So being the lovely person that I am, I have decided to volunteer to give my seat up on the flight, in order that I can transfer my flight until either Saturday evening, or Sunday Morning. This would mean that I’d be in somewhat friendly territory to watch the soccer game between the United States and England on Saturday. Anyways, I’ll come back to this in a bit.
I am now no longer at the airport, but back in Auntie Lizzies Living room. Here beginneth my tale:
Today was my longest lie in since the day after I had arrived. I woke up at a fairly respectable 9.30am, and after showering and getting dressed I proceeded to start packing my stuff up, knowing that I’d have precious little time when we got back from doing what was needed to pack. All my washing had been done by the washing fairies before I'd arisen, so all that I needed to do was to stick some of it outside to dry and pack the rest. Good times all around!!!!
As soon as Auntie Lizzie had gotten back from work we went out to lunch with Mrs Polly, to a place called California Tortilla, another fast food mexican resturant. I'll tell you what, it was really really good! I had a "California Screamin'" burrito, which was contained a variety of stuff with chicken as it's chosen meat. It was, to quote Gavin and Stacey, "Lush", possibly the best burrito I've ever had... until I got to the airport that is!!! =P
Having bade farewell to Mrs Polly, we proceeded back to Target, to get some final supplies that I'd definitely need in Oklahoma, such as more sun cream, painkillers and moisturiser to use as after-sun (American's don't have such a product), and went over to Uncle Daves work to FAF about and say my goodbyes to him before my flight. I should explain that in saying FAF about, I'm making a pun on his company, Foster and Freeman. At his office I got a FAF baseball cap, as I had been advised by Mrs Polly that I'd need such an item in order to not die of heat exhaustion.
Having left the FAF offices, we went to pick Hannah up from school, got back to the house, so I could literally throw the rest of my stuff into my suitcases before going to pick James up so they could all go to the airport to say their goodbyes. James seemed to take an age getting out of school, but when he finally did, we still had enough time to get me to the airport with time to spare... good times!!
Having checked my baggage in, this time for no fee (despite the website saying there would be). I bade my family goodbye and said I'd see them soon at the airport... well that was famous last words wasn't it...
Got through security okay, I got a bit worried for a second when my bag got stuck in the scanner, well just outside, but the woman behind's had more than the allowed amount of liquid in a container so everything stopped... thanks a lot random woman!!! Having held me up for a good 5 minutes, I went to take the train to my departure gate, was well cool!! It was like the london underground, except not as busy, and gleaming white. TAKE NOTE TRANSPORT FOR LONDON, THAT IS HOW YOU DO THINGS!!!
Having got the the gate, I went to the loo (you really needed to know that) having waited a billion years whilst going through security and such, and then went for my second burrito of the day. I hadn't planned it like that, but the California Tortilla stall was the only place without a long queue, so I had to get one. This time I got the Buffalo Chicken Wing Burrito (not with bones I should have), which was lovelier than the one I had consumed less than 5 hours beforehand.
So at the gate, all set to go, boarding time comes and passes with no seats called. I look up at the board to see the flight's been delayed by 20 minutes, "oh well", I think to myself, that's not the end of the world. 10 minutes later the flight is delayed a further 10 minutes, and we're informed that the flight is also overbooked, and that they were looking for volunteers to come off the flight. The thought hadn't entered my head to do that at this point. Five minutes later, I look back up at the board and the old departure time of 1800 has been changed to 2100. "Great" I think to myself, "Just what we bloody need". So I call my contact in Oklahoma to give him an update on the situation, he says that's cool. Next I call Auntie Lizzie, to let her know the score, and I suddenly twig. Mid conversation I think "hmmmmmmmm they could put me on a different flight as this one is overbooked, which means that I could stay here for the England game", so I outline this to Auntie Lizzie down the phone, who think's that if I could do it, that it'd be a great idea.
I call Eric to let him know that if I could do this then if it's cool with him I'll do it... he says thats ok, let him know what the score'll be once it's sorted... "Will do" I say and try to sort it. By the time this has all been set in motion, two grumpy people have cancelled their seats, because they can't be assed to wait 3 hours longer... so I can't give up my seat, and get the compensation for doing so... "bar-stewards" I think to myself. The lady at the gate suggests to me that I go to customer services to see if I can change my flight for free. So I get my stuff, and wander over to customer services.
My one pet hate, is queueing. It's a Harrod thing apparently, because Grandad hated queueing too according to mum. So what greets me at customer services... a static queue moving verrrrrrry slowly. This queue is mainly full of grumpy people, giving off negative vibes... duuude, your plane is late... GET OVER IT, was what I thought at first. Then I realised, thinking that made me as bad as them, they're grumpy, I'm getting grumpy over them being grumpy... crap! So, I decide to myself, that as well as talking to the lovely old lady next to me who'd been pretty screwed about with her flights, that I'd sing happy songs in my head, my head playlist went something along the lines of this:
Jake the Peg: Rolf Harris
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport: Rolf Harris
Always Look On the Bright Side of Life: Monty Python
After the last song, i stuck it on repeat, and thus, was stood there for about 30 minutes, looking like a total and utter moron, whistling the whistly bits, and bobbing up and down.
So I get to the front of the queue and lo-and behold, they can change my flight to sunday =D for free, because of the distress that I must've been through, "It's nothing" I say to the lovely woman at the desk. If I can't change my flight for no fee, it's no biggy, I'll just get the one I'm on at the moment. "Oh it's no problem" she says to me "you put yourself forward for it, but then that happened with the guys cancelling, I'm sorry for that" So they got my flights out of the hold, and sent them up to meet me in baggage retrieval. Before I left the desk the woman said to me "You know, it's so nice to have someone in your situation not shouting and in a bad mood with us!" Hey, what can I say, singing monty python for 30 minutes does you some good after all!!!!
So that's been the situation today, it's been fun, it's been eventful... And here I am, still where I started the day, until sunday. Which now means that I'll be able to watch the England Game with my family. On the downside, I won't be there to welcome some of my friends to Oklahoma City, which kinda sucks... but I guess they'll have to do it for me!!!
Until tomorrow guys!!
Until tomorrow guys!!
x
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