As most of you know (or at least I hope you do) I received a wonderful chance to work with the Idaho Golf Association this year.
I also got the experience of a lifetime of getting to fly clear across the country and go to Far Hills, New Jersey for a week. The USGA Golf House is located there nestled within the woods and is such a beautiful sight to see. The flight over wasn't too bad, stopped in lovely Chicago (Chi-Town!) and had a delay (which is soooo common for Chi-Towns O'Hare Airport) flying into New Jersey. The flight was a little rocky from Chicago to Jersey but the view of New York City's sky-scrapers was worth the bumps!
Incase you have never been in the New Jersey area, it is very, VERY green! I was amazed of how green it was. Since we had a delay flying into Jersey, of course I was running late to get to the hotel and the dinner the USGA was holding for all the P.J. Interns that night. I found some other crazy golfers waiting for our ride and started to get to know them. I met one guy, who shockingly enough went to the U of I. So, in this small 10 person van, we had a Boise State rep and a Vandal rep. No one else in the bus knew what this meant and why we were so content on poking fun at one another.
The week went by pretty quickly, it was amazing going to the Golf House and seeing the Museum after they had re-vamped it! Saw the amazing trohpies that most would wish to see in person (i.e. US Open Trophy, etc, etc). One thing that caught my eye throughout the week was that every clock on the Golf House grounds were Rolex clocks. We did get to take a tour of where they test out new golf clubs, balls, everything and anything that people send them to try to make it on the tour with the big dogs! It was pretty awesome.
Now, on to the most interesting part of the trip. The last day there they just basically plopped us off at the New Jersey airport and we were on our own. My flight was to leave around 3ish. Every single time I walked by one of the departure screens my flight was being delayed...continuously. I had no idea why either! So, there I am in the airport waiting for my flight to let me leave the East Coast and I'm playing on my lovely little Blackberry Curve, checking MSN.com and there it is! Severe weather in Denver, Colorado! Hello! Where is my flight going? Oh, yeah, that is right, the Denver airport! So, as I continued reading this article the more I don't want to leave this slightly comfortbale airport chair. There had been tornadoes swirling around the Denver area and flights were being delayed and re-scheduled, etc, etc from Denver. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I started to freak out. Called my mom (Hi, Mom!) asked her what she has heard about the tornadoes and she said that yeah it was all over the news. And this is where I was flying into!?! I didn't want to go anymore! I was fine living in the New Jersey airport until summer time!
My flight was delayed for about 3 hours that afternoon and finally we were able to board. I have never been so nervous about a flight. I was praying they would just re-route the flight and fly everyone to Boise so I wouldn't have to hassle with other airports. I get to my seat and who do I get to sit by for 78 hours on this flight? Newly weds! The new bride was all about molesting her new husbands earlobe (trust me, it was gross). He was all about the airplane shopping magazine where the oddest things are in there for $500. I sit down, smile, say hello like a nice person and pray I'm not going to die next to these two.
Now, you'd think the worst was over, yadda, yadda. No...it had only began. Not only were we going to be flying into Tornade-ville Colorado but the storm was moving across the planes. Therefore, they were moving towards our big plane. The entire flight over the mid-west was frightful. The new-to-be bride was all about looking outside and starring at the death clouds below us. Yes, I said, death clouds, if you were to see these clouds you would've thought the same thing!
So, we're flying and flying over the death clouds. They pop in a movie (YAY!), it's the 'Bucket List' (No!). If you have not seen this movie, it's great, but it's sad. So, the end of it comes and I'm teary eye because of the end of the movie and because we've had turbulance for the past 3 hours flying over the death clouds. Oie.
Finally, our pilot gets on and announces we are in Colorado and flying "around" the storm so we can land. Already I know I am not going to make my connection to Boise. So what is a girl to do when she can't get on a plane until the next morning? Yup, you guessed it, sleep in the airport!
We finally land and I'm not dead in Denver. I get off the plane and just want to collaspe to the floor and start crying! But I don't, I have to go stand in line and get a ticket for tomorrow's flight to Boise. I turn the corner to get in line and boom...EVERYONE from EVERY flight known to mankind is in this line! Again, I want to collaspe to the floor and start crying! I get to the end of the line, calling everyone in my phone that called me during my flight over tornado-land.
