Tag: air travel

Going West

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

Written because I want to remember it, and because Mom wants to know what I’m doing…

For the first time in many years, my daughter Esther and I are spending birthday week together. Yesterday was her birthday and my travel day. I boarded a plane and flew west to Seattle.

Trepidation. A nice, interesting word with a good compliment of letters in it. I like long words when I am still able to pronounce them easily. I had some trepidation preceding this journey. It’s been a while since I went anywhere by plane and I was expecting that changes might have taken place in the system. Airports are complicated places. And even before that, there was the job of getting to the airport and parking.

It was good to start the trip with something familiar. I love my car and know how to use GPS to get places, so the only thing “trepidating” (trepidicious?) about the drive to Minneapolis was the freezing rain and snow that started in the first 20 miles and only got worse as I went south. I was very relieved to pull into the remote parking garage where my reservation barcode actually worked and opened the gate.

I found a space and was just making sure I was lined up right in it when I saw the shuttle already waiting behind me. The driver had followed me in. I quickly got out, pulled my suitcase and backpack out of the back seat and got in the shuttle. I didn’t remember locking the car, so was searching in my purse for my key while we wound our way out of the garage. That’s probably why I thought about looking for my phone.

My phone was back in the car, still connected to the console.

We were only just out on the street when I freaked out and started apologizing and telling the driver I would run back and get it. But he went around the block and returned, acting kind of like this sort of thing had happened before. The other passengers didn’t seem to mind and maybe even were amused. So started the trip.

MSP airport was as confusing as ever. I’ve flown out of it many times but it has gotten bigger and bigger, and I didn’t recognize most of it. The signage is less than helpful. Mostly, I just followed the biggest crowd I could find and hoped for the best.

Getting through security was not a lot different. All they asked for was my ID, and nothing in my baggage or on my person set off any alarms. That whole process only took about 20 minutes and I was soon sitting at my gate. I had two whole hours to watch the energetic, screeching children who had also arrived early, and their parents who thought they were funny, and the lady with the dog who was also dealing with some trepidation.

Not much to report about the flight itself, except that the entertainment system cut out half way through the movie I tried to watch. They had warned us this might happen. I also missed the garbage bag when the attendant came by to collect our drink cups. I had to scrape all the ice I dropped out of the way and under my chair where it could safely melt. I was beginning to feel like an old lady, forgetful, slightly incompetent. No one seemed to mind.

Three hours later I was racking up steps in the Seattle airport, and texting my people to come pick me up. They were waiting in the cell phone lot so it didn’t take long, and we were on our way to Esther’s birthday dinner at Cedarbrook Lodge.

Esther’s longtime friend, Duncan, was running the bar there and gave us special attention, the whole time we were there. I learned that NA (nonalcoholic) beverages are the latest trend there and enable cocktails with no alcohol to now be as expensive as those with alcohol. I also learned that Sablefish is another word for cod, but it definitely needed a new word since it was being served in an upscale restaurant. As promised, dinner was a quintessential Northwest experience in dining. I especially like my spatzle, foraged mushrooms, butter roasted onions, preserved lemon and evergreen oil side dish. It was good to talk with my kids and relax over an interesting meal. I only spilled one glass of water and it was just what we needed to liven things up a bit.

Back at Esther’s house we finished off the day with a good walk along the beach. Ryan had Nina on leash so it was a walk/drag for him and he turned back early. Conversation in the living room, and then the evening ended around 12 for me, still on central time. I settled into my charming bedroom for sleep, and only awakened a couple of times, hearing that faint noise like a ticking clock or drops of water falling on metal.

I wonder what that was?

At Cedarbrook Lodge. My people, still happy.

Not Done Yet

Shirleyjdietz4 Comments

It snowed again this morning. I am not sitting in the chair in the picture, but I am in one close by with the same view. Winter knows its days are numbered, but March gives it one more month to exhaust itself. I am SO ready for the next season. It is now very important to keep going on and not lose heart.

I’ve gotten that message in so many ways – not that it’s a new thought that I must persevere. Every inspiring story ever told has the theme of “hang in there”. It’s probably because we humans are always finding ourselves in the “go numb and give up” state of mind over some circumstance in our lives.

