A rough start

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DAY 1

Warren left last night and now I am preparing to leave for So. America at break neck speed. My alarm did not go off and I am frantically running around throwing things into a backpack. A quick shower and my mom and I were out the door to the airport. Fast forward to the airport. Warren has taken most of my luggage with him so I am only charged with carrying a small backpack. This was way easier than dragging a big bag around. I thought having a small backpack to carry through the TSA security would be so easy, BOY WAS I WRONG! Well, I take that back. It should be easy. The problem arises when you grab a random backpack out of the closet that your husband usually uses to take fishing and hunting.
As I anxiously awaited my turn at security I was worried I woud be late for my flight. I was relieved when it was my turn and I tossed my backpack up on to the x-ray belt and quickly walked through the metal detector. Once on the other side, I heard TSA call for a bag check. They called me over to approve a bag search. I laughed and said "sure", like there was anything else I could say. I laughed again and said "oh, does it look like an electronic toothbrush?" The man said "no" and slyly pulled out a loaded magazine of bullets shielding in behing the bag so only I could see what the item was. I asssume this was to prevent mass panic from the rest of the passengers standing in line.
I quickly said "Oh my god, I swear I did not know that was in there". With a flat affect the man escorted me to another area without saying a word. He motioned over the police. The TSA man showed the officer what he had discovered in my bag. Before the officer could say anything, I was quick to state again that I had no idea the loaded magazine was in there. I explained that my husband uses that backpack for hunting and must have left the magazine in there. The officer initially kept a straight face. As he thought the situation through, he began to get a big smile on his face. He proceeded to ask me what my husband did for a living and if he was a police officer. When I told him that my husband was a pilot, he laughed and rhetorically replied "is that for when he has air traffic rage?" The officer emptied the bullets from the magazine into a latex glove. I offered " I don't even know what kind of gun that clip goes with". The officer said "A very nice one" and laughed at me. After a little argument between TSA and the police over who was taking the magazine, the clip and bullets were confiscated. I told them they could do whatever they wanted with it, as long as I could still go on vacation. They said they could have charged me with a misdemeaner but they could tell I had no mal intent. However, TSA took down my information and said they would be sending me something in the mail that may require action on my part. Hopefully they will not give me a fine. That would suck!
Although I was very nervous throughout this little mishap, and I thought some tears might help my plight, the officers and TSA people were quite good natured about this incident. By the time I made it to the gate, I walked right on to the airplane and was off to Miami.

From LAX to Miami I was stuck in coach and very uncomfortable. As everyone reading this might know, Warren and I don't have children, so I found it very annoying to have a little boy right behind me kicking the back of my seat while I was trying to nap. Miami was uneventful, thankfully. Just enough time for some pizza and beer. Next I was off to Buenos Aires, in Buisness Class this time. Riding in Buisness class was awesome. I was greeted with a glass champagne at my seat when I boarded. I settled in for my almost 9 hour flight and gave my dinner order for the lamb medallions finished with Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dessert. I enjoyed two glasses of red Argentinian Malbec wine with dinner. During dinner, I enjoyed a movie on my own private movie screen with my Bose headsets. Following dinner and a movie, I reclined my seat into the full bed position and went to sleep.
When I awoke the next morning I was in Buenos Aires and had to transfer airports to catch my flight to Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Aside from being exhausted and almost getting hit by a taxi crossing the street at the airport in Punta Del Este, I arrived at the hotel to meet Warren in pretty good shape. That night Warren, Jr.,the other pilot, and I went down by the seaside for some grub. We were all pretty tired after that and headed back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.

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Comments

[Todd]

Doh !
Doh ! Rough start is right!