I went to Florida to spend the weekend with the ladies of my husband's family for a bridal shower for our niece. Fun times and in a 1-1/2 day trip, I managed to get in 3 trips to the beach, a sunburn and good laughs, too.
My flight back to NC was scheduled for 5:15 on Saturday; a car came to pick me up at 3:15 and off to the airport I went!
The plane was a small one. I said so as we boarded. "It's not a small plane," the flight attendant corrected me, "It's a skinny one." No difference, it was small and tight and somehow my row had nothing but wall where the window was supposed to go. Oh, and my overhead light didn't work, either.
We took off and had an uneventful flight, with an expected landing time of around 6:20. At 6:30, the pilot came on and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, you might have noticed that we have been turning left, then right, then left again." I hadn't. He went on, "On account of the storms in Charlotte, we have been circling the airport for the past 10 minutes and will continue to do so until we have clearance to land.
And so we did that for the next 15 minutes, until he came on again and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, there is no end to these storms in sight and since we don't have enough gas to keep circling, we will be diverted to Myrtle Beach, where we will land, get gas and wait." So we did.
When the plane landed in MB, I turned on my phone to find a text from my husband saying, "Am at the bottom of the escalator at Concourse C. Where r u?" So I answered, "Myrtle Beach." He thought I was joking. I wasn't.
Naturally, as soon as we landed and I realized I didn't know if they'd let us up or off, I instantly had to go to the bathroom and noticed that I was starving. Thankfully, they did let us off. I left my book and my bags (as they'd asked) on the plane and we got off, down stairs, onto tarmac, up stairs, through a jetway, into the fabulous Myrtle Beach airport, where there are two restaurants and a store. Not many options, but figuring the long line at Subway (where they make each sub while you wait) would take too long, I went with Pizza Hut. After my first bite, I remembered how I have never liked that weird green peppery taste of Pizza Hut pizzas. There was also a Caribou Coffee, I got a mocha and really was in good, jolly spirits for our wait.
I entertained my many Facebook friends with frequent status updates. I fretted about my book being on the plane and my charger, too. And finally gave in and went and bought a new book at the one store in the airport. From time to time, they would have us line up as if we were going to board our plane and leave, and then (while they didn't say it, the "Psyche!" was implied), we'd be sent out of line again.
As the storm approached Myrtle Beach, they decided it was time for us to finally board the plane and take off. So, with lightning flashing and heavy rain swirling around us, we all ran down metal stairs, onto the tarmac and up more metal stairs to board our (not little, but skinny) plane.
They were booking it, hustling us in, sitting us down and readying us for take off. They announced often that we would hit turbulence, which we did. I knew it would be a rough go when the flight attendant walked down the aisle carrying a fresh stack of throw up bags, for just in case. I looked at the woman sitting next to me and informed her that I would very likely have a panic attack during the flight and I was sorry in advance. But I didn't.
And then we made it home and that was that.
Funny thing...my whole reasoning for booking the flight for Saturday night rather than Sunday morning was just in case something like that happened, I would still be able to make it back in time for my son's play at school. And it turns out that it happened, but I did make it in time.
