As promised the bad side of my vacation.
All in all the trip was not that bad, there were a few situations that could have been better but they were out of my control. The one that set the vacation on fire was my trip back home to South Cakalaki. I was flying out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a one gate airport--this not the problem. The problem was that my flight was at 530 in the morning and everyone said that if I got there by 5 I would be okay. I wanted to be there by 445 but since I was not driving I was out voted. To make a long story short, I showed up at the airport a few minutes after 5 and the check in counter was closed. No sign stating that the flights closed 30 minutes before the flight just a stupid little bell. Well I rang that little bell and rang it for 20 minutes. No one came to help, not that I can blame them I was getting very livid, I just wanted to go home. I called my mom and yelled, called my sister and yelled (she is the one who brought me to the airport and decided that 5 would be a fine time), and I called the husband crying. Not a good morning.
I got to watch my own flight take off, no way to help myself I plugged in my cell phone and waited for the staff to show back up at the ticket window. Turns out that they are the ones who signal the plane out to the run-way and everything--like I said a very tiny airport. The people show back up to the counter, I have tried to regain my composure and went to the desk to see what I could do. I informed him of the situation--that I got to the airport about 5 and no one would help me, he said that I got there at 508 because he saw me as he opened security. Man I wanted to choke him. I mean the least he could have done was come over and tell me the situation or something, but no. Using my better judgment I let his comment pass, I really just wanted to get him. The next flight out was leaving after my flight out of Minneapolis was suppose to be leaving--there goes making that connection and the next in Atlanta to make my happy way home. Mister man informs me that the next flight is full, but he can put me on stand-by and if that flight doesn't work I can get on the noon flight, which is when I was suppose to be back in SC.
So, I get put on stand-by and my baggage gets checked. I am the only person in the airport and I had pitched a fit earlier--any ideas on how this turned out? I can say it sure is interesting watching your own suitcase get completely and totally ransacked--everything was checked. My stuffed animal got swabbed for explosives and x-rayed. They used at least twenty of those swab things on the inside of my suitcase--the suitcase can be used as a carry on its that small. It was truly a wonderful experience to see my tax dollars at work. I understand that they needed to screen the stuff, but honestly I only missed my plane, I am sure that it happens. I made it through that. But it did make me worry about the actual security section of the airport. The only good thing is that I did not have my knee brace so I would not have to go through that, but I kept thinking, I will be going into that little room for the full cavity search. Thank goodness that did not happen, I made it through with out incident.
Back to the plane ride. I managed to make it on the next flight out, they had flight numbers for me to check on when I got to Minneapolis, but none of them were guaranteed because I was changing from NorthWest to Delta and they couldn't book me on those flights. So, I knew I was on a plane to MN, but I did not know if I would be staying there long or not. I got to the airport in Minneapolis, found an electric cart to take me to the Delta terminal and hopefully my next gate, and I got there with plenty of time. I went to the ticket counter and checked in about seat availability, and there were some--I did a little cheer--then I found out she had me seats all the way to Columbia. I could have hugged that woman, no coffee in me, one missed flight and it wasn't even 8 am, I really needed something positive. I did tell the woman that she was beautiful and to praise the Lord I was going home. I then went and got some coffee.
Coffee is a term I will lose loosely. That was the nastiest coffee I have had in ages, this after a week of decaf. I used at least a dozen sugar packets and six creamers in a 12 oz coffee and it was still bad, to bad I didn't have enough time to walk the mile back to Starbucks for some real good coffee.
I did almost miss my plane in Atlanta, but I didn't, made it to the gate just as they started boarding. I have never been so happy to get on a plane in all my life. I made it back only two hours later than originally planned, but I made it safe and sound--stressed, but safe.
I met a soldier on the plane, she and her husband both serve. She found out the week earlier that she is pregnant and due in May, the next day her husband received orders to go to Bosnia. She told me that Bosnia is worse then Iraq and that she would rather he was going to Iraq. She is due for medical release but her husband will be gone for the next year, he will miss their baby being born. I did not get her name but I told her we would shout one out for her and her family,
pray for them and all the troops, and when you see a Vet say thank you--they deserve it.
Well that is the end of my vacation story--I had to cool down before I could share all of it.
Hurray, I am a new Aunt!!! My third nephew was born today--7+ pounds. More details as I get them.
Back to my bunny hole, keep on keepin' it real. ;)
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