Travelogue, Part the Second

Photo from airfarewatchdog.com

I've been in Ohio for two days now, and have just had the opportunity to check in. I'm glad to see that Stupid Monkey Planet had the opportunity to stop by as well, and that my "time release" blog posts are showing up as planned.

Since I haven't been paying attention to the news, I have nothing of substance to add at this juncture. But I thought it might be a good opportunity to recap my all-night travel "day" on the way to the heart of Ohio.

It started well. My friend Dona's brother picked me up as scheduled and delivered me to the airport with no problems. I breezed through security, and landed at my gate with much time to spare. How much time that would grow into, I would have no idea. At around 10:30 pm, an announcement was made that our flight crew was late. There were problems in San Francisco, and they would not be arriving for quite some time. Though the plane was due to take off at 10:57, we would not be boarding until 11:25!

I never heard them call my "zone," so I just got in line as it dwindled down, and took my seat (16A, a window seat, though I had "reserved" an aisle) at about 11:30 pm. For the next half hour, we sat there with no air conditioning. If it was any cooler than 95 degrees, I'd be shocked. And a screaming baby two rows behind me began his song. Finally, at midnight, the air started to blow, and it was announced that we had a pilot!

We eventually took off at around 12:15 am, headed for Charlotte, where I had originally been scheduled for an hour and a half layover. I dozed a bit, woke a bit, dozed a bit. At around 6:00 am or so, I awoke (presumably over Tennessee) to witness a spectacular lightning storm. We were above a cottony layer of clouds, with bursts of lighting popping around my entire field of vision below me. All the way to the horizon, and as far as I could see east and west, strobes were going off in a fashion I've never witnessed before in my life. I was glad I woke up to see it.

We landed in Charlotte at 7:10 or so, and the crew asked for the help of Charlotte-bound passengers to please stay seated, so that those of us with connecting flights could be allowed to make our schedules. They did not comply. The ninety or so people in front of me took their usual, frustrating, maddeningly slow time getting their things, and moving out of the plane. At the gate, I was informed that I needed to get to gate E-3. . .and I was at B-something.

I ran/power-walked the entire distance, and barely made it to the gate. After struggling with an incomprehensible (and slightly hostile) gate agent, I finally got on board, onto a little tiny express plane, and had seats A-1 and A-2 to myself! Other than spending the flight debating the gender of my flight attendant, the rest of the trip went smoothly.

I am certain that I've had a similar experience in Charlotte previously. In fact, during my trek from the B to the E concourse, I had sort of a deja vu of having had deja vu before of the exact event. So it is possible that everyone who lands in the B concourse in Charlotte has to run to the E concourse to make their flight on time. Avoid Charlotte, just to be safe!