I'm sitting at Gate 3 in the Long Beach Airport, which is teeny and strangely homelike. I know I've traveled a great deal, but the time I've spent in airports is dwarfed ten times over by the time I've spent in airplanes. Why then, do the airports feel so much more like home than an airplane does? Maybe it's the comfort thing.
Anyway, I'm typing this up in word and will eventually upload it to my blog.
I went to bed at 1 am, and got up at 5 am, took out the trash, ate breakfast and shoved last-minute odds and ends into my suitcases and backpacks. I was convinced my suitcases were just on the 50 pound limit so I shoved a ton of stuff into my backpack, which I regret now because it's ridiculously stuffed.
I got a text from the taxi company at 5:48 and hurried downstairs with my bags (which was a bloody pain in the ass) and the taxi arrived just as I was approaching the courtyard's gate. The taxi driver was very nice and interested in archaeology and seemed pleased that I intended to get my PhD. I got to the airport in about ten minutes - $16 cabfare (I really chose a fantastic apartment) – and the taxi driver kindly took my bags out of the back for me and set them on the sidewalk.
I found the JetBlue counter right away and was only in line before a few minutes before they got to me. Both my suitcases were 43 pounds, and I was so psyched it didn't occur to me to open one up and throw those last-minute items back in there so my backpack wouldn't be cram-jammed. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Oh well, I've flown dozens of times with an overfull backpack, I'll survive. P.S. Shoutout to JetBlue for transferring my bags for me!! I love not having to claim and check my bags a million times per journey!...as long as they get there intact and unharmed :)
Security was just as easy except I forgot to take off my shoes – I was too busy wondering if the metal studs on my shirt would set off the sensor – but they didn't. Gate 3 was easy to find and here I am!
It was crowded when I first walked in, but a flight for Seattle and another for Sacramento have left so it's mostly empty now, although other travelers are trickling in. It's on the small side, but with plenty of seats, and a row of comfortable squishy ones along the back wall, which is where I am sitting. I always go to the back wall to scout for outlets. This seat was full earlier, but as soon as the lady sitting in it left I grabbed my stuff and claimed it, so my mini netbook is now plugged in and since my flight is about six hours, it should last the whole flight since it has to be off for takeoff and landing. Muahaha there is a method to my madness! And I'm SO glad I got the six-cell battery even though it was more expensive.
I hear some of the newer, more expensive planes come with outlets for laptops now – just when they've started developing 12 and 15 hour batteries! Oh, the irony.
I love Long Beach Airport, it's so teeny and cute and altogether delightful – although it rained in the night and everything is ridiculously slippery. There are a lot of outdoor walks and you have to walk on the tarmac up to the planes, so I'll have to watch my step, both my knee braces are in my checked luggage. There's even a teeny bar here, with a big black cage full of bottles of wine, and a velvet ropes with a sign saying No Alcohol Beyond This Point. It is a little chilly in here though – I'm wearing my black H&M trench and I haven't taken it off yet.
That's all for now, I'm going to get back to my manuscript. More later!
It is 5:08 pm and I am waiting at Gate B70 because that's where my flight is tentatively scheduled to be, according to the big screens everywhere. We're only scheduled to leave at 8:50 pm so it might still be moved, especially since the flight that's currently at the gate is delayed. WHY I don't know because the plane is sitting RIGHT THERE on the tarmac. Apparently the weather – it's very dark and cloudy but it isn't snowing anymore and we landed just fine on snowy tarmac an hour ago so I can't see why pilots, who fly at night anyway, can't take off in it just fine. And there is a serious heat leak somewhere, it's frigid outside and the cold is seeping in even through the huge, triple-plated windows.
The flight out here was ok. I dozed on and off, watched a little tv (they were broadcasting four different ESPNs, two VH1s, MTV, TNT, A&E, and a dozen more free channels) and also stared out the window. It was only about four hours total of flight, much easier to endure than the 17 to England or 18 to Ethiopia, or 27 to South Africa. Is it 27? It's twenty-something anyway.
From where I've cleverly positioned myself I can see not only the boarding gate screens (when they're not blocked by what seems to be a high school basketball team) but also the big ranks of Arrival and Departure screen. I'm seeing big blocks of yellow on each board – yellow means delayed flight. I'm really starting to wish Lidia could've routed me through Texas, I'm sure it's not snowing THERE.
Flying over all the snowy landscape was fun though. I tried to figure out what was unplowed field and what was lake and why the pine trees on the mountains looked so bare when they're supposed to be evergreen. I even saw PEOPLE as we were taking off and landing which was awesome because I always look for people looking like little colorful ants and I practically never catch sight of any.
After we landed I had lunch at Chipotle and now I'm waiting at the gate. I hope that whatever is stopping this Ft. Lauderdale flight from flying goes away. I want THEM to go away so I can nab one of the seats near the electrical outlet so I can charge up my laptop and use it on the flight. I didn't use it on the last flight because my backpack wouldn't fit under the seat so I had to put it in an overhead and even though I did take my backpack down to get my headphones (otherwise I would've had to pay $2 for an airplane pair!) I didn't feel like fussing around with my laptop. Or I might sleep on the flight again, I sure feel tired enough to do it. I miss having the internet but I'm NOT paying to use it. Absolutely NOT. Are airlines really hurting so badly they have to take away free wifi in the airports? If so, they definitely need to trim some fat!!
My neck is seriously stiff. Too bad I don't fly often enough to invest in one of those neck pillow things. It's completely pitch black outside now, and the chill is worse than ever.
Oh. So the airplane that's chilling here is the OTHER gate that's attached to this one – they're stuck because their pilots are coming from Orlando and they got delayed by storms too. Which is an oops, I hope that storm blows itself out before I have to fly down there. I don't much fancy being delayed with no internet for hours and hours. The flight at this gate should be here in 40 minutes so hopefully these people will all move by 6:50 which is plenty of time for me to plug in.
Ugh, I'm sleepy. I think it's time to power down and stare into space. Or something.
It is now 7:33 pm, and the two delayed flights have left. However, when I went to the counter to check in, it turned out that despite what the boards say, my flight IS delayed – instead of leaving at 8:50 pm it is now probably leaving at 9:41 pm. Ugh, the idea of only getting to Orlando at midnight then home at 1 am is pretty gross. I'm just praying they transfer my luggage okay, I would hate to be without it for even a few days.
Luckily, I, in my infinite wisdom, have an e-book copy of In the High Valley on this laptop and will now settle down to read it. I must remember to download some other free e-books on here for other flights and emergencies.
A girl can't work all the time you know.
New departure time: 10:06. I'm FREEZING!!!
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Well I got home safe and sound! JetBlue has this cool thing where they broadcast live tv on their in-flight system so I got to watch ESPN and Friends and fell asleep to a documentary on National Geographic.
Mom met me at the airport and we got home at 1:30 am. Mom fixed me up some dinner and Lidia showed me her portfolio and Echo demanded attention, and then I unpacked. When I opened the suitcase with all the presents out fell a "Notice of Baggage Inspection" - I can't believe they managed to open it without breaking the lock, but I'm glad they didn't break the lock or anything else. I guess they're really serious about liquids now - although you'd think a couple bottles of wine would be pretty innocuous!!
Okay I'm reaaaally sleepy now and I have to get up early tomorrow to clean and cook and stuff so it's bedtime. Goodnight!
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