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November 28, 2005
There and Back Again: A Thanksgiving Travel Adventure
So, I went down to Flo-ree-duh to see my folks and my littlest sister Caitlin :) I left on Tuesday and came back yesterday - yes, yesterday. The worst travel day of the year. And I had a connection. In Newark. Yeah.
Surprisingly enough - it was Tuesday that proved to be the worse of the two trips... (Yesterday was no picnic - but it pales in comparison.
I had a 1:20 flight out of Bradley, so I left home about 10:15am. Smooth sailing until I hit the mother of all traffic jams in West Hartford. I kept my chin up, though! And I got through it just fine. Got to the airport with plenty of time and parked in the garage right across from the terminal for a ridiculous amount of money on accounta I'm a baby. (I had no interest in coming back to a snow covered car in some lot out in the boonies all by my lonesome in the dark. Nope. Charge what you want - I'm parkin in the garage thankyouverymuch!) Checked in, breezed through security, grabbed a sandwich for lunch (it was quite tasty Mary - you'd have been impressed!) Flight boarded on time - I thought things were going my way!
But no. After they trap us all in this tiny "plane", they inform us that we can't take off for at least an hour because there are too many planes trying to land in Newark. FRELL. They start figuring out everyone's connections to see who won't make their flights... They inform the poor girl in front of me that she will most likely miss hers and there's not another leaving until the next morning. They explain she can resign herself to her fate or try to catch her flight if they happen to land in time. She says she wants to give it a shot! They offer to move her to the front of the plane so she can run right off, but she declines - she thinks she's ok where she is. We'll come back to her in a moment.... Enter the craziest flight attendant I've ever been in the presence of. She's been yammering on about the delay quite defensively before anyone can even bemoan their situation. Now she waltzes down the aisle with a box of Kleenex offering tissues to everyone. Now, this is a bit odd - so every passenger she sticks the tissues in front of gives her an inquisitive look to which she responds "In case you're a snotnose!" Hmm... Now here's a lady with tact - no doubt. She continues to proclaim - loud now, so all can hear - "The snotnoses appreciate it!!!".
Okay.
She then shells out cheap mini pretzels which in my opinion, don't come close to making up for the psycho in charge of our well being on this flight or the delay which is costing many their connecting flights. But, I digress. Finally, we take off! The pilot had been trying to convince us that once in the air, the flight would only take 30 minutes. Well, Mother Nature had different plans. That "plane" was jostled this way and that for about 45 minutes - it was r-o-u-g-h. So rough in fact, that some couldn't keep their cheap mini-pretzels down. Remember that gutsy girl in front of me? Determined to make her next flight? Well, she should have stayed in Hartford for the day. About 10 minutes before landing she hurled. All over herself (I felt really bad), her window, the seat in front of her and the aisle. One thing you do not want released into a tiny little plane is VOMIT. Just like the rest of the flight it was r-o-u-g-h. While the noxious fumes were not agreeing with the sandwich I had just consumed, I just kept telling myself no matter how bad my day was going, hers was definitely worse.
That is, until I got up to leave the plane.
I grabbed my bag which was - you guessed it! - UNDER her seat. Yep. Puke. GROOOOOOSSSSS! Needless to say that my first stop in Newark was the ladies room. I then ran myself and my puke covered bag over to my next gate to find that this next flight was also delayed. Le sigh. Le curse. Le bitch! At least it was a bigger plane, I told myself. It won't be so bad. Well - it was a smoother ride. But, apparently the reason they make the bigger plane is so they can cram as many screaming and unruly children onto it as possible. At one point, the cute little boy in front of me stood up in his seat and turned around - he smiled. I smiled. (Like I said - he was cute!) Then he took his little blanket and slammed me in the face with it. I ordered a glass of wine. (I have never drank on a flight before....I think this time it was necessary - don't you?)
And that is the story of the hellish journey I took to Florida. Still with me? Wanna see the good stuff? It did get better... I promise!
That night, my parents took Cait and I to see La Nouba. Oh my goodness - it almost made up for the trip. Almost. It was spectacular - the first time I've seen Cirque de Soleil. I highly reccommend it! I couldn't take pictures... so go see it for yourself! Words can't describe!
The next day, Caitlin and I dug out some white wool roving I had brought with me and I showed her how to kool-aid dye! Here's what we came out with:
from the left: Parrot: pineapple, rapberry reaction, green apple and a little bit o strawberry. Creamsicle: mango, lemonade and pineapple (this one smelled amaaaazing). Lusty Lady: cherry, strawberry and a grape/cherry combo. Wanna zoom out? Do it!
I even spun two of those puffs up on my mom's spindle!
Here's our darling Desi checking out the goods....
And here's Parrot with a flower in her hair....
Caitlin in her natural habitat.
Desi and Toonces missing out a possible meal... is the thrill of the hunt gone?
Ah. The beach. I made a couple of visits... I LOVE the beach! I collected an assload of sweet little seashells that I am going to spread throughout mi casa. :)
Caitlin and I were even witness to one of my Dad's diving adventures. He hadn't yet checked out the water off his local beach, so he decided to go for a dip! I've captured it all right here in a smart little slideshow. Enjoy!
We saw many many pelicans! Some were diving into the water in formation, trying to snatch up some tasty fish! Quite a sight to behold, but I couldn't capture any pics I liked so you'll just have to take my word on it.
My last night there, Pop took me on a sunset sail. Very cool.
Hee.
I leave you with a lovely Florida sunset. It also almost made up for the vomit on my bag. Almost.
PS My mama also made a most delicious Thanskgiving meal. Everything was eaten before I had time to take photos - a testament to the yum!
Posted by Sarah at November 28, 2005 9:23 PM
Posted to getting trippy
Comments
isnt cirque amazing!!! i saw a show up here once.. i want to see one in vegas forsure.... soooo amazing!
Posted by: christy at November 29, 2005 4:07 AM
Hey Sunshine,
You know, if you don't mind the kids, I do airport runs all the time for my friends! I even go to JFK :) No parking troubles, I deal with the traffic :) Just sayin.
Posted by: Christine at November 29, 2005 5:51 AM
Glad you had such a great holiday! The pictures look so warm and sunny and fabulous!
Posted by: Annie at November 29, 2005 9:55 AM
Sorry about your crazy rough ride there, but it looks like it all worked out! isn't Cirque Wonderful - I make sure to see them every year they are here in NYC. BTW, great pics!
Posted by: Marie at November 29, 2005 4:27 PM