Leaving... on a jet plane... part 2

Wednesday, March 10, 2010... I arrived at Dulles Airport about 5 hours before my flight to Kuwait was scheduled to leave. The USO staff anticipated a lengthy wait going through the international terminal, but I didn't experience any delay when checking my luggage or going through security. To my surprise, I wasn't charged an extra baggage fee. Apparently, they allow more when traveling on an international flight.

Dinner was next on the agenda and there were lots of choices, but Thomas was craving Wendy's. lol You know I always say that everything happens for a reason, and shortly after paying for our food, two soldiers walked in. Of course, I had to greet them! Anyway, as they were leaving, my coworker mentions that I was just talking to a 2-star General. Honestly, I have a tendency to look past the rank and just treat them as human beings.

After dinner, we headed to the terminal. At this point, knowing I was going to put my cell phone on military standby, I called as many people as possible... starting with my daughter. Around 9pm, while talking to Sprint, my phone shut off. I thought my battery was low, but when I plugged it in and attempted to make one last call, I quickly realized it was indeed on standby.

While waiting, I noticed the flight wasn't full, so I asked for a window seat. The attendant assured me she would call my name if one was available. The plane was ready for boarding and my name was never called. Oh well. I found my seat and settled in only to be greeted by my seat mate a few minutes later. Richard and I got along well... we watched "The Blind Side" together, talked about our jobs, family and a few things in between. He definitely made the 12-hour flight much easier to handle.

I did my best to stay comfortable during the long flight, but the passenger in front of me insisted on reclining his seat the entire time with the exception of eating the two meals provided and when we landed. Next time I will definitely pay the $160 for more leg room! lol