Happy day today. Going home. I am so excited, but not anxious. I have a fourteen hour flight, a funeral and a managers meeting to look forward to. I think the flight will be the best part. I arrive in DC at 2:30. I figure with customs, baggage and transport to my car I’ll hit the DC beltway and 95 right at rush hour. I’ll just keep focused and think about a Sean Bolans for dinner.
As always there is a story to tell at the airport. In Doha and Dubai when you get to the airport you have to have your checked baggage x-rayed and the zippers tapped. OK, line one and passport check number one. I went to the US flight counter to drop my bags. Large bag overweight, 3KGs. Can’t open my bag to shift the weight. Zipper is sealed and would require going through x-ray again. Pay the overweight charge of 60 bucks, but not here sir you have to go to the cashier. After you pay your bill, he’ll give you the boarding pass. Yes, I’ll take your bags now, but you have to pay over there.
Next stop passport control. Lovely lady in a burka, no personality. Third check of my passport. Go through security, no sir you don’t have to take your computer out, or your shoes off. Just remove your jacket please. Go through scanner, fourth check of passport.
You have to pass through the duty free shop on your way to the gate, similar to Disney, but before the ride. Why is everyone around the booze and electronics? Nobody is looking at jewelry or the perfume. Must say something about the world.
Stop to call the wife, have to make sure she is ok. She’s watching American Idol and I’m keeping her from it. Ok sweetie, love you. I’m getting something for breakfast, hmmm. Food court has a nice sign, but the food looks like lunch. Go to another food court. It looks like a school cafeteria. Ok we’ll have a muffin, banana and oh the coffee looks like instant coffee – I’ll have the Lipton tea, no milk. I’ve got plenty of time. Eat breakfast, enjoy the tea, watch planes take off and land. Boarding is at 7:20, its 7:05 better go find my gate. Where is gate 15? Sir, you have to go down past gate 14 and make a left. Ok. OMG. There is a second security screening. Of course, I get in the slow line. Will I make my flight. Wait in line, another passport and boarding pass check. Fifth check since I got to the airport.
Drop bag on conveyor. Sir, please remove your computer from the bag, take off your shoes, coat and belt – I’m heading home, I’ve got to take off my shoes. Sixth passport check. Get pat down after screening. Get in line at the end of conveyor with the masses to collect my stuff.
Get in another line. Observation 90% of the people in this line is Indian. I know most of the workers in Doha are Pilipino or Indian, but damn. Seventh passport check. Down escalator to the bus. People coming faster then the bus could fill. People starting to stack up at the bottom of the escalator. Mass confusion. Finally get to the head of the line, another passport check – eight times in all. Bus to the plane. Go to my seat – hey this isn’t the one I selected when I checked in on line last night.
Oh well, I’ll be home today.
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