This year’s adventure will be contained to the United States of America. My daughter and I have decided to drive west across this grand country of ours. Along the way we will stop at some national parks and points of interest. I plan to share our experiences and a few photos along the way. I hope you enjoy this trip as well as last years trip. So, let’s begin!
DAY 1
The day started off very early. My flight out of ILM Wilmington was scheduled for a 547 AM departure. My wife Alexa and Serenity were both very happy to wake up early to take me to the airport. Fortunately, we only live a few minutes from the airport so it was not a huge inconvenience for them.
The best part of jumping of at a smaller regional airport is the ease of check-in. There is a bit of construction going on at ILM right now so there a little walk to the terminal from the drop off area. It looks like they have plenty of assistance for those who may need the help up to the terminal. I was able to walk right up to baggage check-in. There was no line for the TSA security check and I was at my gate ten minutes after I was dropped off. The inside of the terminal is very nice. I waited comfortably for boarding to begin which was right on time and I was on my way to my first stop, Atlanta.
I arrived at Atlanta on time and found my way to my departure gate. If you have never had a connection flight at Atlanta, there’s a few things you need to know. First of all there are six terminals. They are all connected by an underground train. So, you need to find out if your connecting flight is in the same terminal and if not which one you need to get to. Fortunately, I had a two hour layover, so I wasn't to pressed to rush. I guess because it was still early, there were not too many people up and about yet. I found my connecting gate which was in terminal A. Since I came into terminal B, it was only a short ride to the next terminal over. I found a seat, got comfortable and waited for boarding call.
The flight from Atlanta to LA was very nice. The captain welcomed us to one of the newest aircraft in the fleet. An Airbus 321 NEU. It was very nice with all the bells and whistles. I never thought first class was worth what they charged for a domestic flight. But these seats were nice. Even the poor man’s economy seats were a step up than normal.
Funny thing happened while the airline attendants were serving drinks. I had a seat in the aisle and was sprinkled with a little coffee while they were pouring. The airline attendant was very apologetic and offered to add a liitle something extra to my tonic water. I told him it was fine, but he gave me a complimentary meal instead. When he came by again, I wanted to reassure him it was really no big deal. I told him I owned and operated a coffee shop and was used to slinging and wearing coffee on a daily basis. I think that made him feel a little better.
I made it to LA a little early and was abke to retrieve my baggage. My daughter Haley was waiting for me and pulled up just as I was walking out of the terminal. It was so nice to see her again! We are both looking forward to our upcoming trip across the country. Come back again to find out where we will be heading.
