Type A- Traveler

That dash is a minus.

I am pretty laidback when it comes to traveling. Ask my stepfather. When I traveled for business, domestically, I'd arrive an hour before departure...in the parking lot. International, maybe an hour and a half?

I'd be lying if I said there'd never been a freakout moment of being late. The time we left our garment bag on the parking lot shuttle...I was standing in the security line while Luke chased it down. Lil was a toddler - maybe 3? I envisioned myself flying to Puerto Rico all alone with my daughter (BWI only had one flight per day) and getting on a seven day cruise, playing the slots with one hand and holding Lil's hand with the other. (Joking - kids, not allowed in casinos. Serious  - real problem on ships that depart Puerto Rico.) Alas, Luke jumped into the airplane as they were closing the door.

"You made it! Where's the garment bag?"

"Couldn't get it."

Tears.

"K, you're looking at this the wrong way. When we get to Puerto Rico, we'll go shopping. I'll rent a tux on board the ship. This is an opportunity."

Hmm. We went to Macy's, I had coupons and I found cheap, but pretty new dresses. Score!

Three weeks ago, I was not that placid. For a few hours, I was in a plane flying to Seattle, Luke was in New York and Lil was at school. In the aftermath of the Amtrak tragedy, as we discussed plans for backup, he was very relaxed.

"If I'm late or there's a problem, I'll call your parents. We'll let them know it's a possibility."

"Great idea. Except that I'm going to be WITH my parents on the PLANE."

"Oh, right."

I relived this today when I ran into a friend at the gym and she asked how everything had went.

"Kinda badly, but he didn't tell me until we met for lunch in Vancouver before getting on the ship."

Their puddle jumper got pulled for maintenance AFTER going from Baltimore to Newark and they had seconds to spare at Toronto for the connection and went to the wrong hotel. I am SO glad I did not know any of this.

But they made it and we had an awesome Alaskan cruise...partly because of the odd weather they're having...but that's another discussion. :)