I hate waiting but I hate being late even worse. It's one of those personality quirks. So, I got to the Austin airport and approached a SkyCap to curb check my luggage (I'm heading to Iceland today) and get everything squared away.
The guy behind the counter gave me the sad news. Since my layover exceeded six hours in JFK he could only check the bags to there. They'd have to be collected in baggage claim, re-checked for my next flight, and I'd have to go back through security again. No problem.
But when I got to NY I asked an agent to check my bags and he informed me that they have no way to store baggage for longer than..... six hours....and that I would have to wait from 12:30pm till 3:05pm before I could check my (one) bag. I'd have to drag my suitcase around with me until then.
But where's the Catch-22? Well, all the seating and good food is inside the security perimeter but until you check your checked luggage you can't go through security. But all the seating and decent food is inside the security zone/departure area and you can't go through there until you check your bags and we're right back to the six hour exclusion period.
In 25 minutes I'll (theoretically) be able to check in the bag and proceed to the TSA check point.
It's gray, cold and murky in NYC. Instead of standing in a giant, crowded ticketing area (absolutely bereft of seats) I decided to take the Air Trans tour of the entire airport. I dragged the bag along and got on the Air Trans, which is mostly intended to take travelers to connecting terminals. Pretty bleak for tourism, but then airport tourism was never high on my bucket list.
I think from now on I'll try to make my own travel arrangements rather than leaving it up to someone else. After two weeks of tight schedules and (Yikes) eighteen flights across the Southeast U.S. my tolerance for schedule slop is pretty minuscule.
Looking for a little silver lining, I did bring along the cookies they gave me on my last flight. I think I'll eat them now......
And, by the way, today is my birthday. Happy to have made it to 63 and hoping to get a few more good decades in..... I'd like to end up setting the record for the oldest working photographer. But not if I have to spend those decades waiting to check my luggage....
Happy Birthday and have a great trip.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a very nice inspiring Icelandic break and many more happy productive years, congratulations!
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to read your blog whatever the topic!
Greetings, Kejas
( Sounds like part of your Birthday wasn't too happy..)
ReplyDeleteI wish You a
Happy New Year
of your life!
And a Great Photo Year!
Hi Kristian, I'm just so spoiled I like to complain about meaningless stuff from time to time. Now in the cool part of the terminal eating pizza, drinking red wine and meeting new people. I'm a lousy traveller but I always love wherever I am when I get there. Thanks for the comment!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Kirk. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a Happy Birthday and a safe journey. Enjoy Iceland!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Kirk! Many more!
ReplyDeleteConsider treating yourself to an airport lounge day pass (esp. for all those hours)- well worth it.
Rick
Happy Birthday Kirk, and a sincere thank you for all your writing.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Kirk, hope you have a great trip, love the birthday food of pizza and red wine :)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, young fella!
ReplyDeleteOn the trip back, if your seat is on the right side, look for the tip of Greenland.
A) Happy birthday, Kirk. And, B) there's this guy - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/04/105-year-old-man-sets-record-cycling-14-miles-hour-robert-marchand . So, I think there's an opportunity for a swimming record, right?
ReplyDeleteStephen
Happy Birthday, Kirk! If you want to be the oldest working photographer, you'll have to catch me!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your essay on the happy photographer will make a splendid closing chapter for your book "Commercial Photography: Art and Life."
Many happy returns and departures and returns...
ReplyDeleteKirk, Happy Birthday. You share a birthday with my oldest son. Just an FYI, I always travel very light even when I went to Iceland on a photo trip, I carried all my luggage, and camera gear on the plane. It is easy to do that when you are flying internationally, not so easy if you are flying domestically in the EU. I have learned over the years that a lot of hotels have laundry facilities and you can do your laundry about every 4-5 days. It does work. You will have to live without some gear, but I never felt like I missed a shot because I didn't have something. Enjoy your trip. Iceland is a wonderful place, but very wet and cold. Also extremely safe. No worries about pickpockets in Iceland. I was told that was because everyone in Iceland was somehow related. Not sure if it is true, but it was arguably the safest place I have ever traveled.
ReplyDelete