THE TRIP 30-31 March, 2000

I believe in karma. I think that coincidences happen, but when they do, it is sometimes due to a meeting that needed to take place, an accident that needed to be missed, a plane that shouldn�t have been caught.

I am a somewhat nervous traveler. (Not nervous as in fear of flying, nervous as in fear of missing the plane, not having a good seat, or not having enough overhead space) That may sound strange considering that I have lived in Caracas and Singapore overseas, and Houston and Denver here in the US once I got out of school. I have traveled to over 30 countries, and for about six years of my life flew at LEAST once a month, and sort at least two of those years, spent three of four weeks on the road. But a nervous traveler I have been, and I am sure that a nervous traveler I will be. I have never missed a plane but once, (except due to bad connections. Once I missed a connection because some guy had a heart attack on a plane flying from Tokyo to Detroit. We landed in same small town in Minnesota, which probably had never before seen a 747-400 land there. It delayed the flight about 4 hours. I don�t even know if the joker made it!) and I always get to the airport very early.

So this trip was no different, and if anything, it was worse. Worse because we are out of the country for four months, visiting five countries, staying in two cities at least a month, and various other places less time. Doreen has been doing a great job of making sure all the reservations are in place, all the tickets are purchased, and all the pre trip planning is done. She wasn�t at all worried about the trip, and seemed willing enough to get to the airport whenever I wanted to go. I swear that she would not worry if we showed up just as the plane was boarding.

We picked up the last of our stuff from the Little House and drove over to David Chandler�s house. David had kindly agreed to drive us to the airport. The flight was at 6:50 PM, and we got to his place about 4:30. Both Dave and Doreen gave me such a hard time about leaving early, we had a beer to relax. We got on the road about 4:50, and then up to the airport about 5:30.

While we were checking in, the check in agent told us that the plane was going to be retired on Sunday! I must have looked amazed, because she then said that the DC10 (which is the one about to be retired) was a great plane �Once it got in the air�. Makes you wonder what they say about the OTHER planes they have�

We checked in without regard to th age of the airplane, and finally made it over to the Continental President�s Club (Gary Smith, maybe you will get in there one day) and settled in to wait for the departure time. I had wanted to get some magazines for the flight, so I walked over to one of the newsstands.

The Houston airport is divided into four terminals, now named A, B, C, and D. (D used to be called IAB for International Air Building, and is where most (but not all) of the international flights leave.) D is a nice long walk from C, and within C you have a north and a south terminal, which are a nice long walk from one another.

The first newsstand I visited, the one right next to the gate, had none of the magazines I wanted. (I wanted The Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, and The New Yorker.) They said that they DO carry them, but that they had already sold out. I was told that the next newsstand down (At gate D4. We were at D9) was bigger, and they would certainly have the magazines I wanted.

I got to D4, and they had none of the magazines I wanted there, but I was told that over in terminal C. I would be sure to find what I wanted.

Now, I need to explain that for long airplane trips, Magazines are better than books. Easier to handle physically, easier to start and stop reading, and easier to fit between the seats.

I took the long walk over to C, and stopped at the large bookstore to see about my magazines. None there either- but they said that the bookstore over in the SOUTH terminal would certainly have them. I found it all very hard to believe, but I had time, (as a result of getting to the airport so early) so I walked on down.

Sure enough, the magazines were there, and I bought them with glee. Well, I used cash, but you know what I mean. On the way back, I heard a familiar voice in the terminal, and ran into a friend who works at the airport! She gave me a big hug, and wished me well on the journey. But THAT is why I believe in Karma. I all those items had not lined up, I would not had a chance to say goodbye to her properly.

The icing on the cake was that one of the cart drivers (You know � �Caaaaaaaart coming through�) ask if he could give me a ride back to the gate! So it was almost like a reward for taking the time to find my magazines and to say goodbye.

More later�

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