TUESDAY, 7/13/21
You just never know what a day will hold! You know that “the best laid plans of mice and people” thing! As soon as I posted yesterday’s blog entry, Delta sent me (and all of the others waiting in Gulfport) a note saying our flight had been delayed from a 6:00AM departure to an 11:00AM departure. My connecting flight would be leaving at 9:00AM (Alabama time) and Delta only flies once daily to Guatemala. “Houston, we have a problem!” (Keep that thought in mind)
The lady at Delta could not have been any nicer in trying to help me get to Guatemala yesterday. However, her best offer was to fly me from Gulfport to Atlanta to Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and then to Guatemala City. Fly all day and then all night arriving in Guatemala at 5:00AM on Tuesday, 7/13. I declined the offer!
Contacted United Airlines and got a 5:00PM departure from New Orleans which would arrive in GUA at 9:30PM. Ok, we can make that work. Left Gulfport heading home and decided to check once more on flying out of Mobile. What? A flight from Mobile on United also leaving at 5:00PM which would also connect in Houston and arrive in GUA at 9:30PM. Perfect! Life is good!
Got home and immediately began repacking luggage because I had lost a suitcase since I have status with Delta but not with United. I had gone to bed around 11:00PM Sunday night and was awake at 12:15AM so I decided to lay across the bed for an hour or so. Houston, we have a problem! The flight out of Mobile was going to be delayed for two and one half hours which meant I would miss my connection. Got on the phone with United, was put on hold and waited forty five minutes before deciding to head to Pensacola and catch a United flight which would connect in Houston and get me to GUA at 9:30PM. I had to repack again because now I am down to one suitcase with twenty less pounds.
Got to PNS, checked in and life is good! Wait, the flight from PNS has now been delayed due to a ground stoppage in Houston. Not going to make my connection in Houston. There was one other United flight that was scheduled earlier but it too had been delayed. I figured it might go out earlier than my original PNS flight so the gate agent was kind enough to put me on stand by for that flight. I was correct as that flight left the gate earlier than the other flight. The gate agent put me on the very last row but I was grateful to be on the plane even if I did have to get up every time someone needed to use the toilet! We arrived in Houston late but the flight to GUA was also delayed so I made the connection. Arrived at 11:45PM Guatemala time. Was on the mountain like an hour later. I was tired as I did not sleep on either of the flights.
Went to open the door to the apartment building and it was locked. Are you serious? Knocked on Soy & Deidra’s bedroom window, called their names, called Deidra’s phone, hollered Eddie Albritton’s name – crickets and snoring. Decided that I would just sleep in a vehicle but the doors were locked. Could not sleep on the grass as it was raining.
Finally I simply hollered “supper is ready” and I heard Soy bounce out of bed!
It was not a good day of traveling but it could have been much worse. I am blessed. God is faithful! It was a great forty first wedding anniversary!
I hope all is well back at the house. Praying for you guys. I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus. I am going to bed!