Heather and Mike, you have just reached your 5-year wedding anniversary, what are you going to do next?
We’re going to Disneyland!!!!
Saturday August 25th, 2012. 5:00 am and visions of Disneyland were running through my dreams.
No sooner is it 5:30 and the alarm goes off. Then again at 5:40 and one more time at 5:50.
You think we would’ve just sprung up out of bed, but we have a memory foam mattress so there are no springs in our bed; plus we didn’t get the ejection feature either. So now we have to get ourselves up out of bed. You’ve all seen the commercial “I’m too excited too sleep,” I don’t know about Lady H, but that was me until I finally did fall asleep. Now all I wanted to do was sleep, at least a couple more hours. I tried calling Southwest and asked them to hold the plane for us; but they were not willing to. Shoot darn.
Good thing is, it’s an hour and 40 minute flight, so at least I can take a nap on the plane.
By the time we finished packing and actually got to bed the night before, think it was close to midnight; so we knew it would be just a quick nap. Think it was finally close to 2:00 that I fell asleep. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 9:15 am. Maybe we’ll get a text message saying our flight was delayed and we can sleep a couple of extra hours. Look at my smartphone and I have one text message. Hopes run high thinking maybe, just maybe, I can sleep a couple of more hours. Nope, text was from a friend wishing us a safe and happy trip. Stroll on over to the kitchen, turn on the coffee pot and proceed to wake Sleeping Beauty. I smile each time I can wake Lady H up just like Prince Phillip woke up Princess Aurora. Sometimes it takes more than one kiss and a bucket of water, but eventually she wakes up. 5 minutes after waking up Sleeping Beauty, coffee is done so we each grab a cup and proceed to get ready. After a couple of cups of coffee and a hour later, we’re finally alert and ready to go. Pack any last minute stuff we may need, even though we’ve probably forgot something already.
Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but it never seems to fail with us. There’s always one or 2 items you need, and when you start unpacking at the hotel that’s when it dawns on you. “Oh man, I forgot my super duper mega hold, holds like glue styling hair gel. Guess I’ll just have to buy a hat.” Not like I have much hair left anyways. Soon I won’t need any glue, shampoo or conditioner.
Soon the bags are loaded into D’Mil car, as she’s going to take us to the airport and pick us up when we get back. Well let me rephrase that; the bags are loaded into D’Mil’s car and I will be driving us to/from the airport. D’Mil likes to think she’s Miss Daisy, sit in the back seat and let me drive. After the bags have been loaded into her car, I do one final check for my carryon bag. Park Tickets, check. Boarding passes, check. Driver’s license, check. Smartphone, still on the nightstand. Run back and get it, now we’re all set. All systems are go.
Stealing this line from Nebo and Smidgy.
“AND WE’RE OFF!’
On the way to the airport, I keep thinking we need to stop for cash. I tell Lady H to remind to stop for cash. 5 seconds after I tell her to remind me, she reminds me. Thanks, honey. I’ll try. We look at the time and it’s getting close to 7. No time to stop for cash now, just got to head straight to the airport. Still a 35-45 minute drive from our house to the airport, depending on how many Sunday drivers are on the road on a Saturday morning.
Lady H tells me there’s an ATM for our bank at the airport, we can get cash there. Great. Disney is going to get enough money from us during the week. I don’t need to be spreading the wealth around with our bank and other banks on the ATM fees.
Checking our luggage and getting through security was easy breezy. Smooth sailing. A walk in the park. Like taking candy from a baby. Although I hear taking candy from a baby can be difficult at times.
Lady H and I head over to Hudson News to buy the paper. Our usual routine whenever we fly somewhere. They were out of the paper we usually buy. There’s another Hudson closer to our gate, we’ll check to see if they have it there. On our way to our gate, we notice the first item we forgot to pack. COFFEE. There’s a particular brand of coffee that is packaged and sold locally called New Mexico Pinon Coffee. This is the type of coffee we drink each morning. We meant to buy a small bag from the supermarket, but completely spaced it out. As luck would have it, they sell the small bags here in the airport at one of the kiosks. Instead of paying the $8 we would have at the supermarket, we’re paying almost double in the airport. With our bag in coffee in hand, we now head on down to one of the eateries for breakfast. We divide and concur. Lady H heads off in search for the paper, after reading the menu and telling me what she wants for breakfast. I stay and stand in the first of many long lines we’ll encounter during the week. I wait, and wait, and wait, and finally after 3 long minutes, I place our order. We both got a breakfast croissant, which had eggs, cheese and choice of ham, bacon or sausage. I got a sausage patty on mine while Lady H got bacon on hers.
