Here is the traumatizing story of my 24 hour trip home from California! I was due to leave San Diego (Stay Classy San Diego) at noon on Monday. I got to the airport around 10:30 and made my way to the ticket counter. I got my boarding pass (no checked bags) and went to find my gate. I got a small snack and sat down to do some reading and relax before my flight. Soon they announced that my flight was delayed by about 15 min. I thought "Ok that won't be too bad". I knew I didn't have a long layover (40 min) but I knew basically where the gates in LAX were and where I needed to go. Well then the delay got longer and longer and we waited and waited and by the time we got on the plane and in the air I had 10 min to make it to my plane. With a 25 min plane ride and at least another 5 min tram ride to the gate I needed I knew I wasn't going to make it.
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| Sunny San Diego |
So by the time I get into LAX my plane was definitely gone and I had a voice-mail from my airlines telling me my new flight numbers and times. Now remember I arrived at LAX some time around 2pm. The voice-mail informs me that my new flight will be departing LAX at 11:45PM!! WHAT?!?! I lost it! I was instantly in tears and basically running for the customer service desk. I talked to the actually really nice and helpful customer service and we sorted it all out that this was the earliest I could get home because of weather and the time difference. I thought "Ok, this will suck a little. But it will give me a chance to get some dinner and have some alone time. Probably read a little and maybe spot a celebrity!" I mean I was in LAX! You never know who you will see, meet, and become BFFS! I no more started walking to a deserted gate to sit down and I got another phone call from the airlines. My flight has been cancelled due to weather and my new flight leaves at 1:20 AM!!! Now I was NOT happy! I went back to customer service and this time I was sobbing! I kept saying "I just want to go HOME!" Again I had a very nice lady help me and explained everything and there was nothing to be done. So I decided at this point I hadn't eaten all day (it's currently 4pm) so I needed to eat! So I went to this cute little bar in the airport called Cole's!
I ordered an Amaretto Sour. The cool thing about Cole's is they don't use any mixes. So the sour mix that normally would have been used in my drink was made from a mixture of bitters and something (I was still blurry eyed and not paying attention). I always like talking to people in the airport cause you never know who you are going to meet. When I sat down I instantly noticed the woman to my right had a British accent so I asked her where she was from and we struck up a conversation. Her son lives in Maui, so she was out visiting him but he was soon moving to Vermont and her beach vacation days were coming to an end. She said heading back to the south of England wasn't going to be the same as Maui. Very sweet lady! I have no idea what your name was but I hope you made it home safely! Then to my left was a guy heading home from a guys weekend. He was a Marine stationed in Hawaii and was on his way home from Park City, Utah where he had been skiing! Seriously, I love getting people's life story in the airport!
I also ordered one of the only GF things on the menu a Cesar salad which I forgot to say no croutons but OH WELL I know how to pick them off. See that brown bit on the top of the salad? That's a whole anchovy! The salad had enough anchovies and garlic to make sure I didn't get attacked by ANYONE for a week! But WOW was a good salad! The dressing was awesome! So I had something to eat and then walked around for a little bit. I walked down to a little bakery and got a couple of Macaroons (sorry no pic) and then sat down for a little bit longer. Then around 8 I decided I wanted to sit at Cole's (the bar tender was really friendly! HEY HOUSTON!!) and see if I could meet some more interesting people!
Well for awhile I was alone and then this guy sat down next to me. Sorry for the creeper picture but I thought he looked so much like one of my friend's husbands I was trying to be sneaky for a picture! Later I struck up a conversation with him about a drink he had ordered (a whiskey sour made with an egg white. Actually really good!) and we ended up talking a good portion of the night. His name is Kevin and he is a comedian living in New York City! Actually he lives in New Jersey cause it's cheaper but you know what I mean! Go stalk him on twitter if you want @KevinShimko . Apparently he was also in the Ricky Bobby movie but only in the wide screen version. Seriously we laughed so much! He made the time pass and I'm thankful. Also the guy in the purple and I talked later after Kevin had to leave. His name is Myles and he is from Australia. He is engaged and has a BEAUTIFUL baby girl. We talked a lot about marriage and kids and being stuck in the airport and long plane rides (13 hrs from LAX to Australia). So Thank you to everyone who made my time in LAX slightly less traumatizing!
When I finally got on the plane at 1:20am, I slept most of the time until we landed in Dallas around 6:20am and then I grabbed a coffee and rode the monorail to my gate. Thankfully I made it back home and was in my truck to go home by 12:30pm. So by the time all was said and done I was awake (minus my naps on the plane) for just over 24 hrs. NOT good for me. I got home and took a 3 hour nap. The above picture is what I saw coming home. Snow! Oh well. I guess the gorgeous San Diego weather didn't follow me home!
Have you ever been stuck at an airport for a long time? Have you ever met anyone famous or funny or fun to know at an airport?
Love, Lacey
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