Air Travel Travails
I made it!
This day started a long time ago ( 4 am.) and now it’s after 11…but I’m happy to be back in Windsor near my family there after a crazy day of anxiety.
With my current physical challenges I was already slightly filled with trepidation with regards to travelling alone. In Covid.
Terry dropped me off at the WestJet entrance and I said good-bye to him for a couple of weeks until he joins me for the back half of my month away.
I knew I was ‘tech savvy’ when I took a screen shot of my boarding passes but when I approached one of the multiple kiosks where one prints their bag tags, the machine I chose wouldn’t read my phone image. After trying two more screen readers and starting to feel anxiety I just went up to the counter and told them what happened. Oddly, they knew about the problem but there was no staff member walking around to tell all the folks frustrated like myself that none of the machines worked. Ugh.
I got through security quickly with my Nexus card and then it was off to find some breakfast to go -as timing was tight for my flight to Calgary. As I was waiting for my food to arrive I suddenly realized this thought, “ I DON’T HAVE MY COMPUTER !!!!!”
I told the “Chili’s” staff that I would be right back and then I had to high tail it all the way back to the security with hope in my heart and a prayer on my lips that my computer would still be there! None of the staff could find it but oddly a stranger told me she had seen it and directed me to the bin. What an angel! (Could be!)
Then, after I walked as fast as I could to get the food and pay I discovered that my gate was one of the farthest ones away from security. I do not walk fast. In fact, lately when I walk my right knee partially dislocates about every third step. But God was with me because I was able to walk as fast as I could and my knee never hurt me even once! Then, after what seemed like a mile of uphill hallways, I boarded the plane and made it to my flight on to Windsor.
As I was about to sit down (in what I ‘thought’ was my seat) a woman pushed her way past me and plunked down in the window seat. When I inquired as to whether she was sure she was in the right seat, she sarcastically said,”THAT’S why I’m sitting here.” I have never been so happy to have my good N95 mask on and for her to be masked because she sniffled and sneezed the whole four hours!
If you’re like me you get really cold after awhile on a flight. It’s difficult for me to stand up so when the flight attendant walked by, I politely asked if she would mind retrieving my raincoat from the bin above my head. I was shocked when she said there was no coat up there….only a computer bag.
I once again was filled with anxiety because this is a very good, 100% waterproof raincoat and my ONLY coat for the month. I asked her to check again and she told me that it was not there. I racked my brain to think of where I might have dropped it and decided I just HAD to get up and check for myself. It was sitting there. On top of my computer bag. Ugh.
Once we landed in Windsor I was blessed to be the very first person at the Avis Rental Car counter. I gave the fellow my name and the car we rented over a month ago was ready to go. There is a car shortage in Windsor because of Covid. They didn’t need as many cars because no one was travelling so we were very lucky to find one.
I showed the guy my I.D. and Visa and he said that the Visa didn’t match the one used to pay for the car online. I said that my husband made the transaction and he then informed me that I couldn’t take the car! He stated that the Visa card MUST match the card used in the booking. No matter that we booked that long ago and that I had the correct name and information, he refused to give me the car. By this point there was a lineup of somewhat angry passengers behind me and my anxiety was mounting.
I argued with him for about fifteen minutes and asked him why I couldn’t just pay with MY Visa card. Then he said, “Oh yes, you can do that.” DOUBLE UGH!
No matter. I retrieved my luggage and the car and I was soon sailing off to my mum and dad’s house to have dinner with them and my sister, Paula, from Edmonton as well, who is at the tail end of her own month with our folks.
As an aside, my friend, Mary, told me about these “Onion Goggles” that she bought for flying because they hug the area around your eyes and this would be even more protection against Covid. I mailed them to my parents and although I couldn’t use them for the first flights I thought I could wear them on the way home. After dinner, my other sister, Pamela, and her daughter, Alaina, arrived and when I showed them the glasses we all had a good laugh at the aviator type style. Here are some photos from our crazy laughs…..
