oliviall
09-09-2013, 10:42 PM
I want to share the experience of my return trip home from SCC this week for any who are curious about what such a thing might be like. This is my experience and your mileage may vary of course :)
I was undecided if I would make this attempt at the beginning of the week, but when Sunday came around I wasn't going to have time to get them taken off so I guess I had to didn't I :)
So the hard part of this was my luggage which pretty much was my own body weight. I consolidated my carry on and my laptop bag so I could carry my purse (protip - One carry on and one personal bag means if you have a carry on bag, you can't get away with a laptop and a purse if they are paying attention!).
First step was MARTA, the light rail from hotel to airport. Had to switch trains half way through. Which meant moving and storing heavy bags, ugh. Minor interaction with passengers, all positive, a gentlemen gave me and a friend with me his seat and took another so we could use the bag storage area more effectively, that was nice!
Got bags checked in at airport and to the security line. Kinda long. Joked with some of the other passengers, said hello to others in line I recognized from the conference (2)..
ID check time. Got a slightly funny look, then said leaned in and said quietly...its not a recent photo... got a bit of a grin, he said it was ok, said thank you uh ma'am uh sir uh, the last bit was very quiet, so I smiled said thank you and moved on.
Through the scanner (forms on of course)...right past it the agent said she needed to pat my shoulder and knee, did so and sent me on my way.
Picked up my stuff. Went to a food place, bought some fruit and coke zero, compared toenail art with the cashiers, went to the gate, paid to get a better boarding position, got on the plane in an empty row.
I took a window seat in aisle 20. I like window seats. A woman a little older than me took the aisle and a younger man took the middle. They both slept or read the whole way, not really in flight talkers it would seem. I ended up sleeping most of the way also.
Got off the plane, got my bags, got onto the parking shuttle, tipped the driver, got into my car, freshened up my makeup, got a little upset when I saw a stray hair in the wrong place I should have caught in the morning, shrugged it off, paid for parking, drove to filbertos for yummy fast mexican food, went home, the end.
Very uneventful. And easier than I expected.
That's my story. Do with it what you will :)
I was undecided if I would make this attempt at the beginning of the week, but when Sunday came around I wasn't going to have time to get them taken off so I guess I had to didn't I :)
So the hard part of this was my luggage which pretty much was my own body weight. I consolidated my carry on and my laptop bag so I could carry my purse (protip - One carry on and one personal bag means if you have a carry on bag, you can't get away with a laptop and a purse if they are paying attention!).
First step was MARTA, the light rail from hotel to airport. Had to switch trains half way through. Which meant moving and storing heavy bags, ugh. Minor interaction with passengers, all positive, a gentlemen gave me and a friend with me his seat and took another so we could use the bag storage area more effectively, that was nice!
Got bags checked in at airport and to the security line. Kinda long. Joked with some of the other passengers, said hello to others in line I recognized from the conference (2)..
ID check time. Got a slightly funny look, then said leaned in and said quietly...its not a recent photo... got a bit of a grin, he said it was ok, said thank you uh ma'am uh sir uh, the last bit was very quiet, so I smiled said thank you and moved on.
Through the scanner (forms on of course)...right past it the agent said she needed to pat my shoulder and knee, did so and sent me on my way.
Picked up my stuff. Went to a food place, bought some fruit and coke zero, compared toenail art with the cashiers, went to the gate, paid to get a better boarding position, got on the plane in an empty row.
I took a window seat in aisle 20. I like window seats. A woman a little older than me took the aisle and a younger man took the middle. They both slept or read the whole way, not really in flight talkers it would seem. I ended up sleeping most of the way also.
Got off the plane, got my bags, got onto the parking shuttle, tipped the driver, got into my car, freshened up my makeup, got a little upset when I saw a stray hair in the wrong place I should have caught in the morning, shrugged it off, paid for parking, drove to filbertos for yummy fast mexican food, went home, the end.
Very uneventful. And easier than I expected.
That's my story. Do with it what you will :)