Travels

I actually hate traveling – it’s energy-draining and there are so many things that could go wrong. But I’ve had decent luck in the past, so I figured all would be well today… and this is the story of what happens when your brain gets a little too cocky like that.

Although I hate traveling, I love getting places. Like for example, Maine. Currently I’m on a stuffy airplane somewhere over a handful of mountains, and I’m finally on my way to Boston. I flew out of Monterey this morning, waking up before the sun was out and getting all dolled up to see my mom, my sister, and my best friend tonight. And by “all dolled up,” I mean… showered. I actually did dry my hair and put some make-up on, which I should know by now is pointless, because after that San Fran – Boston flight, I always look just about dead, like I haven’t slept in 48 hours and haven’t showered in a week. I don’t know what about flying makes me so gross looking after a short… 9 hours.

So I got to the Monterey airport, which (no joke) has 5 gates. To put it into perspective, I boarded at gate 80 in San Fran, so yeah… Monterey’s kinda tiny. There was a SINGLE bathroom, like, with a locking door and everything. That was strange to me. So I’m scheduled to leave at 9:23 (board around 8:45) and I, of course, was at the airport ready to go by 8:00. So I did my history homework – nobody should be doing history-related anything at that hour. 9:00 rolls around and there’s not a single airport employee in sight. Instead, there’s a bunch of (no, not a bunch, like 10) travelers beginning to panic. Our plane is right outside the window. Then I overhear that wretched word, the one I’d been trying to avoid all morning: “delayed.” Apparently President Obama was at the San Fran airport, and the intensely heightened security is like, a big deal, or something. Damn you, President. Good thing I already voted. Joking… I really hate Mitt Romney. Please don’t stop reading my blog because I stupidly shared my political views with you.

So anyway… delayed until 11:00, which ever so conveniently, is the time my connection was scheduled to leave from San Fran. Damn.

After an impossibly long conversation with a handful of employees who really had no idea what was going on, I ended up booking another San Fran – Boston flight, which is nice, but still annoying that I’m arriving three hours later. I’m tired already.

The upside to this day is that nobody is in the middle seat on this impossibly long flight. It’s the little things in life. The downside, besides that I have already missed a flight and I’m not even halfway done my incredibly long day, is that I paid $12 for a Caesar salad that was consumed in five bites and a Broccoli and Cheddar soup that was damn nasty, not to mention cold by the time I got to eat. Also, I have a headache from hell and there are not one, but two children in the seats in front of me, doing annoying children things. And, the lady in the nearby seat has the need to continue talking to me moments after I put my ear buds in, and we are discussing Libya – how she thinks it was a set up and there are all too many questions left unanswered. Yeah, all my questions are left unanswered, because I know nothing about Libya (the most un-cultured person award goes to… ME). Yay for traveling.

UPDATE: I made it. Obviously. Late night appetizers, margaritas, and laughs at Applebee's with my girls were just what the doctor ordered. We got home around 1:30 am, and guess what? My mom turned the heat on for me. Favorite child much? In case you don’t know us that well – this is like, a BIG deal. She generally doesn’t turn the heat on until after Christmas. That’s kind of a lie, but not turning the heat on until after Thanksgiving – that’s not really stretching the truth.