It takes 2 hours for me to get through this line! It's past 12 o'clock in the morning, I might not even get on the first flight out tomorrow morning.
I grab my stub and try to find a quite place. The word "try" is key to this part of the story. Airports don't shut down at night. This is when they repair, and clean everything for the next day. I moved I think 4 times throughout the night to find new spots to sleep, also, they have the air conditioning on at night so you freeze on rock hard floors. FREEZE! I had two shirts, a hoodie and my bags on top of me to keep me from freezing.
Most people would think that this is where the story ends, I had a crappy flight over to Denver and had to sleep in the airport for the night. Hah. Right.
Next morning, I wake myself up (or more just move to a new spot because I couldn't really sleep). Move myself down to where the first flight out to Boise is going to be. I'm feeling positive about this, I'm excited, no one is around for this flight! I'm going to leave and be home in NO time! Yesssss!
Wrong again.
This a puddle jumper plane, I wanted to cry for the 6,000th time within the past 24 hours. I was heartbroken. I honestly thought I was going to turn into a homeless person in the Denver airport. The next flight out is in the afternoon. So, I have to wait another 6 hours for a flight out.
Now, airports are normally kind of cool to me. But, until you spend more than 20 hours in one, they aren't cool anymore. They are annoying.
Time goes by quite slowly, people are calling me asking if I'm home yet. I'm holding the tears back and saying no, I'm still in freaking Denver. Let me just say this. When your held hostage somewhere, you get invited to so many things that day! It's terrible!
Anyways, back to the story. So, I move my butt and all my crap to the next terminal where the next flight to Boise is going. I get in line to talk to the plane lady about my chances of getting on the flight, basically I'm ready to sell my body to get on this plane. I tell some lady in line my horrible story and she was such a sweetheart. She felt bad and said if they ask others to give up their seats she'll do it. I wanted to hug her and never let go, but I knew I probably smelled bad and hadn't brushed my teeth in awhile soooo that option was out. I get to the plane lady (she's British by the way), I look like shit and she knows it, I tell her the issue she says she'll see what she can do.
Oddly enough, this flight is delayed getting into Denver as well (what are the odds!)
Next thing that happens is beyond crazy. The Gods above must've known that I was about to go insane if I didn't get on this plane. The British plane lady gets on the intercom and announces that the plane coming in is actually a new and BIGGER plane! So she is going to get more people on this plane! I was SO excited! I couldn't believe my ears! After about 5 other people getting called to get a ticket, she calls my name..."Mary Stinger!" I honestly felt like I had just won the lottery and I let her know that too! She laughed her little British laugh and handed me the ticket. I felt like I had a million dollars in my hand!
I get on the plane, super excited, before we even took off I was passed out between two strangers. I'm pretty sure at one point I was sleeping on one of their shoulders. After my beautiful nap in this luxurious seat, I awoke to a commotion. Yeah, your thinking, what else could happen! Well, a guy a few rows ahead of me had a heart attack on the plane while I was sleeping. I was that out of it that I didn't even wake up! So, flying into Boise we had an "emergency" landing. Firetrucks, ambulances, cops, dogs, everything and everyone was waiting for us to land!
We finally land and this poor man gets off the plane first, I felt terrible for him, I couldn't imagine that happening to me on a flight. Then I realize...I am home! HOME! Boise! I was so relieved to be back. I could finally shower and change out of my 6 shirts I was wearing for warmth. I practically tackled my way through everyone to get off the plane and once again I wanted to just collaspe and kiss the floor of the Boise airport!
I didn't have to wait for my bag because it flew over the night before, fantastic! I grabbed myself a cab and headed home.
I did have one more problem with the cab not taking cards and had to stop at a gas station to pull money for this man. But, I didn't care I was home and I could sleep and shower and go outside and play with my friends again!
So, as you can see, I made it back in one piece. Some advice for people flying to Jersey, don't fly into the Newark airport, it is notorious for delays coming and going. I learned that after this trip!
