Delayed. Thank the Lord!

 

 

A heart attack moment.  Yes.  I had one.  I'm traveling across the country to begin the next part of my adventure here in this country.  I'm flying for this part because a 24 hour train ride didn't seem like a good use of my limited time. 

 

Getting to Carla required two planes.  Two airports.  Two security checks.  Sigh.

 

I arrived at the first airport without trouble.  Got off the plane and onto the 'transfer' shuttle bus.  Got to the terminal.  Got out.  Followed the crowd.  Handed the nice lady (cough cough) directing traffic my ticket and she waved me into the line.  I stood in line for 30 minutes.  I must have had 'butt in front of me' written on my back because other nice fellow travelers thought I didn't need to be in line in front of them.  How do you protect your spot when you don't speak the language???  It was okay though.  I had PLENTY of time.

 

I got to security.  I was so calm.  Careful.  Got all my stuff out and in the bins.  No stress.  Handed my ticket to the checker.   She looked at my ticket and got this horrified look on her face.  I was in an International line.  Domestic was another terminal.  An entirely different building!!  A shuttle ride away.  She spoke limited English. I was LOST.  She had someone in broken English come and tell me to go down the steps, out the door, to the shuttle to get to terminal B.  "Hurry!"  She said.  Yes.  Crazy.  I grabbed all my stuff and ran trying to stuff it all back in the bags as I went. 

 

I found the shuttle.  I found a nice barely English speaking man to confirm that I was on the right shuttle.  Rode 10 minutes.  Flew off the shuttle and into the building.  I couldn't read the signs.  Lost again.  Went up to a nice security guy but he blew me away.  Figured out where to go.  Ran.  Went through security.  NOT CALM.  Threw my computer, mini, phone, camera etc etc into the bins.  Ran through the scanner.  Grabbed my stuff and took off - this time I didn't even bother to put it all back...   Ran to the gate.  No one was there.  I about lost it.  I stood there looking out the window.  Wondering which plane out there was mine.  Wondering if I could barge out the door and go chase it down.  Only a few people in the area.  Some workers at another gate saw me.  They called me over.  I figure they knew I was in the beginning stage of a heart attack.  I was getting ready to bribe them to get me to my plane.  They looked at my ticket.  It is okay.  Okay.  Your plane is delayed. Delayed. 

 

AWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!

 

THANK.YOU.JESUS!!!!

 

Now I sit. 

 

Writing this.

 

My plane delayed not once but twice.

 

 

My poor driver on the other side isn't going to be a very happy camper.

 

But I am okay because Carla has promised a NICE dinner tonight after I get there and I'm sitting next to a fellow traveler who can read the signs and is flying on the same flight. 

 

ALL.IS.WELL! 

 

International travel is not for the faint heart.

 

That's why I rarely travel internationally!!