My Adventure in New Zealand [Part 3]
Airport Panic
Is my favorite emotion. Just kidding, I was so stressed that I wasn't going to make my flight despite being 2 hours early. It is the day of my flight and I'm still absorbed in cryptocurrency research and I'm finishing packing the final things into my suitcase and backpack. I had arranged for my friend to drive me to the airport.
Meanwhile I was really hungry and forgot that I had plans with my aunt for dinner. I instead opted to eat out at Chipotle, knowing that I won't have access to any proper Mexican food.
Disclaimer: Chipotle is not authentic Mexican food.
I'm going to miss Chipotle
My friend Johnny comes to pick me up for a quick meal, and he just finished Lyfting in the city. I can feel the rage emanating from him. We arrive at Chipotle and I proceed to wolf down most of my barbacoa bowl (It's spicy marinated pork). I leave a little bit leftover for the airport and we fly toward my friend Jacob's house. Jacob was giving me a ride to the airport. He was walking his dog at the time, and we stop right in front of him and his overweight mutt, Max.
Johnny and Jacob chat a bit while I'm lifting my overweight suitcase out of the trunk. It hits the ground with a thud. Max starts wagging his tail and walks up to me to be pet. He's a giant thing, and about half the size of my suitcase. I give Max a good rub and Johnny drives off. Me and Jacob chat a bit before getting in his car parked nearby to drop Max off.
Driving to the airport
It took only 30 to 45 minutes to reach the airport but we missed a turn and ended up going through one of the spookiest parts of Los Angeles. Right next to LAX is a giant homeless encampment. There were tents upon tents all over the side of the road and it boggled my mind how things were so bad. The tents were generally covered in tarps, and there was garbage everywhere. I felt pretty bad about how things were, but knew it was out of my power to do anything.
Near my home there is also a large homeless encampment that generates a lot of trash, but the main issue is that the trash goes directly into the LA river. I've helped on occasion to clean the river during the spring. It's difficult work, and catching heat stroke is pretty likely. Plus they gave me a free shirt, so that was nice.
The Airport
So after running in a few circles, my friend Jacob drops me off at Tom Bradley International or TBIT for short. I give him a hug and wish him the best. He says the same. I pulled my suitcase into TBIT and start looking around for Qantas Airlines. After waiting in a queue I finally get to the desk and they say, "Your flight is with United, and you have to go to terminal 4."
I contain my rage and say thanks before rushing to the adjacent terminal. Cursing under my breath I get in line for United. I chat with a lady and her daughter on their way to the Caribbean. When I reached the clerk he told me my bag was overweight. I had to pay an extra hundred. Then when I went to the cashier to pay they told me it was a reduced price since I originally booked with Qantas.
I rushed through TSA and made it right on time for boarding to my Pacific flight. I got on the plane and proceeded to play "Mini Day-Z" and Poker throughout the whole flight. Normally I don't sleep on planes due to the nature of the economy chairs, but I did sleep a lot thank god. Then the plane crashed and I died.
No not really, the plane landed and my father greeted me right outside the airport. We made a beeline for my grandmother's house where the story continues, but that is a story for another night.
Thanks for reading :)
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