A week later, we finally had our plane tickets to L.A.—but not without plenty of second-guessing and re-planning along the way. Initially, we aimed to snag the cheapest tickets possible, with one or two layovers and no checked luggage, thinking it would be more economical to buy whatever we needed in the U.S. And, of course, we planned to book one-way tickets, leaving our return flexible for when work or the end of our visas would call us back home.
Little did we know, those dreamy €270 one-way tickets would not be the ones we’d end up buying. Our friend Bogo gave us a much-needed reality check. First, he reminded us that we’d need round-trip tickets to enter the U.S., as immigration and border control require proof of departure. After reevaluating costs, we realized it would actually be more economical to buy most of what we needed here in Romania, despite the logistical challenge of carrying everything.
In the end, we lucked out with a round-trip ticket from Cluj (our closest airport) to L.A., with a layover in Istanbul. The fare included one carry-on (8 kg), one personal item, and two checked bags (each up to 23 kg) per person—all for €804 per person. To err on the side of caution, we also purchased a €313 flexible insurance policy for the 3 of us, in case we had to change plans up to 24 hours before departure. Initially, we thought the insurance wasn’t worth it, but with a young child, you tend to prepare for the unexpected.
As I write this, we’re less than six days away from departure, and Alecu is just recovering from a bout of flu. Some small worry I try to shake lingers in my mind, hoping we can all stay healthy and make it to the plane on time.
We found our tickets using Momondo (momondo.com), our go-to for searching for affordable flights, and booked through Booking.com. The process was easy and seamless. After double-checking the reservation on Turkish Airlines’ website (turkishairlines.com), everything looked good. Fingers crossed the rest goes as smoothly—online check-in 24 hours before departure, and we’ll be set for this adventure.
With the ample luggage allowance, I decided to stock up on everything Markus might need: clothes, shoes, accessories, storybooks, drawing supplies, and more. Black Friday sales in Romania came just in time, and I also found great deals secondhand on OLX. If you’re curious about how we’re packing, especially for a child who doesn’t use a phone, tablet, or screens (I can’t even imagine how overstimulated a highly sensitive child would be with that kind of access!), I’ll be sharing a detailed list soon.
Our flight is scheduled for November 27 at 9:50 a.m., giving us just the right amount of time to wake up, survive the inevitable morning meltdown, drive an hour to the airport with a friend, and arrive by 8:00.
Of course, we know how plans go—they rarely work out. But the thought is sent out into the universe, and Markus firmly believes that whatever you truly wish for and set your mind to will come to pass.
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