Category Archives: travel

Guardian Angels

Posted in mother, travel by

Have you ever had a person show up just when you need them?

A person who offers advice, assistance, or support in ways that you knew [or didn't know] you needed.

One of those people crossed my path today.

All day, I had not eaten. All I had was a small cup of coffee. My husband lectured me about how I needed to eat [as if I didn't know that, especially at 2pm].

I kept driving and driving, but not finding anywhere to eat on my trek from Boston to VT. Finally, I find this small sign indicating an exit had food. I didn’t even know what state I was in.

I drove and drove, but couldn’t find anything to eat. I started to think I chose the wrong exit. But then, there were my two choices. The Everyday Cafe and the Covered Bridge Restaurant. I went with the Everyday Cafe because it told me I was in Contoocook, NH.

I walked in behind an older gentleman in a bright green shirt. As I approached the counter he asked if I was Irish. I didn’t quite hear him, so I asked him to repeat himself. I told him I was. He said he wasn’t but that’s why he wore the shirt he was in [I "read" it but did not comprehend it at the time].

I went about ordering and eating my lunch, but something compelled me to talk to him. He told me of marrying his wife, of driving off in his hot sports car [something in the "Model-Somethingorother" Variety] to their honeymoon, about his children, and his daughter coming home when his wife got ill [and passed away, something he didn't say, but I gathered].

All of which struck a chord.

But, not as much as:

“The day is a as good as you let it be.”

“I loved coming to work every day. You should love your work, every day.”

It was as if he has been in my head, or privy to my life and conversations, over the past week. No, since June. Was he there with me on Friday?

No, but the Universe was.

It was another, innocent, perspective.

And I was not so ignorant to miss the OBVIOUS. Thanks Universe.

Plus, he ended it with, “I have just one last thing to say to you before I go. Has anyone told you today how beautiful you are?”

Me, “No.”

Him, “Do you work with blind people?”

Seriously.

Don’t think that the Universe is not always at work.

On Surviving an Emergency Landing

Posted in life, travel by

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It started with all the lights on the plane going out. A little while later, when they were restored, the pilot came on the intercom to announce we were going to do an emergency landing.

A WHAT?!?!?!

The pilot said there was some kind of oil problem, resulting in one of the engines not working properly, but that it was not a big deal. He said pilots are trained for that. He asked that we not be alarmed by the fire trucks that would meet the plane on the runway. He said, “don’t panic.” Then he said, “prepare for an emergency landing.”

All as if an emergency landing was par for the course. Normal. A non-panic inducing activity.

I’m sure if you look up reasons to panic, one of the first ones is “plane making emergency landing”.

So, I turned on my phone. I figured that in a world of emergency landings and failed engines, my cell phone signal was a minor issue to deal with and I would be damned if I wasn’t going to at least try and contact my loved ones. So out went a few text messages while I braced for impact.

Landing was not so bad, but we did not brake. We ran the runway out [surrounded by fire trucks], turned and ran the runway again in the opposite direction before slowing down to pull into the gate [still surrounded by fire trucks].

We disembarked as quickly as possible and in the process and we were thanked for not panicking, which truly was a feat. I can’t say that no one did. Just that no one mutinied and panicked openly, except for me who was crying. Well, I am the only one I *know* of.

It was almost midnight by the time I got in… and well, suffice it to say my nerves were/are shot. Not a way to end a whirlwind travel experience [and that doesn't even include my experience in Newark].

All I can say is that I am very thankful for it to end the way it did. That I am here one more day to experience all of this world. But for now I am holing up in the fetal position in my bed… trying to forget yesterday and recharge my nerves to endure another day on Earth.

I am the person on the plane everyone hates

Posted in day to day, marriage, travel by

I can feel their stares, fellow passengers glaring at me as I blow my nose for what feels like the 100th time. Thinking, ‘oh great, she’s sick and I am trapped on this airplane with her. Spreading her germs. Ruining my upcoming week with her illness. I can feel it now, is it possible I am already getting sick from her?’

Yes, I am that girl. I am the very person who I believe a week prior got me sick flying to/from Vermont. Though I never saw him or her, I am sure that person was there, spreading their germs to the other poor saps who had the misfortune of traveling on the same plane or in the same airport. To people like me. Because invariably I end up sick when I fly. It is too strong a correlation to not be causal.

So to my fellow travelers who have the good [misfortune] of traveling with me to Reno, I am sorry. I really am because whatever I have is a beast. Good luck.

goodbye vermont

Posted in day to day, life, travel, Uncategorized, work by

the only bad part of my vermont experience was leaving. at the airport i swiped one of the cards i converted to my new married last name [my last name-his last name] and it showed up that there were no reservations for me to travel home.  i panicked [slightly].  i am always afraid that i will remember the wrong time or the wrong place or the wrong date.  i thought it was one of those times.  i searched for my itinerary.  i could not find it anywhere.  oh yeah, it is still in the trunk of my car because i spilled water all over it and then forgot to pack it.  i searched my phone, remembering i received flight notifications on the way out prior to departure, maybe there would be a clue in my email.

then i remembered.  it’s the card you swiped, dumbass.

so, i got out my other and proceeded to check in without any hassle.  it really was a shame.  i had already began to plan my weekend in vermont.  [the weekend i really wanted to do and to have with my husband but he couldn't travel with me this time].  i was planning all sorts of adventures i would have until i flew out on sunday, because of course if i wasn’t making this flight the next logical time to fly out was sunday.

my trip was short and i did not get to see much of burlington, but i enjoyed what i saw and definitely look forward to returning.  it reminded me a lot of ann arbor, with its old buildings, old school downtown, lots of students, walkers, bikers, etc.  it was a vibrant scene with a group of eclectic friendly people.  though, i think i committed a crime [by local standards] for not going to the phish concert to benefit the flood victims [nor did i know it was going on the night i arrived].  then later got “accused” of going because my travel exhaustion.

at the end of my dinner last night [i was alone, but chatted with a man at the bar the last 15 minutes i was there... no, not in any kind of "bad" way], i said what is probably close to the most un-vermont thing to say [in hind-sight anyway].  in response to a question about my profession, i replied, “i buy major weapons systems.”  in a place as green and peace-loving as vermont [or the vermont in my head], it seemed almost like heresy to say such a thing.

regardless, vermont sent me off with a beautiful sunset.