your story!

Myboots
Well done to Mr and Mr Herbert. So glad that you found a way to get your DC home

And a purple willy pox on your ex.

Lets just hope everyone else gets a happy ending!!
I spoke to DCs just before they went to bed and they are Sooooooooooooooooooo excited about comming home tomorow. Ds was terribly upset yesterday and i couldnt get an ounce of sense out from him for all the tears. It was breaking my heart to hear him like that as hes usualy full of fun and laughter. Dont think xhs attitude has helped. This was the first (and last) time they went as UM and im devistated that their 'little adventure' resulted in them being so upset that they have both said they 'never want to go to France again, never, never, never and a million times never'.. Im not sure what im going to do about XH yet but hes going to find out the hard way that u NEVER piss a mother off especaly one whos liable to give birth anyday!!!

That's so lovely myboots

Just caught up with the thread and thinking of all of you stranded or waiting - especially madascheese, maggots and myboots (was it a rule you had to have a name satrting with M if your kids are abroad without you? )

Norkily - great to hear that dh was on his way to mainland Europe

I'm stranded... just in my own country !

Had a week booked in Lanzarote with our children and friends and their children - was due to fly out Thursday at 1.30pm but woke up and saw the news...

Luckily we saw the flights were cancelled before we were due to leave the house but still a bummer!

Now we've got to try and get our flights money back and claim travel insurance money for the accommodation (if they will actually pay out!).

Off to centerparcs for 4 nights on Monday now with our friends. Felt sorry for the kids - they were so excited about the holiday!

Tbh though, things could of been a lot worse for us - feel sorry for people stranded abroad, trying to get home and people trying to go to weddings etc

Great story, MyBoots. Good to hear some good news on here, anyway.

I am near tears now. I just can't figure out how DH is getting back from sodding Spain.

There are no hire cars (internet rumour, but sounds plausible. DH needs to get finger out and CHECK). There are no trains (I was trying to book him onto Madrid-Paris train but he tells me the word on street is there are no free sleeper berths and you have to have one). There are no buses (Eurolines completely clogged). According to online booking sites, there are no ferry spaces from Bilbao or Santander for at least a week, although I've seen differently on other sites.

His latest plan is to join a large group of UK people on a hired coach to Le Havre. I have no idea how long he'll have to wait there for a ferry. He is over-tired and stressed, and being very passive about it all. Driving me crazy.

My sis and family stuck in Portugal are now rebooked on a flight home on Thursday. Waiting to see if that will happen!

But the lovely owners of the apartment they are in have let them have 2 free nights and then 2 at just 20 euros a night! And apparently the incoming people who are meant to be arriving on Monday have even offered to share with them til Thursday (although I don't think they will be arriving on Mon!).

Nice to know there are some good people out there.

On the other hand my Swiss student now has to face a 20 hr trip home overland starting at 5.30am Mon morning.

myboots, that is lovely!!!! Would they drive to Vancouver and get my DP please? I'll buy them a conservatory for their conservatory............

reshape, that sounds like a reasonable plan of your dh. get as close as he can and then with a bit of patience he'll be home.

not easy for you I know.

My DH in new york since last monday, his flight on thursday night didn't leave. He's now booked three flights home in the hope of getting on one at least - to dublin on mon, to heathrow on tue and to madrid on thurs although clearly that is worst option.

DS is only 4 and worried about his dad and the volcano, have tried to explain he's not in or near the volcano, just stuck behind it.

DD doing a project on volcanoes at school this month, highly topical now, spent friday afternoon at a friends baking volcano cupcakes. Is missing her dad.

Reshape
Sorry to hear that your DH is finding it difficult to get his finger out get back home.

Maybe post on the other thread to see if there is a MNetter in Grenada who can go and kick his arse help him evaluate the alternatives?

Still in Singapore. Latest rumour is that Qantas is going to fly everyone back to Australia and we wait it out there. I feel stuck in limbo. Running out of money. I am enjoying my enforced holiday but am panicking about work now.

Stuck in NY and missing my 2.8 and 7 month olds terribly. Hoping for a weather change...

Lou - are you out there on business?

Just seen on the news people have started buying cars as they can't hire them!

we are going to book the first available train journey today i think (don't know when that will be) and then try to speak to Easyjet about them paying for this....

dh might take the older children home by bus leaving me with ds2 (2yo) and very travel sick dd1. Thanks to mmeLindt and MysticMasseuse for your kind offers - will investigate whether it is even slightly possible that we can get home and then get back to you.

but first we're going skiing and going to forget about this for a few hours....

myboots - what a great story! so glad for you that ur dc are coming home!

my dh is starting his epic journey home today! he's been in athens for a meeting so thankfully the company are sorting it out (so he gets no sympathy up to a point!). But he's now on a 3 hour bus journey to the ferry, 18 hours on a ferry to italy, all day tomorrow on a bus to austria, overnight in austria then however long to get to frankfurt. very grateful to be living in germany at the moment!

so feel a wee bit sorry for him cause that sounds like a crap journey to make! but glad he's finally on his way!

hope the rest of you get something sorted soon - fingers crossed!

Just checked www.dfdsseaways.co.uk - they have spaces for TOMORROW Amsterdam-Newcastle - not everyone lives in the south-east - if you're in the north/scotland this might be an option and it's only a few more hours than Calais.

pollyanna - check www.snowheads.com forums - they are offering lots of advice on how to get back from the Alps, incl. rideshares.

myboots that is so lovely- nice to know there are some decent people out there- esp people who will voluntarily spend a car journey with children

My parents are stuck in Kuala Lumpur at the moment though they weren't due to fly home until tomorrow.Not looking at all likely that they'll be back on time.

Was also wondering about schools- have friends on fb who are teachers and are stranded. It's going to be fun tomorrow

Pollyanna - how are you doing hun? only just seen this thread, we have been stuck in Abu Dhsbi since Thuras, any one else here? xx

Pollyanna, just to reiterate. I hope you make it out, but if not- have house stuffed full of toys and spare room for you and dcs.

you can email me at themysticmasseuse at gmail dot com.

enjoy the skiing!

It's nice to see so many lovely stories of helpful people (thnking especially of myboots - but also of offers of rooms and MMs offer to link me up with her friend driving north).

Whilst I've always appreciated that my situation is pretty cushy, I've now accepted my fate as it were and have settled in for a weekend on my own in Milan. Once I'd managed to get a train booking yesterday it was as if a weight had lifted - I slept for 10 hours last night!

I am going to make the best of my unexpected weekend alone: I am following Franca's recommendations for tourist sights, I am fully using the spa here, and am rationing my books so that I can somehow get through the journey on Tuesday without going crazy with boredom!!

Wishing everyone else, at home and abroad, the best of luck.