Okay...so, the weather forecast on Friday said we MIGHT get a half-inch of snow on fly-day Saturday. The snow wasn't supposed to hit until after 7:00 AM. My flight to California was due to depart at 10:10 AM, so I figured I was safe. Au contraire! When I got up at 5:30 Saturday morning, it was already snowing, and it wasn't slowing down. I kept checking on an Indianapolis Airport Authority website. It seemed that flights were departing, so I held out hope. Still, as it got closer to the time for my friends to pick me up for a ride to the airport, it was snowing like crazy...and my driveway was still encased in solid ice from a storm days before. We probably already had two inches of new precip on the ground and still coming down. I donned my snow boots and met Judy and Phil at the curb with my luggage. The roads hadn't really been touched by snowplows. It wasn't a fun trip to the airport, but it happened!
Let's see if I can spell out the rest of the day, succinctly.
1. Got through security with no problems.
2. Plane boarded.
3. We just got on and got seated when the pilot announced that there was something mechanically wrong with the plane. We would either be offered a "new plane" or have to wait for a mechanic and parts. De-planed. "Please take a seat and wait for further word."
4. Awhile later, it was announced that there would be a new plane, but that it wouldn't arrive until 2:40. People groaned. I called Megan to tell her the news. I was concerned that a later departure was going to result in canceled flights because it was still snowing like mad.
5. The agents at the service desk started calling people up by final destination in order to try to accommodate connecting flights. Only one other person was going to San Jose. The agent decided to send us to California through Chicago Midway instead of Denver. That flight was boarding RIGHT NOW. I was the last person on the plane.
6. I called Megan to give her the news only 12 minutes after the last call.
7. Flight to Chicago took less than an hour but was quite delayed before departure due to the need to de-ice the plane. I worried about the connecting flight to San Jose from there.
8. De-planed in Chicago and went right to the gate for the next flight which was already boarding.
9. Once on board, I asked the flight attendant what time we would arrive in San Jose. He said, "We are going to Orange County." I must have looked shocked because he smiled and said, "THEN we are going to San Jose." Whew! I called Megan from my seat before take-off to give her my new flight number. I hadn't figured on TWO connecting flights.
10. The longest leg of the trip lasted just over five hours. The last leg was an hour and 15 minutes, with beautiful scenery below.
11. Landed in San Jose on time for that flight. Considering a disable plane, connections, de-icing and all, I came down to Paradise only about and hour-and-a-half later than originally planned. Not bad!!
12. The only bad part was that my checked bag did not arrive with me. I placed a claim and we waited at home for the last two incoming flights in case it showed up...but it didn't. That meant a trip out to pick up a few things that I needed. To bed (very late) in an effort to make up for jet lag.
Today, Sunday--now Monday to most of you reading this--my bag was recovered and has been returned to me. I will have to fill you in on the day's activities tomorrow, if you are interested. It's quite late, so I need to hit the sack.
My biggest post script to all of this is that the weather here the last two days has been absolutely fantastic. While in Indiana, I was shut in the house for close to a week due to weather. Ice storm. Snow storm. Not fun. I really, really needed this break in climatic circumstances and don't regret leaving Indiana a bit. Sorry, folks! It won't last forever, but for now, it is saving me from cabin fever and depression!!!!
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