The Journey Home

Back Home in Phoenix, Arizona
Originally uploaded by EdnPHX.

I’m finally back in Phoenix. It’s good to be home. But the trip back to Phoenix was not without it’s hiccups and money-making opportunities. How’s that you say? Well, it goes a little something like this:

When we last left our intrepid traveler, I was delayed by roughly 2 days. I received a $500 travel voucher and was to be booked first class back to PHX through Houston. I was pretty ok with going back on Thursday (as opposed to Tuesday), but was a little annoyed that my luggage was going to Phoenix and not I. Wearing the same clothes for three days is not a fun experience. (Don’t worry I DID wash my clothes at my mom’s place the next day….so it wasn’t THAT bad…..but aesthetically I never like to wear the same clothes over and over again…fashion faux paw) The extra time I had on my hands was very well spent with family and Tim. But it gets hard saying good-bye over and over again.

Thursday morning, (not to be confused with Lauren Bacall’s Tuesday Morning…god, she’s on a downward spiral career wise schlepping bargain cut outs at discount stores….what a shame…) I got to the airport at 7:30am for my 8:55am flight to Houston. I flew 1st class to Houston and had a wonderful omelet and fruit plate with a hot cinnamon roll. Not too bad. I arrive in Houston to beautiful sunny weather. I was almost home! I journeyed to my connecting gate in the new E terminal. While on the way, I stopped at the Swatch Store and bought 2 awesome swatches. (I love swatches…I loved them in the 80’s and I love them now. They’ve come a long way and the designs and materials are top notch. Swatch Watches are my little unknown obsession.) I get to my gate and then board my direct flight to PHX. Continental 1st Class service is damn good. I had a Bacardi and Diet Coke (with a lime) to take an edge off the late morning while I waited for the coach cabin to board. THEN, it came. The gate agent pulls the microphone from the galley and says:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we currently have an oversold situation. We are looking for volunteers to deplane this flight and take the next available flight to Phoenix connecting through El Paso, Texas at 2:30pm. For your seat, we are giving a $400 travel voucher good for wherever Continental or Northwest flies.”

Well, my day was shot anyway, so why the hell not? DING DING DING. I got my things, got off them plane and went to the gate counter. They gave me a $400 travel voucher, a $6 meal voucher and I was off to the next gate in the B Terminal. Wow, I just made $900 bucks off this trip! But wait kids, it’s not over just yet.

I get to Gate B84C for my El Paso flight, which was packed. According to my new travel itinerary, I was to go to El Paso on Continental Express (a little regional jet) and then connect in El Paso to PHX on America West. (This usually NEVER happens: where one airline flies you on another airline...but who cares, I was getting home). The flight to El Paso was delayed due to a mechanical problem….so much of a problem, they had to get another plane. This delayed the flight by an hour and we were cutting it close for the connecting flight. Finally, we get on the plane and it’s packed. They close the cabin door and do the Flight Attendant Safety Dance, and then the engines power down. Oh God, what now? The pilot opens the cabin door and deplanes to talk with the ground crew. After about 20 minutes, the gate agent comes on the plane and grabs the microphone in the galley and says:

“Good afternoon everyone, we currently have a weight balance situation due to the small size of this aircraft. We are currently looking for volunteers to take another flight to El Paso or their final destination. For cooperation, we are offering a $400 travel voucher good for wherever Continental or Northwest flies.”

You’ve GOT to be kidding me!?? DING DING DING! (we have a winner!) I got off that tiny crowded plane, with 2 other people, all of us going to Phoenix (as crazy as that sounds.) I got my $400 travel voucher, another $6 meal voucher and a confirmed seat on the 10:45pm non-stop flight to PHX. I was also put on the standby list for every non-stop flight to PHX starting at 5:35pm. I just made $1300 in travel vouchers. God, where ever will I go? (My original ticket to Cleveland cost $277).

I was lucky enough to get on the 5:35pm flight back to PHX and was home by 7:45pm Thursday night. My bed never felt so good. I called Tim when I got home and told him the crazy story and we both laughed…and felt awesome about the free travel. I’m going back to CLE (free) next weekend, and he’s coming out here to PHX end of January. When you think about it, things happen for a reason. I’m never good at long distance kinda things….but with 3 free tickets…it’ll make it a whole lot easier and nicer. Who knows, maybe in the near future I won’t have to deal with a “long distance” relationship, but rather a fantastic one.