A Winter Crossing

Travel Day

January 7

I started packing last Saturday. I am not taking many clothes and only two pairs of shoes other than what I am wearing. One evening bag and one for day use.

My clothes filled about half of my suitcase and I spent the next couple of days throwing in odds and ends (like my knitting). Shut the case this morning and weighed it. It was only 30 pounds and quite manageable. My carry-on weighed 13 pounds and my handbag not quite 5.

Woke this morning feeling like a herd of elephants were stampeding through my stomach (no mere butterflies for me). Knowing that it would be close to 30 hours before I could sleep again, I made my self stay in bed. Eventually I fell asleep and woke up again at 7. Some of the herd had left and I was able to go back to sleep until 8. Awoke to the sound of waves crashing (from the Nightstand app on my iPad) A few more elephants had gone.

Did a few last minute chores and left the house about 9. My friend Carolyn had offered to drive me to the airport and I got to her house and transferred my luggage to her car. We arrived at the airport just before 10.

There was no line at check-in (flying Delta) although it took a bit of explaining why I did not have a ticket for a flight back to the US. Checked my watch and realized the battery had died since yesterday (something else to do in Southampton). Walked on to security. There was nobody in line. When I had walked through the maze of barriers I walked right up to the TSA officer, handed her my boarding pass and passport and she told me I did not have to take off my shoes or get out any electronic equipment. My stuff went through the machine and I walked through the old fashioned style scanner and was through by 10:16 (had to check my phone - you would think an airport would have more clocks).

The elephants have all returned to their proper habitat. I do this every trip - very nervous until I get to the airport and then I am fine.

I love airports for people watching. Trying to guess what people do for a living, where they are going and why. I am sitting in the airport now marveling at how dead the place is. Although it is called Richmond International Airport, the airport is small with mostly commuter type jets and some just a little larger (no jumbo jets). In the 45 minutes I have been sitting here I have seen only one plane take off. Much different than what I will have at Atlanta which is reported to be the busiest in the world.

Boarding started on time and we took off at 12:20 as advertised. It is only an hour and twenty-seven minutes flying time. The plane is an MD88 and it is full. They made a few people check carry-ons that were overly big.

Arrived in Atlanta at 1:54. Walked through lots of corridors and finally got to the International Terminal by way of the "Plane Train". It was very well signed and had a late lunch in front of me by 2:30 (ate at the food court and had Mongolian beef which was surprisingly good).

Although the airport has free wi-fi for some reason I can't send an e-mail from either my AOL or Comcast account.

Boarding started on time but was very slow. There were about ten people wheeled on and a number of people traveling with children (actually a surprising number of school age children). I am in premium economy which is only about half full. There was a young lady next to me but she asked to move to a vacant row which means I have an empty seat next to me put my stuff on (unfortunately the arm rest is fixed so I can't spread out).

The captain came on around the time we were scheduled to leave to tell us we were going to sit for awhile. There is a strong tail wind thanks to the cold weather (just like I had last year) and the trip would only take 6 3/4 hours instead of the normal eight. That would put us into London about 5:15 and, because of a noise abatement law, planes can't land at Heathrow until 6:00.

We finally left the gate at 6:05 instead of the scheduled 5:30.