Just as I started to write this, my bags came through the door. The end of the story…. now back to the start…..
Dublin to Newark was great, and I knew things were going to well. I sat down in the business lounge in Newark airport and synced up the email (RPC over HTTPS really does rock). I spot an email from Continental onepass telling me that my flight to Norfolk is cancelled… Noooooooooooooooooooooo….
I run to the VERY helpful lady in the Continental lounge and she somehow finds me a flight to Washington DC and then on to Norfolk…. but it leaves in 45 minutes from another terminal. I sprint to the other terminal and I look the same as that guy from “Lost” (yeah, you know… the big one) when I arrive. I made the flight with seconds to spare.
Now I am on the plane, I look at my watch and realise that my connection in Washington is also 45 Minutes… should be fun 🙂
At this point I would like to comment on the approach to Washington DC airport. WOW! it is so cool. You come down the river over the National Monument and look up to Capital Building. Then, a late turn in and you drop onto the runway. Apart from the weather being bad, DC looks like a nice place. I must come back here.
I get off the plane and pounce on the nearest Continental representative to ask where the US Airways desk is so that I can get my boarding card. She points me in the right direction and I proceed to perform my “bounding elephant” impression to the desk. I handed the chap from US Airways my name and his face drops… “Urrr… sir, you are not even on standby on this flight”. At this point I will try anything… I well up… I realise that I cannot be stuck in DC overnight! He puts me on standby and again I run to the departure gates.
Now, I get stuck in the longest EVER queue for security. I have no choice and push my way through the line. I get through after some high blood pressure moments as everything metal on my person decides to setoff the alarm on the scanner. (I even took off my wedding ring to get the damn thing to stop beeping).
I arrive at the gate and I am approached by another nice bloke from US Airways who says “are you Nick Whittome”. I said “how did you know?”. He said, “The guy rang from the desk upstairs and said that a guy that looks like he is going to have a heart attack will be coming down to you”. Nice…
“I have a seat for you”. YES!, the travel Gods are with me today.
I get on the flight, which is a short one and have a good laugh with the “Elvis like” Air steward who spoke quicker than anyone I have ever met, and another chap who is joining Marks Forum now to help with Linux stuff. They made the trip… thanks guys if you are reading this.
I did not even bother trying to find my bags at the airport. I reported them lost, grabbed a cab to the hotel and they turned up a minute ago.
So, everything has fallen into place and I was especially happy to open my hotel room window this morning and see this:
Nick,
This is a redux of the flight that fellow SBS-MVP Frank McCallister and I had passing through DC.
BTW, DC is one of my favorite towns to take a long weekend to visit. Great if you like museums, good if you like variety, but I just love the diversity of restaurants and things to do. Just don’t look at the map and decide to walk it. Trust the Metro.
Anyway, Frank and I were coming down from Toronto from one of those really odd magnet events where a dozen SBS-MVP suddenly appear out of nowhere (Thanks Cal!). Frank and I are both on the gulf coast southern border of US and therefore New Orleans seems like a likely flight out point of departure. Our plan changes planes in DC.
Okay, so the flight from Toronto leaves 45 minutes too late because the pilots didn’t arrive. Whatever. We are now 45 minutes late to arrive into DC. That really is a pretty cool flight approach snaking down the Potomac, be sure to get a window seat.
I checked my watch as we go wheels on the runway and we have literally 20 minutes to make the connection…different concourse…international flight (yes, Canada is that).
I grab the bags and do my best OJ to get to the next concourse, leaving Frank (possibly the oldest SBS-MVP and former Air Force pilot of 7* years of age to “run” behind me.
Believe it or not, we did as you did and managed to get to the flight out.
We were on the ground in DC for 20 minutes. Amazing.
Have a great time while you are in town (USA).
Thanks again for a really great time in Dublin. You and the missus were the best hosts I could ask for!
– Jeff
Thanks Jeff!