I had planned for this trip to my cousin's place almost 2 months in advance. Had to travel from Austin (Texas) to a place in Kentucky. This memorial day weekend was going to be my first memorable weekend in US.. atleast I hoped so.
The tickets were booked 2 months in advance. For that meticulous planning, there was a need for the packing to be done equally well [WTH ... I never did act in such a grotesque way for a 3 day travel.. I realise now]. My roomate chips in his 2 cents of advice - "Keep a few pairs of undies bundies and toothbrush in ur cabin bag - lest ur check-in baggage gets lost/delayed".. and so I comply. Instead of the tooth brush, I keep the whole toilet pouch and all undies in my cabin back-pack.
Now nothing could ruin any bit of my trip.
So there I was, bunked the second half of my work day (Friday), had a quick lunch and drove a tidy 25 miles to the airport well in advance to have a comfortable check-in [with all the memorial day weekend rush - u never can predict the crowds].
Went straight to the American Airlines kerb check-in counter. Checked-in the bigger bag and then walked around the airport with still another 20 min left for security check-in. All the time religiously holding my back-pak, zealously guarding the 5 pairs of undies.
A point of minor note: The back pack also contained my newly obtained panasonic FZ3 digital camera worth $450.
So 5 min before the scheduled takeoff time, I entered the security check-in line. I had my driver's license ready for checking by the Transport Security Administration (TSA - Totally shameless Americans - you will know soon). The big guy was impressed and waved me in. I moved forward with a big grin on my face. 2 minutes passed. It would be another 1 minute before I am through the metal detector and my cabin bag is through, as those shameless eyes see it through the x-ray. I would still have 2 minutes to board the plane. What a nice planning and timing.
So I proceed for the xray and strip myself off the soles, wallet and what not and let all this pass through the xray. Meanwhile I pass through the metal detector - nothing. Ah, the last hurdle crossed before I proceed for my well deserved vacation. Wait a minute, a hefty TSA person wearing half moon glasses pulls my bag back into the xray machine .. and calls 2 other guys .. WTH. I grin - maybe the camera showed some electronic stuff. That should pass!
They see, what I believe to be my bag, on their screen and start discussing. The bag comes out and one of the three men - a mean looking 6'2" TSA guy asks me to move back. The other equally mean looking but shorter guy slips into (i mean his hands) latex gloves. Now this is becoming interesting:
Me :Is there a problem
TSA1 :Stand back!... sir.
Me :ok
TSA2 :Is this ur bag?
Me :Yes
TSA2 :We need to check your bag
Me :Sure, but my flight is almost about to leave
TSA2 :Do not worry, if everything is fine in the bag you will board it.
Easier said than done. It has bloody costed me 300$ for the tkts.
So out comes my camera pouch.
Me : Can I help you. That is my digital camera.
TSA2 : No!!! Stand back.. you!!
Me (thinks) They make me feel like a terrorist.
TSA1 : Sir you either let us do our work or we will have to be harsher.
Me (thinks) This is it. I am a terrorist here.
Me : ok
TSA2 : That camera is ok.
Out comes my undies.
Announcement: Mr Chavali travelling by flight no. 191 of American Airlines is requested to report at the departure immediately.
Me : Hey that's me. Can you please hurry.
I have already 5-6 people looking on as to what is happening.
TSA2 : Sir we need to do what we have to do
TSA2 : Is this yours? (undi 1)
Me : Yes. [Surely I wouldn't be carrying yours!!]
TSA2 : This? (undi 2)
Me : Yes!!!!
TSA2 : This one also? (undi 3)
Me : Yes sir! Everything in the bag is mine!!
By now there is a little exhibition of coloured underwears on the table and people gathered to see that [as though they do not have such things in US of A]. Hail VIP undies.
Out comes a memory stick, a pen, a CD and various other assortments.
Then finally comes out my Re 5 tattered toilet pouch which seems out of place with my FZ3 and clean coloured undies.
Announcement: Mr Chavali travelling in flight 191 of AA - This is the second calling for you. Please report at the departure immediately.
I start to become uneasy. From the pouch comes out a nail clipper.
TSA2 : This is yours?
Me : Yes. Any problem?
TSA2 : We cannot allow you to carry this in the cabin bag. This has blade shaped metal.
Me : So what do I do.. my flight is almost about to leave?
TSA2 : You have 3 options - one -leave this here. I will take it
[Like hell you will take it..that's been with me for 8 years]
TSA2 : second -You go back to your car and leave it there
[That's 15 min of time and bloody you will pay for my tkts?]
TSA3 : Third - You checkin this bag
[Well that seems the best option]
So I stuff all assortments and undies in my bag [all for that tidy packing!!!] as the curious onlookers gaze by. I am only comforted by the idea that there are no familar faces around. There couldn't have been a worse start for my vacation. So I run back, check-in the bag. Wait, I recall the bag, take my camera and a novel out and give the bag back.
Now i need to go and do the security check-in again!!
Announcement: Mr Chavali of flight 191 of AA for Dallas - this is the third and final call for you to report to the departure.
For all my luck, the security-checkin line was now very slowly snaking it's way - thanks to me for having held up the line for nearly 5 minutes. Now I realise that it is almost 5 minutes beyond the take-off time of my flight.
Another 2 minutes and I am thru, this time - neatly.
I grab my camera and run to the departure gate - my tickets inside the novel. I show my boarding pass just in time before they closed the gates as the pilot was seen through. Finally i do get my alloted seat.
For the first time in the last 10 minutes my mind was a bit clear.
I changed over in Dallas and boarded another flight for Lexington, KY. Nothing was more eventful than my check-in scene.
Visited Niagara falls with my cousin. It was awesome.
Thanks for the 2 cents advice that I complied with before - I checked-in everything on my return trip just to find that my baggage was missing when I returned to Austin. Holy crap - What a beginning and what an end? [No punctuation anywhere]
All's well that ends well.
I did get my bags 24 hrs later - but learnt important lessons:
- Planes do not take off at the printed scheduled time. They do keep a 5 min buffer.
- Do not keep undies and nail clipper together in your cabin bag.