Travel Fun

Leaving the house a little early because I need to get gas. I always seem to be just about to empty when I go to the airport. The little warning light always seems to come on just as I pull into the long-term parking lot. When I get home, I have to hope I can make it to the nearest gas station that doesn't charge airport prices. This time, I am going to be ready.

I stop at the gas station and begin to pump the fuel. As I lean into the card to place my payment method back into my purse, I hear the familiar ring of the phone. My husband is calling to give me the run-down on the hearing he was just forced to attend. Some positive, some negative - not something I really wanted to hear. As I finish pumping the gas and begin my trek to the airport, he begins to tell me how the entire event played out. I listen intently waiting to hear the positive part. It comes and goes with little fanfare. The negative weighs heavy on my mind - and his as well. We will make it through - I have faith. It will be a matter of doing it together - which we will!

I arrive at the airport parking garage and drive around looking for the spot closest to the door. I get 30 minutes so I hate to use it parking and walking. Suddenly, a spot opens up. I speed around the corner to make sure no one else comes around the corner and steals my opportunity. I grab the baggage and lug it down the tunnel, up the escalator, and to the checkin line. Luckily, it is short today. I place the big bag on the scale first; hoping that the number is less than 50 as it appears on the digital display. 46. Thank goodness. The other bag is smaller so I know it will fall well below. The lady places the routing instructions on my bag and mutters something about the gate. Seems like she was having a bad day but not really my problem. I lug the bags over to the guy who will go over them with a fine-tooth comb. I rush to get back to my car before the clock strikes 30 where the parking no longer becomes free. I make it back out into the sunlight just in time.

I now have a few minutes to spare. What do I do with that time? I need to stop for BBQ for Justin (a friend in Phoenix who LOVES his BBQ). I promise it every time but this time, I think I can do it. I speed down the highway to the spot I hope will have the restaurant I need. Smokehouse BBQ. Oh thank goodness. I enter, place my order with the friendly lady at the counter, and then I sit down. Four minutes pass and there is my order; bagged and ready. WOW! I grab the bag and drive to the airport, all the while sending Justin text messages to let him know I will be bringing him his dinner. He lets me know he is excited.

I pull into the long term parking lot and take a spot close to the normal location - B4. It's an easy one to remember for me - something about parking B4 I leave...stupid I know but it is one of those things that helps me as my memory fails me more and more every day. I wait for the shuttle bus; which actually arrives in a very short amount of time. This trip is going fantastic so far!

I'm the only person on the bus. The driver felt the need to chat. I hate that. But I'm not one to sit there and remain silent when being spoken to; I wasn't raised that way. We chat about the storms that seem to be headed straight for us. The clouds were very dark and ominous. I know my plane is going to take off...I'm having a fantastic day!

I arrive at the terminal, hop off the bus, and head on in to run through the regular security routine. Luck would have it there was a short line! No problems getting the food through. Funny how you can take food through but not beverages. What's up with that? I take my spot third in line for the cattle line A through the Southwest gate. I wait while the people that are on the plane get off and those that have special needs get on first. One of these days I'm going to borrow some lady's kid just so I can preboard.

I get my normal spot on the plane; close to the bathroom. I have such a small bladder now that I never want to be stuck inside by a window toward the middle of the plane. Sitting close allows me the ability to grab an opening at any time; it comes in handy! The rain begins to fall as we are boarding. No big deal. I have been on planes while it has been raining before. I pay no mind. The plane begins to back out, the little kids in the row in front of me begin to get excited - it was so adorable! We taxi forever since we have to drive to Iowa in the plane in order to take off toward Phoenix. I see the big white lines on the runway - we are next to take off. I open my book and begin to read, paying no mind to my surroundings; I never do.

Then, the pilot chimes in to let us know that all planes have been frozen in place until the storm passes. I look out the window. Storm? Are you kidding? It took about two seconds past that thought for the Heavens to open up and begin to pour buckets of rain on us. A couple of times, I swear lightning hit the plane. This sucks. All the while I am listening to the flight attendants trying to keep control as people get up to use the rest room or grab a bag from the overhead bins. Time goes by slowly when you really don't feel like doing what you are doing. I can't even turn on my cell phone to chat more with my husband about his day.

After 45 minutes, the plane begins to move. The pilot lets us know that we have been cleared for takeoff. Thank God! He also mentions as he is speeding down the runway that the flight is going to be rough. He wasn't kidding. The kids in front of me were shouting as the plane went up and down; almost felt like falling out of the sky at times. (I wonder if that is what the feeling is like to parachute). Suddenly, a passenger shouts out "Welcome to Magic Mountain!". The entire planes bursts into fits of laughter. A great description for this ride!

After about 30 minutes of the roller coaster, the pilot comes on to let us know that the roughest is over. He will now turn the seatbelt...I tune it out. I turn on the Zune and start a movie I have seen a hundred times. I watch it all the way through as I have done in the past; mostly because it is mindless yet enjoyable.

An eternity has passed but we finally begin our decent. FINALLY. The next is fairly mundane. We land, I pee, I smoke, I get my baggage, I board the shuttle to the rental car facility. I walk to the executive section of the facility to discover there are two avialable cars. I get the pleasure of driving a Chevy Malibu for the next 10 days; Oh Joy!

I take Justin his food for which he is greatful. We spend a few minutes with the normal chit chat and then I head off to the hotel. As I am being checked in, I request a first floor; hoping I don't have to take the dreaded elevator every time I need a break. Remember how I said this was a lucky day? I got a first floor right by the door. AWESOME!

The time difference kills me. I feel right now that it is almost midnight. Oh wait...it is. I better call it a night as I have to spend tomorrow adjusting to AZ time.

C'ya!