The scenic route....with a few bumps ;)

This is what my day consisted of yesterday…….


It’s an all day trip from the East Coast to a small airport in WI. As the agent said to me when I checked my bags, “You’re taking the scenic route huh?” There are only two airlines that fly into this airport so I didn’t have much choice, but……

I like to travel and for the most part, (if time is on my side), I don’t care how long it takes me. I love to people watch and I could do it for hours. Although security at the airport is increased, I was able to arrive at 11am for a noon flight (I always check-in online). Security was easy-peasy, no line (although my bag did have to be hand checked – probably my knitting ;)) and my express bus ride to the airport was EARLY! I love when things go right (because prior to that – the morning was not going so well as I ALMOST missed the bus).

Like I said with all the changes, the airport is sometimes a hectic place to be….I love that they have put these all along several hallways. It is so peaceful and quiet and allows you to just relax in all the hustle and bustle. I had time to sit for a few minutes today.

It turns out the rushing this morning was silly…..my flight was delayed more than 1 ½ hours. I rarely have this problem on the more “fun” airlines – Southwest, JetBlue etc….but with the bigger, older airlines – it seems there’s always a delay. Lucky for me – it doesn’t stress me out. I’ve had many airline adventures (including sharing a hotel room in NJ with an old woman from India – but that’s another post). It turned out that it was a fortunate twist of fate that the flight was delayed. I would have missed my connection to Chicago in DC so they rebooked me on a direct flight to Chicago!! Wooo-hoo!!!

I was early into Chicago and my flight to WI was delayed. I played on the computer and people watched (no knitters though, hmm.....), but I was hungry. Nothing in the airport appealed to me and I had had JUNK airport food for lunch. I finally landed in WI and I have NEVER seen such a small airport. We walked down 10 stairs and there were our bags coming off the only baggage claim in the place. I turned left and there was my rental car company. I stood there signing forms while I watched for bag on the belt! :)

Unfortunately, my bags were not there. I knew this was a real possibility when I started out because my itinerary was changed around so much. I asked the Hertz lady where to go if my bags were missing - she pointed me to a counter across the way. A woman there told me to ring the bell, but if they didn't come right away, it might be because they were just finishing up unloading their plane. A guy came out and took my info. He told me it should arrive on the 9:30pm flight and that it would be brought to my hotel.....BY HIM. Really I think he was the person who singlehandedly ran the airline in this airport. I was amused, having come from such a large and busy airport.

All in all, it was a long day with no major problems. My hotel is lovely, right on the Mississipi River I think (based on what I can see from the window **Ooops I stand corrected - it's the Black river)! I ate alone in their restaurant, which I don't do very often. It was almost empty, save two other tables, so I was very obvious. I had salmon because I was starving for a real meal and it did not disappoint. I should have brought my knitting or a book, but it seemed rude. Rude to whom I don't know. It's just a weird feeling to eat in public like that with no one to talk to. Travelling alone, no problem. Love it. Eating alone, still working on that one. ;)

Today I'm off on a little adventure to visit an old college friend whom I haven't seen in 9 years and meet her children. Tomorrow - the wedding! :)