1st Class Baby!

Finally! On my last leg home. Had to get up at seriously stupid o'clock in the morning. The flight left at 6.00 am, which of course meant I had to be there for earlier. But, as I didn't have bags to check and I'd already checked in online and printed my seat request card, I didn't have to be there til around 5. My friend only lives 20 minutes from the airport, so we planned to get up at 4.45 and just jump straight in the car. I happened to wake up at 4.30, so was already up and finished brushing my teeth, had checked the status of the flight and made sure my carryon was packed by the time the alarm went off. My friend just threw on clothes, grabbed us each a Diet Pepsi, and we took off. So we were out the door by 4.50 this morning, putting us into the airport just after 5.

On our way, we met a local critter that my friend had never seen in her part of the city before. A coyote! He was just wandering across the road. It was funny because my friend saw him way before me (obviously, she was driving and watching the road!) and says, "Critter! Get out of the road." I looked over and said, "That's a coyote!" She said she'd seen them in other parts of the city, but not around her place before. But, it's only 3 miles to a less urban area, so I fugue that's where he came from. I'd never seen one in the city before. Only ever in Yellowstone. So, I thought it was a cool spot!

At the gate the agent called my name (got it very wrong, bless him! Called me "Able" instead of "Adele"!) and I went up to the front. Asked if he'd meant me, he said, "Oooh, sorry!" No problem, just makes me smile. Anyway, he said, "I've got you listed in coach, and I don't know why, so give me a moment, and then board when I call 1st class." Ummm... ok! Twist my arm! So I'm writing this from 1st class. Last row, but still, 1st class!

Once we got on the plane, the stewardess came around with drinks. Then snacks! I was actually really grateful for the snack, since I'd not really wanted to eat anything at a quarter of 5 this morning. So it took the edge off.

The flying time is only 1 hour 40 minutes. I'm like, really? That's only enough time to get up to cruising altitude, and come back down! I guess I'm just so used to the long haul flights like the previous two I have been on this week.

Saw a really cool thing on takeoff. There were a whole line of planes all queued up for takeoff. Would have loved to get a photo, but obviously I couldn't, since my camera had to be off at that point. Anyway, there was a US flight, a Delta flight, then 6 Southwest flights in a row, and another Delta, and another Southwest was just joining the queue. Was quite a sight, all those planes lined up together.

Also have seen 2 rainbows this morning! There's a funny layer of cloud just below us, and the sun's apparently at just the right angle to refract. They're very pretty, especially since, a rainbow seen from above is actually a circle.

Anyway, we're about to be served more drinks. Seriously, life's tough up front ;)

The Last Passenger!

I was the only passenger not to get out on the 6.30 flight! Oh so sad :'( Particularly because, it was the last flight that was going to get me to Minneapolis in time to have dinner with my friend. Tragic, huh?

The ladies at the rebooking counter were total stars though. All day, in fact! They've been so sweet and helpful. One, the one I saw most of today, even said (last time I saw her) "I knew you were coming. I've been watching the list, rooting for you!" Yeah, she'd seen me often enough to know my name without having to ask.

The Sacrifices I Make

Seriously, if you only knew the sacrifices I make for this blog, and your entertainment! Here I am, sitting in 1st Class where they've already offered me intoxicants. Then they gave me a hot towel that nearly scalded me. Now they're trying to make me fat by bringing out assorted nuts, which will later be followed by a 3 course meal (Appetiser of chilled lime shrimp and seared scallop, southwest vegetable salad and roast yellow pepper soup. Second course of mixed green salad. Main course selection between Gemelli Pasta with cheese sauce, radicchio, spinach and shiitake mushrooms, or Tender Filet of Beef with blue cheese sauce, lyonnaise potatoes and sautéed haricots veers, or Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with citrus salad, mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with roasted garlic, or Chilled Deli Plate of roasted beef, smoked salmon, defiled egg, grilled zucchini, yellow squash and capers.) That is all followed by dessert (selection of cheeses with fresh fruit, vanilla ice cream sundae or chocolate cake.) To say nothing of the "light snack" they serve pre-arrival (roasted chicken sandwich with pesto sauce, provolone cheese and tomato and cucumber salad or cold salad plate with smoked salmon and potato cucumber salad, served with breadsticks and fresh fruit.). All of that is, of. Course served on real china with actual cutlery, which was so chilled I nearly lost a finger to freezer burn, and a linen table cloth. And the cheek! They steal away my Diet Coke and bring me a fresh one before I'm empty!

Then, once I've finished my food, I'm going to have to put my seat into full recline and sleep, since my flight doesn't get into JFK til 8.30pm and the next flight to Salt Lake doesn't leave til 7 something in the morning. So I'll be up all night at the airport.

Yes, I tell you, I seriously sacrifice myself on the alter to the travel gods for your benefit!

Wait... what?

Ok, that was weird.

I didn't get on the Minneapolis flight. They said all of us had been transferred to the Atlanta flight... What Atlanta flight? The one that was supposed to be leaving at the same time as this one? Because if so, WHY ON EARTH could you do that for this flight, but not the Miami flight, which had extra room?!? And left half an hour after the flight I was originally trying for? So confused.

Anyway, we all trouped back to the Atlanta flight (which was next to the Boston flight we'd all failed to get on earlier) and the desk attendants there looked at us and said, Why are you here? We said, the Minneapolis folks said they transferred us to your flight. They just shook their heads and transferred us to the last flight of the day (JFK).

Bless her, the poor attendant was the same one who'd tried to get us on the flight last night to JFK. She felt SO bad we hadn't got on. Obviously we knew it wasn't her fault! We were really kind to her, and had a chat. She said, "I don't know what gate the JFK will be at." I said, "Probably gate 10. Yes, I have been here that long!" She laughed and told us good luck.

Incidentally, she was the same attendant who'd transferred my listing from the JFK to the Boston flight this morning, in the middle of boarding! (Wait... was it JFK to Boston? Or was it somewhere else.... I've seriously lost track now!)

Right. One more chance tonight. There are currently 14 people on the standby list. I'm towards the bottom (but *shock* NOT the last!) We'll see if I get on. However, the plane is currently +3 (meaning they've still got 3 empty seats) and it's raining, and the M3 is closed.... which means more people might miss their connection.

I'm an evil person to be wishing horrible things on the paying customers!

Right. Hopefully I make the flight. Still have to admit to hoping for a 1st class seat.... I said I was an evil person, not a stupid one!