I Should’ve Asked More Questions

This morning was the very definition of nuttiness. Tho if I’m being honest, a 4am wake up call for an early flight is fairly nutty by itself.

Allow me to elaborate

When I got to the airport there was confusion about my gate which led to me scrambling to call my ride to come back and grab me. My gate was apparently in a whole other terminal I didn’t even know EXISTED.

On the fifteen minute drive between the two terminals as the control tower loomed closer and closer and the road became more sketchy, my friend stated that she had caught a flight out of this terminal previously. But she had taken a bus from the main terminal to reach it. At this point she turned to me and said “during that bus ride as a crushing sense of doom washed over me & the road got more backwoods-ish all I could think was: 1, I should’ve asked more questions. And 2, I think I can outrun everyone else on this bus.”

It was 5am and I was in stitches

It was exactly what I needed, because I was starting to get anxious about missing my flight with this whole terminal switching business. 

Entering the CORRECT terminal

However

The TSA agents working at this tiny terminal decided to give that anxiety back to me – but a triple dose. 

I have flown with my hiking poles in my pack as a carry on at the very least a dozen times.

Well, the agents informed me that I was NOT allowed to bring “walking sticks” and I was escorted out of security and instructed to check my bag at the counter.

The counter agent stated that they were closed and not accepting anymore checked luggage. 

I was almost in tears, but thank goodness the emergency-under-pressure corner of my brain kicked in. I walked out of the building, put my hiking poles in the planter right outside the door, and called my friend for a second time to come back again – to grab my poles.

New plant species: hikingpolefernicus

I re-entered security, where the bag machine malfunctioned three times. I waited as patiently as I could and after my pack went thru the machine for the 4th time, it finally came down the conveyor belt.

Have you ever collapsed into a chair out of sheer exhaustion from the madness of a crazy day?

That’s how it went when I got to my seat on the plane. And it wasn’t even 6am yet.

Never stop exploring. Embrace the suck. I. Believe. In. YOU. kk ily <3

~Post Script~

My amazing, wonderful, kind-hearted friend popped my hiking poles in the mail immediately and I will be reunited with them in a few days. God bless the real ones who take you to the airport at 4 am, and happily turn around twice to rescue you.