I was all set to go visit my daughter, the one who is planning a wedding. We were getting ready for some good mother/daughter stuff, a bright spot to take up the last days of winter. And then along came COVID-19 and all the warnings for people over 60 and the immunosuppressed. That pretty much describes all the people that I come in contact with on a daily basis, myself included. Add to that, the fact that my daughter lives two crowded airports and 6 hours in a plane from me, in a city where the majority of U.S. deaths have occurred. Yep, Seattle. So, I’m not going there now. Thank you to all who helped me make the decision. (It was sensible, but hard anyway.) I’m not giving up on a chance to do this trip in the future – that’s where the perseverance comes in.

I also thought about the merits of continuance, keeping pace, and not giving up on a recent walk with my brother. Winter walking through the woods is a bit of an art. The path is very hard and slippery in places and very uneven, which makes me tend to look down and watch my footing (while running into branches at eye level…). I’m always conscious of the biting, cold air I’m breathing in, even while I’m sweating under layers of winter clothing. It’s a strange mixture of exhilarating and exhausting. But I can see my brother’s feet ahead of mine and I know if we keep putting one foot ahead of the other, we will finish the 3 mile loop.

Right, left, right, left, slip, scramble, hop to get in step again, KEEP GOING

Persevere, my friends. Rest and recoup, if necessary, but keep going. Whatever your “winter” is, DON’T GIVE UP.

This encouraging smile was in the snow along the trail. I added the hair.

A Night at Intercontinental MSP

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

Picking up the daughter flying in from Seattle tonight – it only made sense to stay overnight instead of driving home till 4 am. It’s been quite a while since the husband and i had a special night out. This is it.

This is a new hotel, and the only one right at the airport. Two restaurants, beautifully appointed rooms, the feel of luxury. We are enjoying it immensely, although feeling a bit out of place.

There is a wedding party upstairs – and what an easy place to gather for guests flying in just for the celebration.

There is a TSA checkpoint right at the hotel that gets one into the airport via a skybridge. Its only staffed during peak morning hours, but facilitates an easy get away for those early flights.

Very modern, beautiful place with friendly staff. You do pay a price for the convenience but there are times it would be worth it. Just sayin’…

Getting there is half the fun…

Shirleyjdietz11 Comments

I don’t know who said that but I hope they’re wrong. Travel is amazing, and interesting but I wouldn’t call it fun.

I and all my devices got in the truck and made our way to Minneapolis last night. We had a short sleep in a motel, where I left the truck. Everything went so smoothly at the airport that I started wondering why. I finally realized that it’s one of the benefits of traveling solo. Don’t get me wrong – I love traveling with companions as well, but this kind of freedom has a charm all its own. I don’t have to match anyone in my likes, dislikes or pace. I can be as early or as late as I choose. I can eat or go without. I have one person to watch out for – me.

I am now safely in Arizona, sitting in the waiting area for the flight to Flagstaff. I decided to check in here with a short post because I have over four hours to wait and have to fill the time. I know it won’t be long before I will have to forget my “devices” and start experiencing this hike without them.

This is my first trip in a long time without my computer. Instead I’m using my phone for everything – it’s camera, tablet, caretaker of boarding passes, as well as communication central. What a device! And I have paired it with this tiny little bluetooth keyboard, which so far is doing a great job.

I sat next to a dog! I saw a fairly large man walking around in the gate area before the flight and noticed him because he had this tiny dog on a bright red leash. You don’t see this every day. Later, much later because I was in the last zone to board the plane, I got to my seat and there they were again. The little fella was so quite, slept all the way to Phoenix, and licked my hand when he woke up after we landed. Make me decide between sitting next to a kid or a dog, I’ll take the dog.

In addition to being a travel day, yesterday was Mother’s Day. It was so nice to spend it this year with my mom, my youngest daughter and my brother’s family. We went to church, had a wonderful family brunch that I wish I had taken a picture of but didn’t. We took walks and talked. Later, at the motel, I got a call from eldest daughter to round out the day.

Thanks again for the book Ryan! And this is my mini-keyboard folio.

So here goes four hours of waiting. I have a book to read. Food and drink is close at hand. Fun is ahead as I look forward to meeting up with brother Bob and Elizabeth. It’s hard to believe I’m here, so far from where I started this morning, in such a different place.

