I popped out for a overnight trip to Virginia, back home again! The airline system was fraught with problems. The AUS->IAD was scheduled to leave at 3:30 PM, then 5:30, then 8:00, then 9:05, then 9:57. It kept getting pushed back because other planes were delayed due to the weather. I got to AUS around 8 and figured out the ticket counter was closed. Fortunately a security guard tracked down a United agent for me.
Some people had been at AUS all day long and were getting pissy. Whenever a gate attendant finally came over for our flight, she got flocked by people demanding information. Plane arrived from ORD, then it was shutdown for hydraulic problems. Pilot came up and chatted with us while we waited. I got upgraded to first class for free. Finally left after 10. Flying first class wasn’t that interesting, I slept the whole way anyways.
A few minutes out we were flying above a thunderstorm. It was plenty dark which made the lightning within the clouds very clear. I’ve never seen lightning from above, it was a very pretty sight.
Did the job, came back. The B terminal at IAD was awesome, there were actual stores and not just Hudson News. Never have seen a suit shop in an airport until now. Same thing at ATL, a small handful of new stores. I was dead asleep on the way back. I don’t know how I sleep through takeoffs.
Finally had people asking me if I was in military. I was carrying around my ACU print MOLLE backpack, which by the way, is handy as hell for this trip. Stuffing it full of clothes, strapping it on (it has a heavy waistband) and go; not wheeling around luggage or lugging shoulder-strapped bags is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Anyways, most people were satisified with a simple “no” answer, but I found people who had been in the military got a bit more clever and precise with their questioning to figure me out. “Are you in the Corps?” “No.” “Are you in the Army?” “No.” “Are you in the Air Force?” “No.” “Well, did you just get out then?”
