Arrived in Florida Safe and Sound

I got to Florida safe and sound, flights where rather uneventful which is a good thing. My flight from OKC to Houston was spent sitting next to a young couple that were heading to Galveston to visit the young man's parents. I am thinking the young lady accompanying him might have been a little nervous as they got drinks from the flight attendant and then she pulled out several small bottles of liquor from her purse and they commenced to mixing their drinks, either that or they were under age and weren't able to order the mixed drinks on the plane. I spent time reading 12 Years A Slave that I had downloaded before leaving home...excellent book by the way and I highly recommend it.

During my short layover in Houston there was a man who lost a bag from his luggage and he was walking rather quickly. I hollered at him and he was on his phone and didn't hear me. I swiftly grabbed the bag and walked toward him. I again hollered "SIR! You dropped something!". This time he turned around, looked at me and snatched the bag out of my hand. Another gentleman was walking by and noticed how rude the man was and smiled at me. I smiled back and said "I guess some folks don't appreciate southern politeness" and he laughed at that and the older gentleman gave me a look of exasperation. I was starving as I hadn't eaten much and it was late evening by the time I got into Houston. I was able to get a salad from Wendy's that was close to my gate. I sat to eat it and looked at the time and noticed it would be time to board my flight soon. I sat there looking at my salad wondering if I should toss it or take it  with me. It just so happened a pilot sat next to me and I asked him "excuse me, I hate to bother you but do you mind if I ask you a question" he said he didn't mind and I asked "am I able to take this on the plane with me and eat it? I don't travel much and am not quite familiar with the rules". This gave him a chuckle and he told me I was able to take it on the plane and eat it. Oh and if you haven't tried the Apple Pecan Chicken Salad at Wendy's then you should, that thing was awesome! Or maybe I was just really hungry.

Since I was flying Southwest I got to pick my seat and on my flight from Houston to Orlando I sat next to an older couple. The husband was reading a book about China and the woman and I chatted off and on during the flight. I am one of those type of people that if you sit next to me for more than 15 seconds I am going to start talking to you. I find people fascinating and especially when I am traveling. I always like to hear where they have been or where they are going, where they are from and if they like it there. I did find out the couple were originally from Pennsylvania and retired to Florida. They were returning from their grandson's graduation from the Navy in San Diego. The book the man was reading about China was for their upcoming trip in June, they went to Italy last summer. He showed me several things in the book he was excited to see such as the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army. I truly enjoyed my conversation with the couple and when we got off the plane I told them I hoped their trip to China was a good one and they got to do everything they planned.

While I might look confident walking through airports I am actually always afraid I am going the wrong way or going to get lost. Evidently my look of confidence is noticed by others because once getting off the plane in Orlando and heading to what I was hoping was the baggage area I was standing waiting for the little tram train thing and a man came up and asked me "does this go to the main terminal?". I smiled and told him "ya know, I have no idea. I am hoping it goes to the baggage claim and I am just following all the people that I noticed got off the plane I did". He gave me a bit of a look of perturbation, shook his head and walked off. I couldn't help but give myself a bit of a giggle and think why was he upset with me when he didn't know where he was going either.

I made it to baggage claim and asked a man if he was from the Houston flight and he said he was, I told him thank you and told him that let me know I was in the right place. Karen had texted me to let me know she was there and I told her just pick me up at baggage claim. I got my two bags off the belt and headed out the door. I only had to stand there for a few minutes before Karen pulled up to the curb in her new Volkswagen EOS convertible, which I almost didn't see because I was looking for her Mazda even though I knew she had gotten the new car.

By the time we were made it back to Karen's it was around midnight. We chit chatted for a bit but were both ready for bed. Karen informed me that she had found out earlier in the day that she was going to have to work on Thursday and half a day on Friday. She did offer that I could take her to work and then use the car to go do something to which I laughed and told her "if you lived in south Georgia on the back roads I might take you up on that but there is no way in hell I am driving around Orlando!". And with that we went to bed.