Travel day
Currently I am sitting back in Oregon. What an amazing time I had in Washington DC. I will write soon about some of the amazing lessons, things I learned and things that happened while in Washington DC, but for now, I want to share with you the craziness of my travel day home. For those of you who journeyed with me on the World Race, this will seem oddly familiar. 🙂 I will share with you some of my journal entries:
07-21-2012
Oh boy, it has been quite the travel day let me tell you! Started off with 6:14am goodbyes after being up until 2am writing goodbye notes to everyone. A few of us stayed at the dorms until midday packing up the leftover stuff for next year’s program. Lee, one of the staffers, was too great driving people back and forth from different places, including picking us all up and letting us hang out at his house until it was time to fly out.
4:10pm -2:05 hours until needing to check in
Dropped off at Union Station to make my way through cars and buses to find the MARC train check in. Discover that MARC doesn’t run on the weekend, uh oh. Race around and eventually find Amtrak, who has a train leaving in 10 minutes – Eureka!
Dropped off at Union Station to make my way through cars and buses to find the MARC train check in. Discover that MARC doesn’t run on the weekend, uh oh. Race around and eventually find Amtrak, who has a train leaving in 10 minutes – Eureka!
4:35pm -1:55 hours until check in
Train a little delayed, but plenty of time to make it to the airport!
Train a little delayed, but plenty of time to make it to the airport!
5:04pm -1:11
OH NO! I miss my stop. Yes, I missed my stop. I immediately flash back to Romania and our 4am train transfer where no one made it off the train except for one individual – team leader and point of contact for person we are meeting – Joshua Maisner. My teammate Woody, describes this travel day step by step, worth the quick read. Just like in Romania, I knew I needed to find the conductor to find out when the next stop would be and have him validate my receipt so that I can get the next train going back in the direction I need to go. The conductor must have thought I had been attacked by the look on his face from response to my question, granted, I was on the verge of years. He quickly relaxed when I told him I missed my stop for the airport. He informed frazzled me that the next stop was in 10 minutes but the odds of their being a train going the other way in time were not good. I went back and waited by the exit.
OH NO! I miss my stop. Yes, I missed my stop. I immediately flash back to Romania and our 4am train transfer where no one made it off the train except for one individual – team leader and point of contact for person we are meeting – Joshua Maisner. My teammate Woody, describes this travel day step by step, worth the quick read. Just like in Romania, I knew I needed to find the conductor to find out when the next stop would be and have him validate my receipt so that I can get the next train going back in the direction I need to go. The conductor must have thought I had been attacked by the look on his face from response to my question, granted, I was on the verge of years. He quickly relaxed when I told him I missed my stop for the airport. He informed frazzled me that the next stop was in 10 minutes but the odds of their being a train going the other way in time were not good. I went back and waited by the exit.
5:18pm -0:57
The sweet conductor pointed me in the direction of the information desk to see when the next train was. They informed me that it wouldn’t be until 5:49pm, getting me there close to 6:20pm…a.k.a..not happening. At this point, being already slightly overwhelmed from saying goodbye to a group of people I love and making a ridiculous mistake of missing my stop – my eyes began to well up. The man behind the counter said to the other man that a taxi, with traffic, still wouldn’t get be there for another 30 minutes or more for $40, ETA 5:50pm – doable, but not ideal. Feeling defeated I stood there for a second to collect myself. Before I began to head out to find a cab, the same man said, “Put her on Sully. They’ll take her – hurry and put her on Sully.” He nodded. As he agreed, tears of relief and confusion slipped out. I told my knight and shining armor with one or two tears squeezing out “thank you”, which I received the sharp response “Stop crying before I change my mind!” – maybe not so shiny, but still my hero right in that moment. Make it to the platform just as the Sully train is about to take off.
The sweet conductor pointed me in the direction of the information desk to see when the next train was. They informed me that it wouldn’t be until 5:49pm, getting me there close to 6:20pm…a.k.a..not happening. At this point, being already slightly overwhelmed from saying goodbye to a group of people I love and making a ridiculous mistake of missing my stop – my eyes began to well up. The man behind the counter said to the other man that a taxi, with traffic, still wouldn’t get be there for another 30 minutes or more for $40, ETA 5:50pm – doable, but not ideal. Feeling defeated I stood there for a second to collect myself. Before I began to head out to find a cab, the same man said, “Put her on Sully. They’ll take her – hurry and put her on Sully.” He nodded. As he agreed, tears of relief and confusion slipped out. I told my knight and shining armor with one or two tears squeezing out “thank you”, which I received the sharp response “Stop crying before I change my mind!” – maybe not so shiny, but still my hero right in that moment. Make it to the platform just as the Sully train is about to take off.
5:25pm -0:50
Hopped on the train and didn’t leave the doorway – not making the same mistake twice. One of the workers offered me orange juice; such an amazing blessing to receive.
Hopped on the train and didn’t leave the doorway – not making the same mistake twice. One of the workers offered me orange juice; such an amazing blessing to receive.
5:35pm -0:40
Arrive at BWI station and have to rush to make the shuttle to the airport
Arrive at BWI station and have to rush to make the shuttle to the airport
5:42pm -0:33
Board shuttle
Board shuttle
5:59pm -0:16
Off shuttle and in line to check in
Off shuttle and in line to check in
6:04pm -0:11 to check in -0:36 to take off
Make it to counter – PHEW!! At this point, the agent informed me that my bags would cost $60 because my carry on was slightly too big. Simply relieved to make my flight, I apologized for my bag and start to pull my card out. Again, I must have looked exhausted or down, because she pulled me to the side and said “The bag is too big, but just barely. I want to save you some money so take it through, but make sure to check it at the gate when you get up there and promise me you will bring a smaller carry-on next time.” I thanked her and promised to never use it again as a carry-on. Orange juice, Sully train, free carry-on…so many blessings I can barely breathe…talk about a mix of emotions.
Make it to counter – PHEW!! At this point, the agent informed me that my bags would cost $60 because my carry on was slightly too big. Simply relieved to make my flight, I apologized for my bag and start to pull my card out. Again, I must have looked exhausted or down, because she pulled me to the side and said “The bag is too big, but just barely. I want to save you some money so take it through, but make sure to check it at the gate when you get up there and promise me you will bring a smaller carry-on next time.” I thanked her and promised to never use it again as a carry-on. Orange juice, Sully train, free carry-on…so many blessings I can barely breathe…talk about a mix of emotions.
6:55pm EST
Board plane
Board plane
9:20pm PST 12:20am EST
Arrive in San Francisco
Arrive in San Francisco
10:59pm PST 1:59am EST
Board flight
12:32am PST 3:32am EST
Flight arrives early
Flight arrives early
12:48am PST 3:48am EST
My sweet friend Nella came to meet me at the gate, and my sweet friend Kelly came to pick me up. So blessed to see their beautiful faces!!
My sweet friend Nella came to meet me at the gate, and my sweet friend Kelly came to pick me up. So blessed to see their beautiful faces!!
1:45am PST 4:45am EST
Head hits the pillow. Thank you Jesus for the sweet blessings during a hectic day. Thank you for lovely strangers and great friends, goodnight 🙂
Head hits the pillow. Thank you Jesus for the sweet blessings during a hectic day. Thank you for lovely strangers and great friends, goodnight 🙂
