Back on the Road

After several weeks of minimal travel, I hit the road again last week. It had been so long since I had packed I had a little trouble remembering everything I needed.

I had a 6 AM flight from Kansas Cit to Baltimore last Monday morning. I try to avoid early flights. They are usually crowded and I don't like to get up at 4 AM anyway. This time I didn't have a choice as I had to be in Baltimore before noon, so the alarm went off at 4 AM and I hustled around to leave by 4:45 and make it to the airport by 5. I was absolutely amazed at how many people were milling around, checking luggage and in line for security. I counted 13 flights for Southwest leaving between 6 and 7. Fortunately, I have priority status with Southwest, so I was able to move right to the front to check my luggage. Then, on to security. I have never had more than one or two people in from of me in the priority lane for security, but at that time of day, the priority lane had a line of 10 to 15 people. I made it to the gate about 5 minutes before we started boarding.

Flight was uneventful. I was reading and kept falling asleep. I landed in Baltimore around 9:30. The rest of the crew wasn't due in until 11:30 or so, so I went to the rental car facility and sat and read (and dozed) while I waited for all to arrive and head to the facility.

I flew home on Thursday evening, arriving back in Kansas City at 11 PM. I did two load of laundry, cleaned the cat litter, watered my flowers, went to the library and bank, re-packed and was ready to leave by 10AM on Friday morning, when a friend from church picked me up to go to Branson for a week-end of good food, fun shows, lot of ice cream and great fellowship with great people.

I flew out of the Branson airport on Sunday morning headed to Tampa for 23 hours. Last night I flew from Tampa to Chicago and drove to Valparaiso, Indiana. The best part is that I again have a car. I really do not like to be at the mercy of other people for wheels.

I am here for three nights then fly on to Detroit for one night before heading back to Kansas City on Friday afternoon. This evening I hope to drive to the Indiana Dunes which is only about 10 miles from the hotel.