A very different place than the one I left this morning. Yes, real mountains…

It’s Happening!

Shirleyjdietz6 Comments

The Adventure Starts

Now the rest of the events will unfold, sort of like the domino that falls and starts the whole line up toppling, one after the other.

Suitcase (and daughter) finally made it.

I consider the adventure to have started yesterday when I left for the Minneapolis airport to fetch youngest daughter to us. It was a successful trip with the usual number of unexpected turns. Her route from Seattle was through Dallas (everyone’s intuitive path…) so the storms there delayed the flight 90 minutes. Then her luggage got put on another plane and we waited another hour for that to arrive. But she made it! We were home by 11 pm.

We have Mother’s Day to celebrate with a family brunch after church today. I have packing to finish and hopefully a relaxing walk somewhere – it is warm and sunny and spring is springing. This evening I will drive back to Minneapolis and hopefully get some sleep before my early flight out to Flagstaff. It seems quite unreal that one week from this moment I will be back here, sitting in this chair probably, having gone through it all.  One week of unknown adventure and unique Grand Canyon views (and possibly physical torture…). It will be over. How does time do that to us?

The Work of Flying Home

Shirleyjdietz2 Comments

It’s a sad way to end a vacation, but I’ve had a headache for over 24 hours now. Nevertheless, today the husband and I are traveling home by air. I have a new phone with a “learning curve” involved. I am flying on an airline with an unfamiliar app.  I am set up for disaster at worst, awkwardness and embarrassment at the least.

At the bag drop, I tried to pull up the boarding passes. I hate looking like someone who doesn’t know how to operate my devices when other people are waiting and looking (and my head is pounding) but clearly that was me.  The husband and I stepped away to figure it out. Our second pass in front of the same attendant was no better because even though I had found the boarding passes, they didn’t have barcodes on them. “Go print at the kiosk” she ordered.

WIN_20171129_124643
In my opinion, this app needs serious tweaking.

The first kiosk I stood at for several minutes had an “Out of Order” sign on it that I didn’t notice at first. The second kiosk refused to scan my passport and trapped me in a vicious circular message of how to do what I was already doing without success. The third kiosk also would not scan my passport. The attendant, who had been watching, came over to see what I was doing (to help the elderly, confused woman who obviously was having trouble and about to pound on the machine). She said to type in my name and forget the passport. Out popped the boarding passes, of course. We checked the bag.

Next, we entered the security check area behind an Asian family, non-English speakers, who were having an  interesting difficult time understanding what to do.  The grandmother left her carry-on bag on the floor in front of me and tried to walk through the metal detector. I called out to her and she grabbed it and tried to pull it through the metal detector with her. Didn’t work. She was sent back to put it on the x-ray belt, along with her coat which the TSA person had to nearly take off her before she understood what to do. On the other side she walked off with her suitcase but I had to chase her down and give her the coat. It was so distracting. I also had to remove my boots with their big zippers before I could go through and retrieve all my stuff.

One of my most important jobs is keeping an eye on the husband as we travel, presumably together, but often yards apart. If he falls too far behind I wait for him so he doesn’t get lost. I am quicker at reading signs and hearing what others are telling me to do, so he naturally lets me do the navigating. Do I always do a good job of this? No.

Next, the husband and I found a seat in the waiting area by the gate. All seemed well until we began to be surrounded by families with babies and toddlers. I counted at least 10. Don’t get me wrong – I love children, but I know how much they don’t like to sit in a plane for three hours. My headache intensified.

Two hours later, somewhere flying south, as the babies began to cry and the parents began to plead I finally decided to take some Migraine Formula Excedrin. I zipped up my down jacket, which had been serving as a pillow, and put it over my head. It was nice in there. Dark, warm, quieter.

After arriving in Tampa, the remaining tasks were getting our checked bag, getting to economy parking, and getting out of economy parking. Nothing went horribly wrong but there were glitches. My whole point is that traveling is an adventure with challenges. From purchasing the right tickets, to finding one’s way through the airport labyrinths, using technology, devices and their apps, keeping track of traveling companions and their needs, managing your own comfort, and ending up in one piece at your final destination – it is a job, on its own right.  Do I get paid for this?

Something mildly crazy happens almost every time I fly.  How about you?

