Talk about differences…
ITP went OTP this weekend, to Raleigh NC to be specific. Normally I hop into the Jackmobile (as in carjack) and take the six-hour drive. I love driving. Seriously, I do. I get to set my own schedule, eat at Waffle House (need I link to them again?), and look for bizarre sodas such as Cheerwine when gassing up the car. The slogan “See The U-S-A in a Hon-d-a.” (sorry Chevrolet, you just don’t capture the imagination of this driver) However, time and money won the battle this time and I decided to fly.
Friday’s flight was horrible. The flight was overbooked (thankfully I got the airport early enought to claim a seat) — which meant no room at all in the cabin, we were late leaving the ground by at least twenty minutes, and hit turbulance (I thought I might get airsick for the first time.) All this flight was missing was a surly flight attendant and a screaming child. It was “air bus” travel at its worst. I was ready to start wasting people using either the nail clippers that airport security failed to confiscate, or the plastic knife issued along with the metal fork at the airport Chili’s. A cooler head prevailed when I decided not to be admitted to a Federal Penitentiary (I am sure that any offense occurring at an airport is a Federal offense) and relaxed.
I was ready for another fiasco on the return flight home. Did you know that the Raleigh airport checks your boarding pass no fewer than four times? Three of those checks happen within twenty feet of one another — prior to going through the metal detector, at the metal detector, and at the end of the cramped area where one returns valuables to pockets, laptops to cases and shoes to feet! With the exception of the asshole who ignored the request to turn off his laptop until the last possible second (buddy, whatever movie you were watching couldn’t have been that good) this flight was nearly 180 degrees from Friday’s. There were about thirty people on the flight with no one else in my row; the flight left early and arrived early (only to be delayed because our intended gate was occupied).
While I enjoyed the extra time spent with friends, I think my future trips might take a cue from Willie Nelson and be “On The Road Again.”
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
It Was The Worst Of Flights, It Was The Best Of Flights
Talk about differences…
ITP went OTP this weekend, to Raleigh NC to be specific. Normally I hop into the Jackmobile (as in carjack) and take the six-hour drive. I love driving. Seriously, I do. I get to set my own schedule, eat at Waffle House (need I link to them again?), and look for bizarre sodas such as Cheerwine when gassing up the car. The slogan “See The U-S-A in a Hon-d-a.” (sorry Chevrolet, you just don’t capture the imagination of this driver) However, time and money won the battle this time and I decided to fly.
Friday’s flight was horrible. The flight was overbooked (thankfully I got the airport early enought to claim a seat) — which meant no room at all in the cabin, we were late leaving the ground by at least twenty minutes, and hit turbulance (I thought I might get airsick for the first time.) All this flight was missing was a surly flight attendant and a screaming child. It was “air bus” travel at its worst. I was ready to start wasting people using either the nail clippers that airport security failed to confiscate, or the plastic knife issued along with the metal fork at the airport Chili’s. A cooler head prevailed when I decided not to be admitted to a Federal Penitentiary (I am sure that any offense occurring at an airport is a Federal offense) and relaxed.
I was ready for another fiasco on the return flight home. Did you know that the Raleigh airport checks your boarding pass no fewer than four times? Three of those checks happen within twenty feet of one another — prior to going through the metal detector, at the metal detector, and at the end of the cramped area where one returns valuables to pockets, laptops to cases and shoes to feet! With the exception of the asshole who ignored the request to turn off his laptop until the last possible second (buddy, whatever movie you were watching couldn’t have been that good) this flight was nearly 180 degrees from Friday’s. There were about thirty people on the flight with no one else in my row; the flight left early and arrived early (only to be delayed because our intended gate was occupied).
While I enjoyed the extra time spent with friends, I think my future trips might take a cue from Willie Nelson and be “On The Road Again.”
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]