I made it to Boulder for my Food and Light workshop but it wasn’t necessarily a smooth travel day. Then again, is travel ever smooth?
As I was leaving my house and already running a few minutes late <—but what’s new, I realized the suitcase that I had everything packed in had a bum wheel and was not wheel-able.
So I was literally on the balcony frantically transferring everything I had packed into an alternate suitcase.
Whew. Make work much?
I got to the airport and even with a printed boarding pass in hand, it was a 40 minute wait just to drop off and check bags.
And I still had to get through security. Yikes.
I arrived at the airport with just enough time to get checked in, get through security and get my travel essential: Starbucks!
And then we boarded.
Super bumpy flight and there was a man in front of me who did.not.shut.up. the entire flight. He was jabbering to the woman next to him and I think trying to impress her. Normally I can sleep through anything, but even I couldn’t sleep through him.
I was also thinking about how much I already missed Skylar!
I left her a love note on her desk that she’d find when Scott picked her up from preschool later in the day.
As I was dropping her off, she was dancing, spinning, laughing, and having a grand old time.
She told me how much she’d miss me too, but clearly wasn’t too effected by my pending departure given her giggles.
I arrived at the Denver airport, got my bag, got my rental car
Drove the hour plus to Boulder (road construction!), checked into my hotel room, and here I am, blogging.
And good thing I picked up this gem for a midnight snack.
It hit the spot. I needed it!
I could have used a White Chocolate Blondie with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting too!
My day starts bright and early tomorrow.
From my last post, it sounds like most of your weekends go by in a blur, like mine do. And this day today, it was a blur, indeed!
Questions:
1. How much time do you normally leave as a “cushion” when you travel? How far in advance do you like to get to the airport?
I live about 7 to 10 minutes from the airport and I left my house at 2:25pm for a 4pm flight and would have left more like 2:10pm had I not had to re-pack my entire suitcase at the last minute! <–nothing like breaking a sweat in the middle of the day between the stress and the actual work involved.
I got to the airport, parked, and was in the terminal at 2:40pm which was just barely enough time to drop off my bag, clear security, and get Starbucks <—priorites.
In my single/childless days, when I wasn’t juggling so many balls with work, family life, my blog, and just life in general, I left more cushion and padding but lately, well, it just works out the way it does. And hey, I made it. That’s all that matters! But I do hate that stressed out feeling of rushing!
I prefer to leave some cushion, but I am also not the type of person who wants to be through security, sitting at the gate, with nothing to do and completely ready to board, say two full hours, before my flight is to depart. Maybe a half hour to 45 mins, max, is more like it.
Don’t forget to enter my Healthy Cookie & Brownie Giveaway!
I love your blog and LOVE your Tshirt. Where did you get it?
from a yoga studio 4 years ago
I can’t tell if you did this or not, but just so you know you can check-in online, it saves a lot of time! Boulder looks really pretty too. By the way, are you going to the San Diego blogger/reader meet-up this week?
I did check in online! the line JUST TO drop off bags with a printed boarding pass already in hand was 40 mins! chaos!
blogger meetup…which one? there are SO MANY going on b/c of BlogHer in S.D. this weekend!
Yeah I figured you did, but wasn’t sure. That is crazy!! It must be all the summer traveling. The one with Kath on Thursday is the meetup I’m talking about.
Welcome to Colorado!
I always allow 90 minutes at the airport before my flight … I live 1.25 hours from the airport so I leave almost 3 hours before the flight takes off. I don’t mind having some time to chill at the airport … I usually will breakout my netbook and watch a movie or grab a coffee and snack.
I always try to get to the airport very early – we have scored GREAT upgrades to first class (for as little as $50 each, a GREAT deal for this antsy flier!) many times from checking in early. the difference in my mood is NIGHT AND DAY if I know I have a good seat, even in the exit row. I suppose it’s my controlling nature ;)
glad you made it safe and sound, albeit bumpy. I avoid stops inn Denver if I can, as the mountains always bring more turbulence, but obviously you couldn’t avoid it this time.
HAVE A GREAT TIME, AVERIE!! :)
Glad you made it safe! i usually like to get to the airport about an hour and a half before the flight, but I am from a smaller city with a airport that isnt that busy.
Yay, glad you made it safely. Sorry on the stressful traveling, by hubby hates checking bags so much he only carries on for business travel now because it wastes too much time. At least you didn’t get a, uh, larger passenger next to you – that was my luck on my last flight and I was jammed into the window while he was completely taking my arm rest … looooong flight!
What an adorable idea leaving a sweet note for Skylar!
1. Typically about an hour, never know how long security lines will be.
Skylar is such a happy, smiley kid! So cute :)
I HATE the rushed feeling. I would happily wait at the gate for an hour if it meant that I didn’t have to be anxious or stressed about making it on time. It’s my mom’s fault, she’s always obnoxiously early for anything and everything. Like if she says to come over for dinner at 6, she’ll be calling at 5:15 “where ARE you? I thought you’d be here by now!” lol
I travel a LOT now back and forth across the country between school and home, but it never ceases to be stressful. The energy at the airport is always just pure. chaos. And I always get stuck next to the most ANNOYING people on the plane! The winner was a man who, during our red-eye flight, got WASTED on several beers and a scotch or two and then tried to “sleep” on my shoulder incessantly. Fun times.
I travel a ton for work so I’ve got it down to a science. When I fly out of the small airport near my house I barely leave an hour (there are never any lines) but when I fly out of JFK, I leave like 4 hours before my flight. It should take 1 hr and 15 mins to get to the airport but there is ALWAYS construction/traffic on the roads and you never know what you’re going to hit when you actually get to the airport. I love the amenities of the bigger airports but the cushion time needed sucks.
No matter how much cushion I intend or try to leave, I always seem to get there with just enough time. I’ve never (knock on wood) missed a flight, but I’ve come uncomfortable close too often!
Have fun!!!