From the mundane annoyances to the "Heads will fucking roll! Greyhound bus style" (and, to be clear, this I actually did text...back when I had a phone...more on that later...)
Wednesday Evening - my parents inform me that, to be safe, I really need to leave for the airport no later than 3:30, which really conflicted with the 2 hour wax I had booked for 2:15. Hard choice...
Friday, 3:40 - I managed to reorganize my appointments and make it out of the house in time to prove how sage my parents are: a huge traffic jam on the highway to the airport had some people stuck in traffic for 2 hours. My cabbie managed to cut that time in half by cutting through residential areas, though this left with me with the distinct impression that I was being abducted
Friday, 9:00 - Captain announces that we are going to be getting into DC a little later than scheduled: my 40 minute connection time has been cut down to 10 minutes by his estimated arrival time...
Friday, 9:50 - Emerge into the Washington airport. Flight departs in 5 minutes. It's in another terminal. I sprint in the hopes that they are holding it for me
Friday, 10:05 -They weren't. Go get in line at United's customer service behind 12 other people.
Friday, 10:30 - My flights for the next day are rearranged - I wont make my original flight to Belize, but there is one leaving that afternoon and I am booked on that instead, getting me in 4 hours later than originally. But no, because it was Air Canada's fuck up, they couldn't issue me a hotel voucher. Go back to the other terminal.
Friday, 11:00 - There are 30 other stranded people in front of me in line.
Friday, 11:20 - A stroke of luck! I get the last voucher for a Sheraton hotel room.
Saturday, 6:20 - I wisely opted to take the 6:30, rather than the 7:00 am shuttle that had been my original plan. Call Cam to make sure he'll make his flight.
Saturday, 6:45 - Wait in line line at United to get my boarding passes and check that my bag will be on the plane. I'm told that I have actually been switched to fly out on Continental, and need to go to the other end of the check-in to get my boarding pass there. And no, they can't access Air Canada's database to see where my bag is.
Saturday 7:05 - Have my boarding passes, but my flight boards in 40 minutes and I still need to go through security and change terminals. The line at security takes forever. I get chosen for the naked scanner. I leave a water bottle in my purse which requires my carry-ons to be thoroughly checked.
Saturday, 7:15 - on the train to my terminal. Where's my phone?
Saturday, 7:18 - sitting on the shuttle, it would seem.
Saturday, 7:30 - the lady at Dunkin Donuts will not give me cash back for my food voucher (which I only use 6 of 15 dollars) in the form of 2$ worth of quarters, which I need as the pay phones will not accept Canadian quarters (which are equivalent currency!!!!)
Saturday, 8:10 - Check at the flight desk. No, my checked baggage is not on the plane yet. But she's sure it will be fine. There's nothing I can do.
Saturday, 8:15 - on the plane, and you need to pay to watch anything on the TVs during a 3.5 hour flight
Saturday, 8:30 - flight is delayed. Possible engine trouble...
Saturday, 8:40 - I check to see if the delay will affect my connection. Departing Houston at 9:20? How many time zones over is Houston from D.C.?
Saturday, 8:43 - Dig out old itinerary. One time zone between Houston and D.C... 3.5 hour flight...
Saturday, 8:44 - Holy fuck - they checked me in on my originally flight out of Houston which, even without the engines falling the shambles, I would never have been able to make...
Saturday, 9:00 - I choose to ignore this for 15 minutes because, really, fuck, what's the point. But at length I inform a flight attendant. "What were they thinking?? Give me a second..."
Saturday, 9:03 - I can get off the plane now, but they have sorted out the mechanical difficulties and are about to close the doors. I'll stay...
Saturday, 9:15 - extreme winds have closed all but one runway, and there are some emergency landings that need to take place before we can take off
Saturday, 9:35 - emergency landing is in, "but there are 15 or 16 aircrafts before us, so we will be on the ground for a while..."
Saturday, 10:05 - survived the turbulence - now to enjoy my middle seat between two well-sized middle aged me who both like using 2 arm rests.
Saturday, 12:10 (Houston) - put on standby for the flight I should have been checked in on this morning...
Saturday, 1:30 - name called! Thank God! I literally scream that as I run up. One sec, the girl tells me, and goes and talks to a couple who said they would volunteer to depart at a later date. There is room for both of them on the flight, but if they opt to give it up to me, they forfeit the 600$ voucher they were promised for volunteering. Not a chance. "I'm sorry, no room on here for you"
Saturday, 2:00 - I am going to San Salvador tonight, over nighting there, and flying to Belize tomorrow morning. I just need to recheck my bag.
Saturday, 2:30 - bag is in Washington. It will get into Belize 2 hours after I do tomorrow
Saturday, 3:15 - I desperately search for replacement footwear - It was knee-high rain boot appropriate weather in Montreal! The only place available is a Crocs stand. My feet continue to sweat away in my Hunters...
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