Ordinary Times and Travels: Christmas, post 2 (the trip)

Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

I can’t say that I really love airports. They often have associations with travel difficulties and anxieties that I don’t care to rehearse, but yesterday I had a “moment” of niceness. It will probably moderate the moments that have not been so nice.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so huge that going from one concourse to another, even on the tram, can cause a time crunch. Last night was different and I had time to spare and not a long way to go, so I walked instead of taking the tram. I came to a section of the walkway that was, well… a delight. I was strolling along looking at my phone for messages when I became aware of faint noises, like you might hear walking under a forest canopy alive with birds. The hall was dimly lit from the ceiling with gold and green leaf-like layers. Simple, calming and somewhat magical and exactly what one would like to experience in a busy, oppressive environment. For a moment, I was taken away from it all and totally immersed in the sounds and sights.

wp-1482270797173.jpg
the approach to the walkway

wp-1482270840252.jpg
I should have thought to make a recording – it was so relaxing…

So far on this trip, my major airline has cancelled my desired flight, and rebooked me on a late afternoon flight across the country which ended  up being delayed two hours.  All in all it was 12 plus  hours from my departure from Sarasota until the time my head hit the pillow in Seattle. It was a long day/night trip.

I did see more security personnel on duty in my first airport. Other than that there was very little to remind me of the dangers we hear about in our world today. The flights were full. People were in a good mood with full expectations of reaching their destinations. I read a book, the whole thing and did a lot of thinking. Travel these days is really an impressive thing. In spite of some inconvenience, here I am thousands of miles from where I was, in just one day. Our ancestors who crossed the nation in wagons pulled by horses would certainly think this was a different planet.

Seattle daughter pulled herself out of bed to come get me at 1 am, for which I am soooo grateful. We traveled up to West Seattle, Alki Beach area where she set me up for the night in her lovely Airbnb bedroom.  Feeling tired, feeling blessed. Day 1, completed.

Thanksgiving Chronicle: Ordinary Times and Travels

ShirleyjdietzLeave a comment

wpid-20141015_0707500.jpgThe husband and I had been thinking and praying about this trip for weeks.  My family often tries to get together at Thanksgiving even though we are geographically scattered. Those of us from Florida have several times found ourselves “snowed in” up in Hayward for the holiday. Last year we combined the get together with Mom’s wish to spend the winter with us. We flew to Wisconsin, traveled in her car to Michigan to have Thanksgiving there with three of my brothers, and then continued on down to Florida. It worked, and we were trying it again this year, hoping it would work again.

Monday, I felt like a captive pretty much all day. I used to think that it was pretty cool getting to travel a lot – flying off to southeast Asia, to Seattle, to Wisconsin – but I am over that. Although I booked our flights weeks ahead of time there were no good seats to choose from. I sat in the window seat on the first leg. There was no chance of getting out over two other people, so I sat for that hour and a half, sleeping against the wall. The second leg was longer and I was in the middle seat, which to me is even more claustrophobic. With the space in front of my feet filled with a back pack, my knees touching the seat ahead of me, and a hefty passenger seated on either side of me, it was like being in a small box for three hours. The worst part of the trip was after the plane landed and everyone who could, stood up, filling the aisle. We waited for 15 minutes before anyone was actually able to leave. We were in the back, of course, and got to watch every person in every row struggle with their luggage. There was nothing to do but wait the eternity until was our turn. In my dreams I become rich and famous by designing a better de-planing procedure and selling it to airlines.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 (very early): I sat up in bed looking at a clock that showed 5:45 and mentally calculated that it would be 6:45 in my usual time zone – no wonder I was awake. I failed to consider daylight savings time, and so had the person responsible for setting the clock in that room. It was 4:45, so I had some “think time” to consider how it was that I was thousands of miles from where I had been yesterday. I was, always am, properly amazed and thankful for safe travel. Wisconsin in winter is dark late in the morning, dark early in the evening, leaving very little daylight to save, but there was some, finally…

 

How to make four hours go fast…

Shirleyjdietz3 Comments

It’s not a statement,  it’s a question. I’m all settled in at this big airport, at the place I think I’m supposed to catch the shuttle to my final destination. It doesn’t arrive for another four hours, and when it does we’ll have a three hour ride farther north. I’m tired of sitting which is about all I’ve done since leaving home at 7 this morning. 

