I’ve lost the knack….

For plane travel.

Due to I don’t-know-what I realized halfway through 2018 that I had not taken any flights – so decided to make it a no-fly year. Worked out just fine and this year was set to be the same until a friend’s youngest son and his wife (civil wedding last year) maintained their church wedding in Portugal.  Due to lack of time and the distances involved - a road trip would have been at least 15 hours under the best of circumstance – for a longer trip I booked my flight way back in March. For the privilege of coming back on a Sunday I coughed up serious money on a line that is known for its cheap rates. Still worth it to be there, but to not have to take two weeks.

At the last minute whilst checking in, I noticed that they had what they call a “hands free” option available so purchased that on the outgoing flight. This meant that I simply dropped off my cabin luggage in a priority lane and was free to wander the airport without having to drag it along and open up everything going through security. A big bonus was being able to still take out my usual larger hand sack so that I had reading material, my small purse, etc. A very good deal in my eyes.

That worked wonderfully well. I did not purchase it however for the return trip and for the first time in my life actually ended up leaving something in the security check bins. Actually two things: shortly after leaving security with my luggage I realized that my cell phone was not in my pocket – yikes I had thrown it in the bin at the last minute knowing that they would make me go back if I didn’t and totally forgot to take it out (probably under my purse at that point and I was wrapped up in the wonder of a bin line that not only had separate slots for every bin, but also had an automatic stacking process at both ends. No more bins piling up, running into each other and the like).  Big “oops” moment that.

I immediately back-tracked and enquired of the custom’s official on that line – ouf – he had seen it and taken it out of the bin before it went under the counter. All I had to do was open it, put in the pin code to prove it was mine – and it was – mine again that is.

I walked away only to realize the first time I saw my reflection in a mirror that I had also left a scarf. Sigh. Just not used to plane travel any more. Still the loss might have been much greater and I can chalk this lack of attention up to three late nights with more food in three days than I would normally eat in a month.

Great friends, great wedding, more than enough partying.

I’ll excuse myself for the lack of the traveling knack this time.

My camera has seen better days... still didn't want to loose it.