To start the fun off , Saturday when Wally went to print out my boarding pass exactly 24 hrs before my flight we realized my ticket wasn’t for Sunday at all. It was for Monday! Not generally a mistake you want to make when you are planning your holidays. In one way it was not a mistake just a misunderstanding as I did not book the ticket, my friend Joy did. And fortunately she knew what she was doing.
Anyhow after settling into the idea of getting a day of rest after all of Wally’s birthday festivities we enjoyed a relaxing Sunday together. I got a 5K run in this morning before being dropped off to the Airbus at 10 am. All was quiet and running smoothly until we got to the border.
That’s when things got a little intense.
I had my passport out, as did the 8 other passengers of the bus and my itinerary. No probs right?
Except for the part when the U.S. border official got to me and saw my itinerary and noticed the lack of a way home. Hmmmm …
Oops. I forgot about that part.
Joy and I had originally planned that I would be driving home with her across country with the kids to keep them company and then I would just get a one way ticket home.
I went ahead and got my ticket then Joy learned that she would have to leave for home earlier than planned due to her son starting school. She went ahead and booked another one way flight and airbus for me so that I could continue with our plans for my visit.
Sounds like a good solution.
Unless you are in a packed bus with 8 pairs of eyes staring you down because you may indeed hold everyone up from their vacations.
Yeah, I’m not generally the details person when it comes to trips. Give me my ticket and luggage and point me in the direction of the plane and I’m good. Beyond that I’m not really any help to anyone including myself.
(For example: When I go to the first airport I wandered a perimeter of about 5 feet for a few minutes until an airport worker came up to me and asked ‘Are you looking for something?’ and I replied ‘Departures?’ and this big hairy, burly man giggled (yes giggled) and told me where to go. Then I continued being lost, just on a different floor).
Anyhow, I said a few silent prayers and released myself to the fact I may not actually make my flight (as the official left us all for several minutes with my itinerary and did not look impressed, nor hopeful for me. In the end I write while in an airport so you can guess that I got the ‘Ma’am next time you MUST bring your full itinerary or you WON’T be allowed into the country’ talk. Insert *batting of the eyelashes* and a high yet soft pitched ‘Yes officer’.
Now fast forward to me in a frustrated yet somewhat silent rage of not being able to connect to the internet while putting in 4 hours at the airport.
Now let me fancy you with a list:
Top Ten Things I’d rather have skipped learning during my airport time …
1. People having loud yet private conversations on their cell phones for hours at a time.
I’m pretty sure these people make up things to talk about just so that they don’t have to quietly read a book. I mean it. They certainly aren’t talking about anything that matters. They just sit in their chairs and yap, going down their list of contacts putting in time. I get to be the lucky one that by the time the flight occurs I know their relationship issues, who’s birthday party is happening, why they are wearing white pants after labour day and who all did them wrong since they were in Kindergarten. If you’re gonna talk needlessly for hours on the phone find a booth!! I miss the concept of the phone booth (another good post on this one!)
2. Seeing everyone and their dog use their wi fi connection while I couldn’t seem to get mine running.
I swear the dogs even had laptops.
3. Wendy’s in the States don’t have chicken fingers!!!!
The injustices in this concept are monumental and devastating.
4. That you can’t say simply look for the word ‘Departures’ on signs to find where you are supposed to go.
Wally, you promised it would be that easy.
5. Candy is everywhere and it seems essential to the experience of the airport that I buy it up and eat it because what if my flight is cancelled (you know and I can’t get the free pretzels and pop they give you in flight).
This caused me to purchase 2 for $7 bags of chocolate covered pretzels and Twizzlers and eat them all immediately (and also getting chocolate smudged all over my ‘Out of Chocolate – Life is Crap’ t-shirt that I was wearing and making me feel guilty for parading around in Lu Lu lemon workout pants and amazing Reeboks.
6. I need the fancy wheely deals for my carry on bag (or have it be a back pack).
Because when you pack 4 books, three magazines, 2 knitting projects, a lap top, over night toiletries and 2 bags of candies that are irresistible, you have a hard time lugging it around (especially when you also have a purse with another book, wallet, cell phone, ipod and such as well).
7. Everyone should have personalized luggage.
Seriously, it should be mandatory.
8. Airport chairs ought not be put so close together.
Really, who is going to sit that close to a stranger?
9. All airports need to have a gym and sleeping quarters.
I just think it’s true.
10. There shouldn’t be a ‘Watch your step as you are getting off of the walkway’ recorded message repeating a thousand times especially with gates nearby.
I say if someone is lazy enough not to walk (ok, ok or just can’t) they should at least be able to recognize when to exit the moving floor.
Ok so my airport time wasn’t really that bad at all I was just observing.
I am now, as I write, safely in the land of warmth and hurricane season completing this post under a strawberry shortcake printed comforter (the old school kind!!) in a little girl’s room. I am so looking forward to some good friend talks and fun kid quirks for the remainder of the week.
You know, once the after effects of the liquorice, chocolate covered pretzels and Wendy’s from yesterday wear off.
