Monday Travels

Monday Travels

A funny thing happened today on the way to the airport. Ha! Sounds like some cheesy romantic comedy that starts  with showing several different people getting ready to or already traveling to the airport. Showing the stress of  some of the slightly neurotic ones dealing with traffic because they won't make it to he airport by 8 for a 9am flight. Some are stressing because they are indeed running late, and others are so conditioned to the process that it's like second nature at this point. Adding stops by their favorite morning market/coffee shop and holding brief conversations with "their cashier". Before squeezing out the door, into their vehicle, and down the side streets and back roads to airport where they have the usual speedy frequent flyer check in.

I think I'm finally starting to come into my 'own' traveling persona. With a mom who was a former flight attendant, you'd think I'd be able to identify myself sooner, but like a bottle of good wine,  these things take time. Take today for instance, I'm heading to the office at 530am but I need to be at the airport by 6/610 in order to check in and get through security and my office is 17 minutes from Dulles. Thanks to traffic I get to my office at 547am. I'm in the door and my PC is powered on by 550, gotta submit some time. 10 minutes later I'm powering down and heading back towards the door. In the car, on the road and calling bob, gps says my ETA is 617. Told ya.

At this point no panic has set in, not even the worry of missing my flight. This time a few years ago, I'd be freakin out. Now though, I'm cool, I take my time to check in, usually make a few more important calls (about travel) and then heading towards security with my backpack, and laptop in tow. Years ago when I started travelling alot, security was a pain in the ass, now though I breeze by as I now effectively know how to dress for the airport (and security). Comfortable, yet light, and nothing that's gonna take too long to take off and put back on after passing through. Like most, I try to look good while walking through the airport, nothing too dressy but casual enough to exemplify a certain style... my own. [note, some people prefer the "I'm traveling, not impressing or worried about anyone" style. To each his (or her) own]

While checking in (at 630) for my 7am flight, I type in my confirmation number on the self checkin kiosk and <ding> a message reads that my flight has been cancelled and a CSR hands me a business card with a number to call. Seconds later I'm on the phone and working on a flight change, still rather surprisingly calm. I hate automated phone systems so after unsuccessfully spelling the reservation to the system, that is evidently is taking my "Q" as a "C", I finally manage to get a real person, she actually sounds kinda a cute.

After explaining the issue and some kind words she has me rebooked on a 9am out of Reagan National (45 minutes away). Still calm I'm heading back to the car (good thing I didn't get dropped off, but then again, by who?), google maps and my traffic apps are telling me 40 minutes, not bad I start heading towards my car.

10 minutes later and  I'm paying 4 bucks for parking all of 38 minutes, oh well it'll be expensed anyway. Heading to National now, a few more calls are made and within the congested and slow moving areas, emails, texts, and FB status' are sent/updated. 745am and I'm pulling into the daily parking deck at National airport. I considered texting a friend to see if she wanted to grab a breakfast muffin or something, but she's on vacation this week so I'd rather not disturb her first morning of sleeping in. So instead I go back through the few things I have packed to ensure I have what I need despite the fact that it's too late anyway. Still just going with the flow.

My first real "oh shit" moment came when I checked in, again. My ID, the one thing I most definitely need, is not in the clear plastic holder in my wallet. "I know I didn't leave it at Dulles" are the words I spoke. Feverishly searching through my wallet  my heightened sense of urgency was quickly calmed as I found my ID behind my bank card. Wheww what a relief.

I now have 3, count em three! Neck pillows thanks to my recent purchase. One thing is for sure though, this one is staying in the car. That is if I ever make it back, because now I'm sitting on a plane, that hasn't left the terminal, due to a maintenance issue [TAKE YOUR TIME]. <DING> And there's the captain advising us that "this may take longer than expected". Headphones on and <DING>  'ladies and gentleman, we'd like to ask those who are travelling to St. Louis and Turks and Caicos to gather your things as we have found places for you on other flights". Excellent, so now I have 3 seats to myself. Minutes later, all the passengers return because apparently the document the pilot was waiting on has been delivered. Up, up and away.

Nothing to report about the ride.

We landed in Charlotte about an hour or so later and of course frantic passengers were rushing to get off the plane. So I went against the grain and took my time. After finally getting off I took my usual pace to the new terminal and found out that I wasn't the only person they were waiting on. So I took my place on the plane. Oh yea, the plane sucked, it was one of the propeller ones and it looked like it belonged in an episode of 'lost'. Oh well though, I passed out as soon as I hit the seat.

Landed in Augusta at 12:40pm  and in getting off the plane I was greeted by the absolute worst smell. It smelled like old fish and sewage and was so bad that I thought something was wrong with the airplane bathroom. But no, thats just how it smells in Augusta. Needless to say, I used the AC in the rental car for the day.

We'll fast forward through the work I needed to do but just know it got done, like always. I was back in the airport enjoying the usual beer and shot by 6:30p. I'm guessing that the whopping 3 people sitting at the bar was what urged the manager to close the bar early. So I got 1 for the road and took my seat near the airport windows. Shitty cell service so I put a few playlists together before we boarded the plane. Boring flight.

We landed in Charlotte at 8, so after a quick stop by the bathroom I made my way to the "D" terminal. I love this terminal, I've been here before, it kinda reminds me of the terminal in the first 'Die hard' movie, wide open and plenty of windows. Plus, its got a pretty good tequila bar sooo since I had time, I ordered some wings, some beers and of course some shots. In finishing my last shot [number 2] (and chicken wing) I noticed that the large amount of people that once stood at the gate I'd departing out of, were gone. Glad I saw this because apparently the flight changed terminals, but was still leaving on time...in 10 minutes.

So off I went to the new terminal which was prolly the equivilant of a block away. At this point it was no surprise that it was also delayed so waited I did. Finally we boarded and to my surprise, something happened that usually never happens. A relatively attractive female sat in the seat directly beside me. Guys will most likely take more or a liking to this than females because every guy wants a cute girl beside them on the plane [true story]. She was cute, so naturally I struck up a conversation and between that and the free shots [shout out to the flight attendants who will remain nameless] the flight flew by. lol (get it, flew by, lol). A junior at Texas university, she was going to DC to visit her mom for the holidays but knew she'd be bored at some point. So I recommended a few places to check out and gave her my card if she had any questions. ;)

All in all, pretty good trip. Most people would crack under the pressure I was on at the beginning, but at this point I was like, "ah screw, just go with it" and so I did. I like traveling and meeting people based off a whim. I enjoy conversations that start with an exchange of "where ya heading?" and end with "safe travels". I enjoy the airport life, the people watching, the attitudes people give and the resilience the flight attendants try to demonstrate in keeping from slapping the hell outta someone. I love traveling, aside from returning home to no one waiting on me, that sh*t sucks. Especially when your tired as hell. But eventually, it'll happen.