T’was a beautiful day in early March at Philly International Airport as I changed shoes like Mr. Rogers in preparation for a marathon of flight flips and baggage blunders. Traveling STANDBY has it’s upsides and downsides. So, one must brace for the unexpected with grace, patience, and aplomb.
There’s a first time for everything, and this was the first time I ever experienced a bumped flight, last minute bag check, and an eventual lost bag. I had never experienced even one of these things, then they happened all at once, in a trilogy of foolishness.
Had to buy a three-day wardrobe after we touched down in St. Michael — swimsuit, drawls, and all. (That’ll teach me to keep my vitamins, retainers, and all essentials in my carry-on bag.) But of course, I didn’t mind having an excuse to shop.
I can’t say that my meditation practice – developed as it is – helped me to completely avoid stress. My friend, who so generously supplied my buddy pass and who quit smoking a week before the trip, went through a pack of Marlboros. I smoked my yearly allotment of three Black & Milds, and we killed off a large bottle of straight spiced rum in three days. And, of course, there was the beach… Not sorry.
Let’s just say we made it a worthwhile trip anyway!
Shout out to Friend, whose big brother paranoia prevents me from sharing a full frontal photo of her beautiful, smiling face!
Since travel writing is one of those bucket list items that I ain’t waiting to slash, I’m finding excuses to travel and sharing my experiences here. This trip log is divided into seven parts because the excursion was so loaded with quirks and discoveries. I hope you enjoy every twist and turn.
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