Grace On Bob... Airport No Tell, Motel

Airport Madness Continued.

Bob and I figured now that it was past ten pm we better find a place to sleep so we went back to some large comfy massage chairs we had seen in our ramblings through the airport. We were excited to see two empty seats and thought this may be our beds for the night. Once snuggled into the chairs we realized they were very uncomfortable with pieces of machinery poking out. We still stayed there thinking we may find a position that was comfortable. After about an hour and two games of checkers… we both won a game, we decided to find a better place to snuggle down for the night and play that tie breaking game.

By this time the departure monitors had the gate our flight was departing from posted, so we headed toward our gate. We wanted to be as close as possible for our 7 am flight the next morning. I had suggested getting an hotel, but Bob didn’t want to chance missing another flight. I had never slept at an airport before, but everything is worth trying once... maybe not. When we found our gate, Bob realized he left his phone charging at the massage chairs so he raced back to get his phone. I stayed back to find a cozy place to get some sleep. Our gate was very cold, and I didn’t have a very warm sweater, so I looked for somewhere warmer, quieter and more private. I was getting pretty picky and asking a lot for an airport, but my determination payed off and I found some tables behind a bar. I notice a gentleman on some chairs he set up as a proxy bed. I figured I’d steel his wonderful idea, because all the chairs in the airport had arms, offering no ability to stretch out for comfort. Clearly the airport is not very accommodating for overnight guests. I went to work setting up the best possible nest for us with eight chairs, four in a row facing one another. I was very proud of my ingenuity in airport overnight nest making. Bob was also impressed when he arrived with his phone safely in his pocket. We snuggled down on the chairs with our small blanket. I was blessed with Bob’s arm for a pillow, Bob on the other hand used his shoe for a pillow… I cannot figure that was very comfortable for him. However, he did get about three hours sleep, and me being the wiggle worm that I am kept falling in between the chairs. The load noise of the chairs moving kept waking Bob up, and I am sure our neighbor up as well. I decided to get up and read and send out some emails. If you received an early morning email from me that didn’t make much sense, yes that was me, half asleep, delirious, and fantasizing about the hard bed and pillows I was complaining about at the hotel the previous night.

I am so glad Bob and I set the powerful intention at dinner the night before for a magical and synchronistic Costa Rican adventure… Only next time we will be more specific in intending for the trip there and back to also flow with ease and grace.

We had set the alarm for 6 am, since we were right next to our gate and figured not much could delay us in walking the ten steps to our gate. However we discovered in a rude awakening that it wasn't necessary to set our alarm because it just so happens that the airport wakes up at about 5 am, with blaring music, busy workers, morning announcements and loud PA checks. So by 5 am we began breaking down our not so cozy nest of bar chairs. (Picture included.) By this time I was feeling especially uncomfortable, I hadn’t packed a toothbrush, I was feeling very self-conscious of the odor that was coming from me anytime I slightly opened my legs… the laughter outburst going through security the day before that caused a bit of outburst in other area’s mentioned in the previous blog, was causing a dry odor I recognized when I was last down in the viaduct.

I went to the ladies room and waited for some privacy but this one woman just stayed there primping herself. I wanted to take my pants and underpants off and wash them by hand but she wouldn’t leave. Then more women arrived, making me feel quite hopeless. So I just lathered as much soap onto the crotch of my pants to hopefully mask the odor… luckily the wetness didn’t show, so I kept adding more and more soap. It just didn’t seem to help, maybe even made it worse, but anything was worth a try at this point, I still had a two hour wait at the gate and a four-hour flight until I could get my suitcase and change my pants. No stores were open that may have underwear for sale. I must say though that the soul cleansing belly laughter was worth smelling like a homeless person that hadn’t showered in a week.

We had some grapes that were not too fresh and a peanut butter cookie for breakfast and took a nice morning stroll through the airport… not ever getting too from the gate, or opening my legs too wide. Bob asked if we could throw away the rotting veggies, so I ate the red pepper cleverly biting around the soft spots, and kept the three lemons. We threw the remaining grapes, cheese, celery, and carrots away. Time flew by and before we knew it we were on the plane heading to San Jose, Costa Rica. We both took a much needed sleep aid and the next thing we knew we were landing in Costa Rica. Our airport adventures were almost over. Going through customs and security in Costa Rica was a breeze, the customs agents were more relaxed and friendly than the TSA agents in Las Vegas by a long shot, however the security guy made me give him all my lemons.

When we got to baggage claim Bob’s suitcase was already there, mine was nowhere to be seen and there were no more suitcases coming out the shoot. I began looking around to see if there were any stores in this small airport that sold shorts, pants, dresses, a kilt, tutu… I wasn’t picky, anything would do at this point, I so wanted to get out of the stinky pants I was wearing. After about a ten minute wait bags began to come through the shoot and soon my large suitcase appeared. Bob being the wonderful man that he is, grabbed my heavy suitcase off the belt. I quickly opened it up, grabbed some fresh clean undies and jeans and be lined straight for the closest bathroom. The things we take for granted… clean, dry clothes, a warm comfy bed, fresh veggies and a soft pillow.

After a $200 cab ride through the city we had finally arrived at our destination. When we checked into our hotel, we were told they couldn’t find our reservation. Neither of us had any anxiety though… I had clean dry undies on and we were finally in Costa Rica. They had a room for us anyhow, and what a magnificent room it is. Now that we are here safe and together in a beautiful tropical paradise all the mishaps, delays, stinking pants

and unbelievable bumps in the road make a great tale to tell and something we can always laugh about… with an extra pair of clean panties in my purse of course.