So instead of writing this post from Buenos Aires as I thought I would I am instead writing while sitting in terminal E of the Houston Airport. In the whole grand scheme of things, it’s not all that bad. Plus it has one of those flat escalator things which are freaking awesome. While I know I should be in Buenos Aires within 24 hours, after last nights events it did not feel like that is going to happen.
After a lot of laughs and some tearful goodbyes with my family including Greg, Kale, and Meghan who, after all, are practically my family, I waved goodbye and sat down to wait for my flight. Because of thunderstorms in Houston (where my plane was coming from) my first flight was delayed. That delay caused me to miss my connecting flight by 10 minutes, only 10 MINUTES.
Being the naïve first-time flier that I am, I figured I would be rerouted to a plane that would take me to Buenos Aires that evening. But, unfortunately, because there were no more flights out of Houston for Buenos Aires today I was to be put on a plane to go to Newark, New Jersey and fly for Buenos Aires from there.
This left me with needing to find a room to stay for the night with which the airport was incredibly unhelpful. They gave me a toll-free number to call to get a hotel. I called the number and never got a real person for about 30 minutes so I gave up and booked myself a hotel through the Expedia App on my phone. Then I went to wait for the shuttle the airline said they were calling to take me to the hotel.
Then it gets even more fun! I sat and waited for the shuttle for about 30 minutes and saw no hotel shuttles but the one for the Hilton. People kept leaving and grabbing taxi’s so I thought I would do the same. While I was trying to flag a taxi the nice man on the Hilton shuttle said he could take me to the hotel, the Red Roof Inn, suggested by the airline.
When I got there, there were a million other people with delayed flights trying to get their rooms. When I got to the front desk the girl working the counter in a trashy outfit and bad red lipstick said they couldn’t find my reservation, despite the fact that I had my confirmation number!!!! They didn’t have any rooms left available and she moved on to the next customer.
Up until this point, I had kept it together without crying a single tear. I thought I had it handled. But this, I could not deal with. I called my mom sobbing because I had no idea what to do at midnight in the middle of Houston all alone. Luckily I saw a Best Western down the road and made my way through the rain, yes it was also raining, over there.
My first lucky break of the night they had a room, which was extremely clean and comfortable. I didn’t even ask how much it was I just handed him my card. I later found out on the shuttle back to the airport that I got the second to last room they had. Almost all the hotels were booked up due to all the flight delays for the weather.
Since then has been smooth sailing, except not having my hairbrush packed in the carry-on. The shuttle picked me up and took me to the airport quickly where I immediately found a restaurant that sold liquor.
If you ever find yourself in the Houston Airport I would highly recommend Ruby’s Diner. Not only was the service and speed excellent, but it was the best hamburger I’ve ever had in my whole life, no kidding. And the margarita was the perfect amount of alcohol to make me feel better. Sitting in that restaurant I wanted to just burst into tears because something good had finally happened.
Now I will be flying to Newark, New Jersey at 4PM and then leaving for Buenos Aires at 10AM Thursday morning. There the real adventure will begin. But, after all, that I’ve gone through already I think I can handle anything they throw at me.
Besos!!
Hayley
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