Today was a typical ‘travel day’, and we encountered virtually every common ‘travel dilema’.
Running on three hours of sleep, we dragged ourselves to the airport and checked in. I had told myself that I would work on the memorization of one of my speeches, or continue reading “News Zero”, while I was on the flight. However, being very tired and hungry (because of the hectic morning fogged over by drowsiness, I had forgotten to eat. Nor had I taken a shower.) I fell instantly asleep.
Two hours later, we arrived in Seattle. As we were off-boarding the plane, Mr. Fielding reached up to the overhead bin, and realized that his black canvas bag was missing. This bag was not just any bag; this bag held the Skagway School’s video equipment, voice recording equipment, high quality camera, and Mr. Fielding’s passport! If we didn’t find that bag, we would have to majorly postpone (if not cancel completely) this Marshall Islands trip. Frantically the four of us threw out ideas as to where it could be. When was the last time you saw it? Are you sure you brought it on the plane? Is it under the seat next to you?
Finally, we came to the conclusion that the couple who had been sitting in front of Mr. Fielding (and who had left behind a similar black bag), had accidently taken ours. Jacqueline took action immediate and ran off the plane screaming “Linda Meyers!” (the name of the wife). No one came back with our bag or even acknowledged Jacq’s efforts. So, still panicking, she and Mr. Fielding went to the Customer Service Desk to see if they could page ‘the Meyers’. They agents said that they were unable to do that, but just then the couple came walking back from the bathrooms carrying with them a familiar black canvas bag. Mr. Fielding caught up with Eugene (the husband) and asked “Excuse me, Do you have the right bag?” A little befuddled, he replied “Uh, do I have the wrong bag?”. It turned out he DID grab the wrong bag and returned it to Mr. Fielding, who immediately removed his passport and placed it in his pocket.
After getting the bag back, we rushed over to our next gate and realized that we still had a little bit of time before departure because the flight had been delayed. I got a delicious ‘Tomazzo’ bagel from the “Seattle Bagel Factory” right next to the gate. I’m beginning to appreciate this sort of food before I arrive in the RMI, where I’m not sure what my diet will be like.
When the flight was delayed a second time, we weren’t that worried. After all, we had a 2 hour layover in L.A., so we had plenty of time. When the flight was delayed a third time because the pilot still had not shown up, Alaska Air put us on a new flight, which was then delayed because something in the engine wasn’t working right. We waited another 20 minutes before Alaska Air announced that a plug had been replaced, the engine was fine, and we could now board. Because all of the delays, we only had about a 15 minute layover at the L.A. airport. We asked the Airline to rebook us for a different flight that day, but they said that we would have enough time. When we arrived in California, we discovered (not to our surprise) that we had missed the flight to Honolulu and would have to overnight in L.A.
When I visit large, loud, car-filled, high-rise cities, I experience a culture shock similar to that of a New Yorker visiting Alaska. As the four of us (depressed, exhausted, and unhappy about spending the night in a big, smelly city) waited outside the Airport Terminal for our bus to the Marriot Hotel, Jacqueline and I had a sarcastic conversation as follows:
S: You know, I’m actually really liking L.A.
J: Oh? What is it that you like about it. Please, put your affection into words.
S: Well, for one, it has this really…delicate scent that is just…unique to the city.
J: I wouldn’t say that it is completely unique. Urine has a very similar smell.
*sigh* good times
But over-nighting wasn’t all THAT bad. It was a really beautiful hotel, with a nice courtyard for practicing our speeches in. The hotel also provided us with tooth-brushes, tooth-paste, deodorant, and ‘Orange Ginger’ shampoo and conditioner because our bags had been checked through to Honolulu.
Tonight, we’re able to go to be early but have yet to check email or call home.
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