What a trip

Coming back from Florida, via air travel, on Thursday no less, my trip became a longer journey than I had planned. My 2.5 hour trip turned into a 13 hour journey.

The terrorist planned to attack a London Airport, so delays are to be expected. My flight was originally planned for noon, which got delayed about 40 minutes. That 40 minutes turned into into about 50 minutes, while still at the airport. A lot of flights were delayed.

The flight felt longer than 2.5 hours, as I realized we still weren't in NY. Then the pilot made an announcement, New York, LaGuardia wasn't taking flights for two reason: 1) there were too many other delayed flights, and 2) the weather was too stormy for flights to take-off/land.

So were were routed to Virginia. The delay there was supposed to be an hour, but turned into almost two hours. Now, the best part (note: there is a lot of sarcasm in that last part), was that we got in just after 7pm, and the only place to get something the kids would eat is just outside the "security area", which they told us not to leave in order to avoid any delays.

A security officer told me that it would be okay to go out, but to be back on line before 8pm, or else I'd be staying in Virginia for the night. He said "We usually close the line at 7:30 and close at 8. But we're making allowances for you guys since you have been directed here."

I got the kids and I something to eat, and was back in the secure area before 8. But no everyone was so speedy. I heard a few people make a stink because they weren't being allowed back in. After a bit of arguing, they were allowed through.

NOTE: Best way to deal with ornery old people, is the "path of least resistance".

I felt bad for this one old guy who recently had heart surgery, and had packed his medication in his checked luggage, for fear of having it confiscated at the security check back in Florida. They wouldn't let him get to his luggage because 1) it would delay us at least 3 hours, and that would cause us to miss our return "window" which in turn could delay us MUCH longer.

We finally get back to NYC, and after a quick drive home, I find out my entire neighborhood is SHUT DOWN.

They're repaving the main street, and there are film crews on the two other streets that you can enter through. One a film crew, the other a TV crew. Effectively, cutting my block off entirely.

Vilz talked with a police officer who led us to our block. Otherwise, we would have probably had to wait until 6am.

I got home a little before midnight. Whew! What a journey.