Lady H came back from her quest to find the newspaper. We chow down on breakfast and no sooner did we finish than it was time for us to board. Once on board, Lady H and I picked out our seats. One of our first observations, the pilots took turns going in and out of the restroom. We hoped it’s from having too much coffee and not from the party the night before. Only time will tell. On the plane, Heather had the aisle seat, I had the window seat and the middle seat was empty, for now. Across from Lady H on the next aisle seat was a lady that was either: A, already suffering from air sickness or had some bad sushi and looked like she was ready to hurl; B, was already asleep; or C, both A & B (sleeping to fight the air sickeness). This lady had her head on her forearm, which was on the seat in front of her. I told Lady H, “For your sake, let’s hope she’s already sleeping.” Pilots are done in the restroom, take their seats and we push back from the hub. The pretty yellow stripe that is there for pilots to follow, well our pilots aren’t following it very good. As we taxi down the runway, I notice the plane is swerving from one side of the yellow strip to the other side of the yellow stripe. So much for my theories they had too much coffee or are suffering from the night before. I think they’re still drunk.
The flight attendants give their usual safety instructions and soon the pilots make that famous announcement, “we’ve been cleared for departure” and I start to pray.
“AND WE’RE OFF!”
Sorry, just had to say that one more time.
I’m guessing we had a famous music producer on board, because not too long after take off, we had a singing audition from one of the stewardess’. Oh wait, let me use the politically correct term, flight attendant. She gave us the Southwest rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star.” I don’t remember exactly how she worded it, but I was wondering if she might be a long lost cousin since she re-wrote the words to the song. I would’ve recorded it, but the use of electronic devices is strictly prohibited until the captain gives the ok. Plus I left my camera in my bag, which is stowed neatly under the seat in front of me. How was I to know we would be serenaded?
Now that the audition is over (I never did see a producer approach her by the way) the captain has given the ok to NOW use our electronic devices. The “Flight Attendant,” makes her announcement that they will soon go through serving complimentary soft drinks, coffee or water. If you wish to purchase a Monster energy drink or cocktail, they only accept major credit/debit cards; or drink coupons if you have them. They no longer accept cash.
CASH!
We forgot to get cash out of the ATM. Looks like we’re now doomed to pay the ATM fees.
While filling up our jet back at the airport, they must’ve put some kind of super fuel. We actually arrived in Los Angeles ahead of schedule. Which is a good thing. We actually got a tour of LAX and we didn’t even have to get off the plane or pay any extra fee. How thoughtful of them to give us a complimentary tour. The terminal we had to dock at must have been the terminal at the end; because each time we drove up to one, the pilots kept driving past it. Sometimes I even had to wonder if we were driving in circles. I could’ve sworn we passed the same terminal at least twice. Finally make it to our terminal. Turns out the lady sitting next to Lady H must have been sleeping. Once we landed, she finally sat up and the good thing is she never got sick.
After we get off the plane we head down to baggage claim, because where else would we go. Ever since Lady H’s bag didn’t make it back from vacation once, we always get a little worried now. We split up our clothes between each other’s bag. I gave her some of my clothes to put in her bag and vice-versa, some of hers in mine. This way if one bag makes it and the other doesn’t, we will both have clothes. We also had a carryon with us in which we packed couple of day’s worth of clothes for each of us, in case neither one of our bags showed up. A couple of tips I learned here on the Disboards.
As we stepped off the moving staircase that lead down to baggage claim, Lightning McQueen was there to greet us.
j/k
OK OK...I show up and have fun...now stop laughing.
