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Thursday 20 March 2014

Guess where I am.....




Photo: Heaven

I'm really sorry for the lack of posts over the past few days, I had a bit of a health problem to deal with prior to a mad dash with last minute packing and errands, not a lot of time for crafting - yes, I have crossed the Atlantic for a flying (solo) visit to see all my friends in Florida. So we won't talk about boring health stuff, let's chat about flying, airports, and Dunkin Donuts instead

When you book tickets, an hour and a half to change flights always seems quite reasonable, that is until you are standing in terminal B at Newark, New Jersey, knowing that you have to clear immigration and customs, get across to Terminal C and get to the furthest gate, and the hour and a half has dwindled by a half because of the apparent inability of the airline to find a parking spot for their plane. So clutching the bottle of the finest Scotch Whisky I bought as a gift for my lovely friends and hosts, Ray and Linda, I made it through immigration, customs and rechecked my case for the next flight. Then I had to go through security again, by this time with only a few minutes until my next flight took off. Oops. Blunder alert. Major mistake - in my moment of hot and bothered flusteredness (there is no such word, but I like it), I totally forgot to switch on my commonsense gene and stow away bottle of Scotch into checked case. So of course, as I was fumbling to put on my shoes after they had been examined for the zillionth time that day, it was announced by a child masquerading as a security officer that my precious bottle would be confiscated. Which it was.......

So now I had less than five minutes to dash to the far corner of the terminal for the plane. I flagged down one of those buggy things, and begged the driver to get me there quick...he took me at my word, yelling BEEP BEEP at the top of his voice, and swerving around innocent passengers at breakneck speed. "Have you ever killed anyone with this thing?" I asked, hanging on for dear life. "Not yet. BEEP BEEP< BEEP BEEP"

So when I eventually arrived in Tampa, rather tired and spaced out, I set out in my unfamiliar rental car, and decided to stop at a Dunkin Donuts for a much longed for large iced caramel latte. Honestly, I had been sitting there for less than three minutes when a guy walked up and made a very eloquent (and probably much practiced) speech asking for gas money. He was desperate.....
HE was desperate? I had just survived two airports, two planes, risk of death by a BEEP BEEP airport golf cart, and had precious amber liquid whisked from my hands -  I was desperate too, but in the spirit of one survivor to another, and with the surrender that total exhaustion brings, I gave him money for a couple of gallons of gas. Yes, I know, SUCKER.....

See you tomorrow x 



15 comments:

  1. Hope you manage to enjoy your visit with friends despite the horrid journey getting there.

    Enjoy your Dunkin Donuts visits too.

    Toni xx

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  2. I'd been wondering where you'd got to! Glad you arrived safely in the end

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  3. Your story made me smile, Enfys and reminded me of a few airport calamities of our own! At least you got there safe and sound in the end! Hope you have a wonderful time! Hugs, Lisa x

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  4. Well, this is a trip you will remember well! lol Sorry about the lost bottle of Scotch:( Enjoy your stay and I see the first stop was a DD's. Don would say you have your priorities straight! lol He loves DD's coffee. Take care, and enjoy. Jess

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  5. Wow what a trip. I hate changing planes, it seems there is never enough time to get where you need to be and I always wig out a little; though according to my husband I wig out a lot. Glad you made it and can relax and enjoy your friends in the warmth of the Florida sunshine.

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  6. Maryellen WebberThursday, March 20, 2014

    So glad you survived your ordeal.
    I've been wondering what you have been up to lately. Have a great time with your friends.

    Hugs,
    Maryellen

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  7. Glad to have you back in Florida. Where about in Tampa are you located? Enjoy your Coffee. And glad you made it through the beep, beep. The worst part of the trip.

    Dianne Bell - Sewpro02@aol.com

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  8. Hope your health is restored and you are now enjoying the Florida sunshine and relaxing. Whenever you help someone it always comes back to you, so don't ever feel bad about doing that.

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  9. hate airports..hate airports...but we need them :( i would have said as I was dashing away.."I hope your of age to drink that!"..lol hope you enjoyed your visit and got to relax after that...glad your health issues were resolved..but how are you feeling??

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  10. I'm so glad you arrived safely. Sorry about your precious gift being confiscated, especially after all the hastle to even get it through customs.

    Enfys, please do NOT give someone money for gas when they are begging like that. It is such a scam. My DH was approached at a gas station near his work by a young college student (or so she said). She was in tears and asking for some gas money. He gave her $20 (he is such a softy). But the next day when she appeared in his office, with the same teary-eyed sob story, his attitude took a 180 ... he had some very loud, and very "choice" words for her as he escorted her out of the office. His boss watched in shock, but laughing, and said ... "WOW, I never saw you so angry before, I had no idea you had it in you." Apparently he was grumbling about it for the rest of the day. Nobody likes being taken for a sucker ... including my DH

    BTW ... looking forward to seeing you on Friday!

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  11. Ah, that explains why you haven't been answering my emails :) I've written twice with my postal details (having won the Flexmarkers) but haven't heard a thing from you ;) Hope you have a good trip, Joanna

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  12. OMG!! Really!! I NEVER travel by plane..actually...my husband and I never travel at all past a couple 100 miles in a car!! And from yours and all the other stories I've heard in a lifetime...I'm not missing anything!! Sorry about the scotch...that was downright evil! At least the buggy guy was ready& willing to help you out! And about the beggar guy in Dunkin Donuts...I have walked to a local department store on my lunch hour recently. It is literally ONE block from my office building, and there have been three people asking me for money, cigarettes, and food! Though I feel sorry for them...I just don't feel like I can even walk outside anymore without being accosted!!

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  13. Missed your postings lately Enfys, glad everything is now OK. Enjoy your break to US - no doubt Joanne's and Michaels are on your list once you've had your fill of dunkin' donuts! Pat x

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  14. One thing I've learned when purchasing liquor on an airplane-it cannot go through customs as they do take it from you. I think the flight attendents should tell a person this so they don't buy booze for someone else to drink. Lost mine as well so don't feel too bad as you aren't alone on that score. Watch out for those beep beeps. I understand what you went through as I ran the full length of the airport is Florida to catch my next flight and was exhausted as well.

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  15. Oh nice to hear you are back on this side of the pond. I've missed you so! I've been MIA for a bit. Our computer crashed and we had to have our niece build us a new one. With all the craziness of getting our info etc from the old hard drive and setting up the new computer, I've lost tons of time online.
    But I'm back now and have so much to catch up on.
    Have a wonderful time in the States and don't get into too much trouble with those crafty friends of yours.
    And I expect to hear some more Dunkin' stories.

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I love reading your comments, thank you for taking the time
Enfys x