Roundabout trip

I learned a lot about the Wilkes-Barre airport in the past few days. My plane kept getting delayed and delayed until I finally realized I wasn't going to make my connection in Atlanta. (And I had had a three-hour window.) Usually I can find someone to talk to in long waits like that, but I ended up being rather quiet for a change and had to overhear a long conversation between a guy and this young schoolteacher about their tattoos. It was one of those you wanted to ignore but had trouble doing so because they were talking loudly in your ear. Word for the day: Sycophant. The guy fawned all over this girl for her bravery in getting a huge ankle tattoo. Yuck!

Rather than have them get me a hotel room in Atlanta and then start out for Shreveport on Friday morning, I offered to go home and have them fly me to Shreveport the next day. So Michael came and picked me up. They actually boarded us on the plane and then we had to get off again at one point. This is when I found out that the last planes leave W-B by about 6PM. So at 6 o'clock the restaurant and snack bar close. You can't even buy a bottle of water after 6. I also learned the next morning that getting to the airport by 5:30 AM for a 6:30 AM flight isn't necessarily early enough. It seems that all their morning flights are at 6AM (so they can make connections in other places) so there was a huge line at the check in counter and at the security gate (of which there is only one!) So note to self and others, get there plenty early for a redeye flight, especially if you have to check bags.

Once I got to Atlanta things went a lot better and it was an uneventful trip after that. The Shreveport airport was unrecognizable as they have built a new terminal since I last arrived there. But we passed the old building on the way out. I have some really vivid memories of that terminal.

My parents are great and doing well. We are looking forward to the wedding today.