Flight Karma
Tuesday, January 9th, 2007My flight karma has run out. I’m sure it’s my fault for bragging about our AWESOME seats on the trip to Oz. My return flight is COMPLETELY full and I couldn’t have picked a worse seat if I tried. As mean as I thought they were when I reviewed them, I REALLY wish I had some knee defenders now.
The people in my row turned out to be better than I thought they would be, but the woman sucked her teeth really loudly. I thought smacking was the most annoying thing in the universe, but the teeth-smacking takes the cake.
I’ve been Selected for a Special Security Screening, which is denoted by an SSSS on the bottom right hand corner of your boarding pass. Sounds like I’ve won something, huh? Not quite. That means I went through the normal security screening and pat down in Sydney, then I went though customs and a screening in LAX (as everyone does) but I also got another pat down and all of my belongings searched and checked for explosives traces. That’s cool. I’m a big fan of security. I still managed to get a much earlier flight, as I walked up to the gate and requested standby 20 minutes before the flight left. Allrighty. Then I got to DFW and there was ANOTHER flight leaving about 20 minutes after I arrived. Cool, maybe I’ll get lucky and get standby again. I went to the desk and they informed me that I needed to be screened, searched, patted down and explosives screened yet again. How was I to pick up anything suspicious in the air between Los Angeles and Dallas? I’m not exactly terrorist material, so I still don’t get it. But despite the excessive screening, I made the earlier flight. My bags didn’t, but me arriving in places without my gear has become the standard for this trip. Luckily, I live about 20 minutes from the airport and I can pick it up later.
Sadly, this marks the end of my journey and this blog. I had a wonderful time in Oz and am already planning my return trip to Wwoof around the country, just as soon as I make it to Antarctica, Kilimanjaro and teach English is Southeast Asia for a year. Not that I’m ambitious or anything. Just a nomad.
– Carrie
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