I just finished my NEH Summer Institute: Teaching the Holocaust through the Visual Arts and I am on my way home to actually make the AP College Board National Conference held in Orlando. The timeline is super tight, not my original plan obviously, but both things are very important to me. Of course, nothing went right today!
Are you ready for a funny yet painful #travelfail story? Well then read on!
1:30pm
The friend I was traveling to the airport with found out her flight was pushed back to 9pm so she wanted to try to make an earlier flight at 3:46 pm. My flight wasn’t until 6:35pm but I went along anyways.
3:46pm
Her flight took off & was about to spend a few hours in the airport before my 6:35 pm flight to Atlanta to catch my connection to Orlando. I was getting home at midnight.
3:47pm
Flight delay to 7:08 pm. I’m worried I will miss my connection because I now only have 30 minutes in between. Call Delta customer service line. Put on a waitlist that will call me back in 2 hours…not helpful.
3:58pm
I get on the phone with a Delta lady using another phone number for cancelled flights (sneaky). She tries her hardest but can only get me on an Atlanta to Orlando flight at 10:55 am the next morning which means I have to spend the night in Atlanta :((( I agree because I have no other choice.
4:36pm
Flight delay to 7:44pm, I now KNOW I will miss my connection (no questions about running to make the connection). Walking around airport to find someone who will help me find a better solution. I start googling Atlanta airport hotel costs and want to puke. So expensive!
4:45pm
Someone comes up to the Delta counter and I am the second person in line. The lady in front of me has the same problem as I do but is annoying & whining. This lady is unwilling to bus her butt to Boston to catch a plane and instead she is whining. I am dying in line behind her. Just dying at her inability to be flexible.
Sometime after 4:45pm
That lady finally walks away and I have my change to sweet talk the Delta counter lady. 🙂 I tell her I am dying to see my husband after 2 weeks and she puts me on a 8:00 am flight out of Boston, arriving in Orlando at 11:08 am tomorrow. Ok so a night in Boston. But it gets me home much sooner. Fine. I’ll take it.
5:09pm
That same flight is now delayed to 8:18pm but I no longer give a shit.
5:12pm
I frantically text friends I met on this NEH program for assistance. We decide that the best course of action is to book a bus to Boston tonight, sleep there, and get to the airport for my early flight. Ok cool.
Sometime after 5:12pm
I start googling Boston airport hotel rooms, cue the vomit. Nope, not happening. I google an AirBnb for $110 total and .8 miles away from the airport. Make my reservation.
5:28pm
My Uber shows up at the Portland Airport. I am trying to make the 6:00 pm bus to Boston Airport (the next bus is at 7:45 pm). That costs $14 bucks.
5:50pm
I arrive at the bus station, run (literally run) up to the counter and ask for a ticket for the 6:00pm bus. Whew, I made it! There goes $30 bucks.
5:48pm
My old flight is delayed to 8:59 pm, still don’t care.
6:00pm
Bus departs Portland Transportation Center for Boston Airport. I get 2 bags of pretzels and a bottle of water. Niiiiice.
6:04pm
Received confirmation my AirBnb for tonight is booked!
6:31pm
As I type these words I am 30 minutes into a 2 hour bus ride; wifi, snacks, & an outlet – score! Contemplating taking this bus all the way to Orlando. 😉 jk.
7:04.pm
I *finally* get a call from Delta that I made at 3:47pm. Thanks but no thanks y’all, I fixed this shit already.
JMF
P.S. Prayers were sent to St. Nicholas of Cupertino (the Flying Friar) & St. Christopher!!!! Thank you!!!
