Travel to Virginia

November 30, 2009
I left my house at 8:00am to fly to Sterling, VA (Washington Dulles Airport) for a meeting at the FHWA Eastern office. Flights to/from Dulles are often full of business travelers and they are often over sold flights. I was hoping to get a free flight (give up my seat) to use when my sister and I go on a cruise in March...I was soooo close, but no luck this time. The United agent told me she had me booked on the next flight but she just needed to get my the free flight voucher. I said OK and was waiting around. Then this lady comes walking OFF of the airplane (weird) and I was then told that she couldn't go on the flight because she was having an anxiety attack and they didn't need me to give up my seat anymore...dang it! I was seated in business class "for my troubles". I would have much rather gotten the free ticket. I do travel a lot but I've never sat in business class. It is basically what first class is on "regular"/smaller airplanes. The stewardess came up to me and asked me if I'd be eating lunch and I said "what do you mean" (what a dumb thing to say) and she said "I mean, will you be eating lunch" (duh) then I said "Do you mean like buying a box meal" and she said "No, we are serving a chicken salad". OK, I had NO idea they served free lunch in business class...live and learn (and look dumb at the same time). Anyway, it was a good flight and I got to watch the movie Four Christmases. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369436/

On the way to the rental car building the rental car shuttle got pulled over by a police officer. That was a first for all of us on the shuttle to experience. We didn't know what had happened. The officer came to the window and said "do you know you almost hit my vehicle." The shuttle bus driver got a ticket for a reckless lane change! Wow, I was surprised but at the same time happy that a police officer actually held someone accountable for reckless driving.