Monday, March 29, 2010

Adventure on the highways.

I had to drop off friends at Miami Airport this morning - two flights at 6.55 and 7.15am.

Started at 5.15, and within 20 minutes I was on the ramp to the airport, when my friend read the road sign and exclaimed, "Oh, so you have Fort Lauderdale airport too in the same area!!??"

@#$!@#. I am happy I kept that to within myself. I had - by sheer habit - taken them to the other airport - Fort Lauderdale! I immediately started thinking remediation, and my friend helped by staying preternaturally calm - "that's okay, we can make it, I sure."

Went around the airport for a U-turn, took I-595 to I-95 south. The GPS came alive late, but confirmed that I could reach by 6:13, which was not too bad. I decided to take the 'Express Lane', without being absolutely sure that it would have an exit to the airport; but then, why would it not?  (Btw,  that Express lane is really that - smooth as silk and very little traffic; maybe the $0.25 toll deters many!)

Long story short, I dropped them at 6.10, and he first rushed his mom to deposit her luggage (he had checked in at home) while I tried to get to a parking spot : just in case they bumped his mom for not being present 45 minutes before the departure time and I had to take care of her plans. But he called me soon enough to confirm that she was in, no problems. Whew!

Next time, I'd better check with my passengers before starting : where are we going, please? :-)