Adventure at the Airport

 I thought I was smart making an airplane reservation for 11:30 to get home from a writer's retreat. I was wrong.

Firstly, we had to catch the shuttle from the island near Washington State at 8 am, which meant that we'd miss breakfast.  No problem - I had a breakfast bar.

Secondly the shuttle took a couple of hours to get to the Seattle airport, but it made it in time.

Thirdly, when I went to the desk that had a lovely HELP sign above it, when it was my turn to ask for help, they told me it was only for people who wanted to declare a gun !!  not me.  

Fourthly, they directed me to the actual help desk, where I explained that I was returning from a writer's retreat where they had no printer so I could't print out my plane ticket, but I did take a picture of the "ticket" that was supposed to have gone to my phone, but my iPhone was too old to accept it, so could they help me?   They did.  They printed out a ticket for me and checked my suitcase right there. NICE.

Fifthly, they directed me to walk to the END of the airport to access the correct security. So I walked and walked (almost got my mile walk in just doing this. :) 

Sixthly, it turned out that at this point I was no where near my gate.  I had to take a train to another building.  No seats.  Just clinging to a pole.  Fine. I can do that.  BUT, to get to the train I had to go down TWO escalators, because the elevator was closed.  (at this point in my life, I get vertigo when I go down an escalator, so closing my eyes, I went down, down, down. 

Seventhly, yes, I went up two escalators to get back up to the flight area.  Only 9 gates.  Mine was gate 9. Do you suppose that it was the first gate by the escalator?  Nope.  It was the last gate away.  By this time I was wondering if I would even make it to the plane before it took off.

Eighthly, yes, I made it just as passengers were being loaded.

Ninthly, But I had planned to re-charge my cell phone while waiting for the plane to load, but no there was no time for that.   Guess what?  The phone charger near my seat was broken -- so I pulled out my back up book and read my way home.

(at least this time they were serving food and snacks on the trip back home)

Tenthly, Yes, I did have just enough charge left in my phone so that I could inform the shuttle that I had arrived at San Diego and he picked me up and took me home.  Had a great conversation with him about the areas of San Diego we passed. (he took a short cut)