An Unexpected Adventure

I had expected to arrive back in SmallTown Monday night. And since I was dropped off at the airport in plenty of time, breezed through security (I'm becoming quite adept at getting through quickly), and found my gate with no difficulty, everything seemed to be going according to plan.

Until the airline cancelled the flight 15 minutes before boarding was to begin.

There was apparently a mechanical problem with the plane. And no substitute plane was available.

So, the airline issued vouchers for an airport hotel and re-booked passengers on flights that would leave the next day.

I must confess that, once I had sent the appropriate emails cancelling Tuesday's classes and informing my department chair, I really enjoyed having this extra night off. I took a long shower, enjoyed a cup of tea, and watched some TV (this last item is something that I haven't done since August). I slept in on Tuesday morning, had breakfast (also at the airline's expense), and returned to the airport in plenty of time for my 12:30 p.m. flight.

But all of that relaxation was for naught.

A blizzard had arrived in my neck of the woods, so the 1-hour drive from the airport to SmallTown took two. And I was literally dropped off in a snowbank. And I had to rush home to change so that I could rush to school to attend the poster presentation of the student whose senior thesis I supervised this semester. And then I had to prep for class on Wednesday morning.

When I returned from campus visit to SLAC last May, I also had problems on my return flight.

So, I'm beginning to think that return trips from campus visits are trouble and that I need to stop going on campus visits!