Driss-A-Blog

The main meteorological feature of the day was snow. Detroit got a decent dusting of 4-5 inches, but New York got a much heavier hit.

My plane was due to take off at 1PM and be in at 2:50.

11:00

Mom comes to pick me up. I send off some last-minute emails and go.

11:10

We get to the Oak Park JCC's SubSation to get me something to eat for the trip. One guy is behind the counter; the rest of the staff is digging out their cars. We get priority due to the fact that I'm catching a plane.

11:25

On our way to the airport.

Noon

Checked in, settled at the gate.

1:00

Our plane is delayed, and will be arriving at gate C3. (We're at C4.)

1:30

We finally get to board the plane. I take my seat in 20D (remember, people, to ask for the emergency exit row!). I relax, and wait.

2:20

We finish deicing, taxiing, and other stuff, and take off. We're about an hour-and-a-half late by now. The plane is packed, although luckily the seat next to me is empty.

4:00

Turbulence. Lots of it. We're flying through the storm that's dumping snow on New York. I'm closing my eyes trying not to get too nauseous.

4:25

We touch down. The landing was exceptionally turbulent, to the point where I almost puked.

4:40

Luggage claim. Standing around, waiting for luggage. Finally it starts coming around the conveyor belt. The tags looked a bit funny, but it was confirmed by the announcement that these bags were from the AirTrans flight from Atlanta. The Spirit bags would be a bit longer coming.

5:10

Luggage claimed. Head out for the Q33 bus.

5:20

Riding the Q33. The bus doesn't pull over to the side to pick up fares. The driver just stops, opens up the doors, and motions the people to walk to the bus. This is due to the fact that the first time the driver pulled to the curb to pick someone up, he almost couldn't get enough traction to pull out into the street again.

5:45

Get to the subway. The plan is simple. Hop on the cross-town G, take it to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, take the Far Rockaway A to Far Rockaway, and call Mordy to pick me up.

7:30

The A train stops at the Broad Channel station. Apparently there is some problem with the tracks ahead, looks like a loss of power. Sitting in the train. I call Mordy. I want to know whether to get off at Broad Channel or let them take me back a few stations where I can hop a bus. Mordy has no idea where the Broad Channel station is.

7:50

The A train finally starts moving back into Brooklyn at a painful crawl.

8:10

We pass the JFK station, and we see some nasty sparking from the side of the train that lights up trees and shrubbery for ten feet. The people on the train move away from that door. I find it rather cool. "Come on! It's not every day you get to see a 700-volt spark!" They look at me weird.

8:15

Bangles: Walk Like an Egyptian on my iPod.

8:20

At the Rockaway Blvd station. I get a block ticket (a ticket equivalent to one fare issued in the event of a failure in the subway system). The bus I need is the 21, and then a transfer to the 22. The 21 is scheduled for an hourly stop at the station. I'm told there will be busses sent, which is good since the line for a bus has grown quite long. I wait inside the station rather than outside where it's snowing and cold.

8:45

"There are no busses or trains at this time." To Far Rockaway, or in general? Just Far Rockaway.

8:50

I call Mordy, informing him of the situation. I read him the sign: "EXIT: 94th St and Cross Bay Blvd"

9:05

I hear from people who've tried to hail a cab. The local cabbies are wise to the situation and are charging $60 as a base price.

9:10

Call Mordy; no reply.

9:15

Mordy calls. He says he's finally located the station. It'll be an hour. I'll wait.

10:00

The station manager says, "I have good news and bad news. Which first?" "Bad news," the crowd replies. "Bad news: there aren't going to be any shuttle busses. Good news: They just sent a test train over the A line, and service will be resuming in 30-40 minutes."

10:05

"Avi?" Mordy calls me, and I hop into his van.

11:10

I settle down at Mordy's house.

Tommorow I need to go shopping. My phone's charger and the iPod charger take 240v, so I can just get a set of changer plugs for them. But my NiMH battery charger is 120v only. So, do I get a new one, and then only need plugs? Or do I get a full-fledged voltage converter?