Hello Feisty women,
Did you ever have one of those airplane flights that you would rather forget?
I recently returned from a short vacation, rested and rejuvenated from the change of scenery and climate but getting to my destination provided a bigger challenge than I would have ever imagined.
It started with a DELAYED reading on the airport monitor. I knew that this was a bad sign but continued through the TSA check-in anyway. After checking through the screening area, I re-read the monitor and soon heard my name being called to the return to the TSA . It seemed that I was so stressed about the delay and wondering if I could make my connecting flight that I simply walked out of the area without my wallet and bag. I remember putting everything back into one bag but I forgot to pick it up from the conveyor belt. Good thing they like searching through our bags because my license was in my wallet, which was in my purse, which was in my backpack, which led them to my name. I was afraid that I had done something wrong but the very kind lady (not something you find among TSA employees very often) handed me my wallet and license and bag with a big smile on her face. Apparently other travelers had left things behind as well on many occasions and this was not unusual to her at all.
My first flight was delayed twice and then cancelled. I was re-routed to another airport but that airport was closed shortly thereafter. Undaunted, I was given another flight only to be told that all airports in the are were also closing because of the weather. I returned to the counter and got the last seat on a 6am flight the next morning. They gave me a seat in first-class and I thought that my travails were over but they were just continuing.
So where would I go? My drop-off ride was not available. My friends living in the area were on vacation. I spent half an hour looking on line for a hotel room under $155 for a one-night stay. No luck. When younger, I would have spent the night in the airport, but not now. I tried 3 rental car companies before I finally found a car to drive home. To make the night a complete bust, I opened the car to a huge waft of cigarette smoke. I thought that cars were all “no smoking allowed” but I was wrong. I had all of the windows wide open all the way home but that trick really killed the gas mileage. I sprayed the car that night and the next morning but the scent still remained.
At 12:30 the following morning, my phone rang to let me know that my flight again had been rescheduled for 2 hours later. By then, I was awake and had difficulty attempting to go back to sleep. I arrived for my flight but found it to be rescheduled once more. My story was just one of many that I heard from fellow travelers. We were all just waiting to get to our vacation destinations and valiantly trying to keep our sanity and sense of humor.
As I waited for my now 5-times (I think) cancelled/ rescheduled/ re-routed plane, I decided to have a bite of breakfast at the airport. That was another big mistake. I love to drink tea but this tea was like none that I have ever drunk. I made so many trips to the bathroom that morning that I stopped counting. Never ever again will I drink hot tea when I am traveling anywhere. I should have just moved into the bathroom. It was an even bigger problem when I had to get to my connecting flight, which was in a totally different terminal. I hit all of those bathrooms as well. Maybe I should have had one of those airport taxis drive my back and forth to the bathroom. It would have been easier.
I finally reached my destination and collapsed on the bed in the hotel. I was so relieved to be off of the airplane and no longer needing repeated trips to the bathroom that I did what any feisty lady would do: I ordered a big piece of chocolate cake with my meal and passed on the tea!
And yes, my vacation was fantastic!