But, it’s been a safe, uneventful flight.  Every time I dig for something in my backpack I’m enveloped in this heavenly smell of essential oil that has evidently been leaking in there somewhere. And believe me, I am so glad it’s the one that does smell heavenly rather than the one purported to smell like cat pee. Small blessings.

Growing up, I had no idea that I lived somewhere called “remote”. We seldom went anywhere farther than our 60 mile trip to get school clothes in the nearest town with a department store. But school away from home changed all that.

 And as time wore on, the girl from the north, in school down south (Texas), met a man from the east (Pennsylvania) and moved west (California), before coming back home to Wisconsin for a few years. I live in Florida and am afraid to guess what part of the U.S. is going to be next. I don’t know whether to say the world has gotten bigger or smaller. 

When I fly I look down at the land below. Although this is a very big country, it seems to be pretty full of people. All the habitable space is divided up into squares or circles with clusters of dwellings at every intersection. At night, I see towns dotting the darkness everywhere I look. During the day we fly between cities so sprawling and large that it scares me. Our ancestors could not have imagined this. And I cannot imagine the future.

I guess I’ve talked myself into being thankful for a destination that’s still three hours from a major city. It’s gotten bigger (but not much) and there’s more traffic but it is still beautifully remote and it’s home to many family members and friends, making it even more beautiful. 

Two and a half hours to go… just sayin’.

Good Times and Bad Times in the Air

Shirleyjdietz1 Comment

This sunset was so awesome. I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.
This sunset was so awesome. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of it.

I will start with the good time.  While in Seattle I got to visit the Columbia Building with daughter Esther.  This qualified as an adventure up in the air because I actually saw airplanes going toward SeaTac on about our level.  It was above the Space Needle and every other high building in the city, actually made all the rest look small.  What a great view of the city, the harbor and the surrounding geography!  We had a special invite to happy hour at the Tower Club – thank you Duncan – and it was a great experience.  To relax with some great food and drink and conversation, all the while getting to look at this.

I mean it, I couldn't stop.
I mean it, I couldn’t stop.

I did not stop.
I did not stop.

The appetizers we shared were large enough to serve as our meal.  We had lemon risotto, garlic mashed potatoes with buerre blanc and asparagus on one plate and quinoa with roasted tomatoes, glazed carrots and squash with kale and herb sauce on the other. Delicious.  Duncan was very creative with the drink he made Esther, using rhubarb liqueur and egg white.  He is the lead bartender at the Tower Club and did such a great job of making us feel welcome.  His parting advice to us was to make sure we visited the Ladies Room (even he had been there).  And the pics will show you why…

20150709_185338[1]
This was so, so good!
20150709_185347[1]
As was this!

Yeah, this was the Ladies Room view.
Yeah, this was the Ladies Room view.

I couldn't resist the mirror shot...
I couldn’t resist the mirror shot…

20150709_200258[1]
Don’t you love this sunset?!
The flight home from Seattle was the bad time up in the air.  I won’t mention the airline because I don’t think it was their fault.  It was a “red eye” flight.  I was tired and wanted to sleep.  I had a middle seat between two strangers and as I usually do I said a few words just to let them know they had permission to speak with me if they wanted to.  I got a one word answer from one of them and that was the only exchange for the rest of the flight.  We all wanted to sleep, including the people in front of us who promptly reclined their seats.  I mention this because once that seat back was reclined I found I could no longer reach my bag which was at my feet.  My arms weren’t long enough.  And this became problematic when around 3 am I got a headache that made my whole face hurt and needed some headache relief medicine from my bag.  And to make things worse, it was really warm in the cabin.  I don’t know if they did that on purpose or maybe I just worked up a sweat trying to get my bag without lying my head down in someone’s lap.  Crashing headache, claustrophobia, heat wave and a developing nausea – perfect conditions for sleeping.  I was so glad to get off that plane, 5 hours later in Atlanta.

I took a couple Excedrin and started to feel the pain go away on the second flight, but by then I was having headache hallucinations – thinking I was eating my airplane snack while I was really sleeping.  It was very strange.  But now at home and after a good nap, I feel none the worse for the experience.  Travel, you never know what’s going to be next.  Just saying’…

Been up in the air a lot lately...
Been up in the air a lot lately…