A long journey "home"

Alright, so this has been one long day. I’m one of those poor people stranded in New York due to the weekend snow storm that has been stressed in all the news. Both JFK and La Guardia airports are a total mess, I must say, with lines snaking endlessly packed with sleep-deprived passengers. I first started in JFK for my original flight. You know, when I heard that my flight was cancelled, my first reaction was panic and a sense of lost control over my carefully-thought plan. I wasn’t sure what to do or where to ask, because Delta was clearly understaffed and everyone was freaking out. I was freaking out. There were rumors about we’re all be on stand by, or worse there’s just not enough flight to accommodate everyone before Christmas. And my knees went weak seeing that darn line that might have just been longer than the great wall of China. Finally, I got an information from a very polite Delta staff that there was another Delta check in counter in terminal two. So, I dragged my red reliable and cute suitcase that has accompanied me through a lot of travels, and arrived at terminal two. It was slightly better, but still the line went round and round like a cinnamon roll and you just have no idea when will you finally reach the front to tearfully hear that one precious word: NEXT!! So, “slightly better” turned out to be seven hours waiting line. After 2 toilet breaks, 2 read papers, several pages of artistic drawing by a girl in front of me, and countless squat-sit-stand combinations, I was finally there! Every time I wanted to sigh and thought about how ridiculous the situation was, I looked at the middle-aged couple standing in front of me who just landed from their 26 hours flight from South Africa. If they could stand this, I could too!!!

So, from that counter, I got my best bet: leaving from La Guardia the next morning at 10.40 am. I argued a little asking for a better flight from JFK or an earlier flight or just any other possible connecting flights. The counter lady half threatened me, either I’ll be a stand by or go into that confirmed flight tomorrow morning. My weak heart couldn’t take uncertainties anymore, so I relented to the threat and took my confirmed flight. Luckily, I caught the last shuttle going to LaGuardia that night, spent the night here, and now, 8 AM, here I am on my gate, so ready to board that plane!!!! And I’m actually very lucky that I took my confirmed ticket because this morning, the line to the counters was just as bad.

Waiting in the gate has actually helped me getting updated about what’s happening because the TV is always on, and God knows when was the last time I watch TV. So, now I know that 1200 flights were canceled in the past 2/3 days from NYC, and there are severe back log now for many flights. I also know that there’s a stranded ship 5000 miles from Alaska that has been there for hours due to bad weather, and it is only getting worse. 28 people are stuck there and a second plane was already dispatched to drop them supplies. I know that Brittany Murphy died yesterday and so far it’s said that she died of natural causes, but police are still investigating. What else do I know? There’s an important health care bill passed at 1 am today, which I don’t know what is it about, but I could certainly state that in conversations so I look smart and informed. And also due to weather, Christmas shopping is halted this season and retailers are freaking out by trying to compensate using their online shops. So, there’s a lot of free shipping out there apparently. Yeap, that’s in a nutshell the news today, in case you missed it.

ANyways... I'm on the plane right now.. yes, flying high. THey have a promotion today to try out their wifi in the plane. Pretty Cool!!!! Yeap, be in Austin in an hour from now!