I thought I’d better do this before I forget the experience! 3 weeks on and its still a fresh topic of conversation between the group of us.

So the 4th of March was where it began. Packing my bags the night before, Tish and I anticipated a crazy weekend ahead. Oh, we were in for a hell-ova-ride. Nothing we expected could’ve topped what we actually experienced.

Queensland, also known as the Sunshine State, was our destination. Gold Coast, specifically.

But the excitement started way before we even arrived. See, Tish and I decided to be “good samaritans” and only take Friday and Monday off from work, when everyone else found their way to GC on Thursday, March 3rd (“Good Samaritans” being in quotations as I called in sick that Thursday morning).

 

So Friday came. Flight at 9:15am. Shouldn’t be too hard. 7am wake up, shower, finish packing toothbrush and toiletries and off by 7:30. 30 minute ride to the airport, have an hour to get into terminal. That was the plan. Nothing wrong there, and everything went as smooth as ever — until we got to the airport.

 

Giant golf tee!

 

The parking lot was packed. We drove around for 10-15 minutes looking for a good parking spot when we decided enough was enough and to just pick one even if its too far. And because it was so far, we had to take a bus to each terminal, and there were 4. One guess which terminal was our stop…!

 

We got to the airport terminal at 8:45. Sweet, 30 minutes ’til plane departs. And as we walked into the terminal hall, there it was — a queue! The last bit of the equation that we forgot. The most important bit! How could I not factor waiting time into the equation. By this time, we had about 20 minutes to beat the line and get through the terminal gates.

I pictured flying money bills with white wings flutterring out of my pockets.

 

Tempting…

 

5 minutes to go. There were still about 20 people in front of us.

3 minutes to go. Still another 10.

1 minute to go. 2 more.

“Boarding pass, please?” and I flashed it. Put my bags on the conveyer, made it through the metal detectors without being detected (that’s a first!) got my bags, looked up, and Tish was already gone – way ahead of me. “B*tch” I thought, as I ran for the gates.

 

 

Made it!

The doors closed as soon as I got onto the flight grounds.

 

 

The GoldCoast awaits!

 

To be continued…