The family stuff is a little too private for me to write about on the interwebs, so I’ll just tell you about my airport adventures.
First of all, when I told Lloyd I was going to go to Colorado (thank you, negative COVID test for easing my mind), he purchased tickets for the wrong dates. No trouble there – they were easily refunded. I was going to fly out there with one stop in Dallas, and come back with a stop in Denver.
Leaving Omaha on Friday morning, we were delayed for quite a while because Dallas was having some weather issues. I wasn’t too concerned because I’d already had a text that my connecting flight was going to be delayed. It would be just fine.
It was not just fine. We landed with less than 30 minutes to make the connection, which was almost doable, but then we sat on the runway for 15 more minutes, waiting to get to an open gate. When I was finally able to stand up, I got a text saying the plane was leaving in 4 minutes. There was no way, but I gave it my best shot and ran through the airport like a crazy person. Nope. There was a train involved to get to the right concourse and there just wasn’t enough time. I asked the airline person where I should go and was given directions to gate C25, which is where the customer service desk was.
I walked through concourse C – past the long line in front of C28 that continued to C27, that continued to C26, then it dawned on me: this was the line. EVERYONE was missing connections. There were so many people in the very same boat. I went back to the end of the line and tried contacting the airline via phone and the website, but no dice. When it was finally my turn, all they could do is put me on the next day’s flight. I had 20-some hours to spend in Dallas.
So…….. have you ever watched Tom Hanks in The Terminal? It’s about a guy that lives in an airport. Dallas/Ft. Worth is a very nice airport, and I seriously considered hoboing it and just camping out. (The airlines don’t give hotel vouchers when it’s a weather issue.) I did find some reasonable hotels with shuttle services, but then I remembered all the ‘capsule hotel’ videos I watched on YouTube. Would there be something like that?
There was, but I’ll tell you about that tomorrow. This post is already too long.
So, I got to Colorado a day late, which was disappointing. It was so good to be with my parents, but again – private stuff.
Leaving on Monday, the flight from Montrose to Denver was on time, but so, so bumpy (Denver was having winter weather). We flew it fast and rocky, and I was so glad for the Xanax. (1/4 a tablet is enough to make me not mind how scary it all is.) I was going to make my connecting flight! Hooray! We boarded in good time and then…… sat there.
… and sat there…..
…. and sat there……
…. and sat there for two hours. First it was an electrical issue that needed to be fixed, then we had to wait our turn at the de-icing station. Ugh. Then we took off into….. you guessed it: turbulance.
I got into Seward around midnight, and that’s the end of this part of the tale.
Brad says
You ran through the airport? That’s every travelers dream! Woo hoo!
And I’m surprised to hear you sat so long on the airplane. I thought there was a law against that or something…
And I’m so curious to hear about the hotel stay!
Lauren says
“Running” might be too generous a term. “Quick waddling and trying to go up the escalator two steps at a time” might be more accurate. There was a lot of huffing and puffing.