Writing — Travel & Photography
How I Amuse Myself at the Airport When Faced with Mind-Numbing Flight Delays
Caught between grand pianos, mini-museums and throngs of extended family members
Most every air traveler has been there.
You’re on time, so we’ll be on time, is the slogan of no airline ever.
And I get it. We live in a human world full of human problems… thankfully! Who wants to live in robot hell? Not me.
None of this knowledge solves the reality of what to do with all that extra time though, when faced with annoying flight delays.
Last month I arrived good and early to the airport in Salt Lake City for my flight to JFK, New York City (final destination Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago). I always like to be plenty early and not cut things too close and risk panic and rushing.
I like to remain cool as much as possible. Who doesn’t?
Only this time I received a text alert literally right when I was waddling through the front doors with my luggage.
By the way, I love the wheelie things they put on luggage these days, but still, maneuvering the wheelie things takes a bit of skill now, doesn’t it? Especially if you have more than one bag with wheelie things. One has to get the right rhythm down and it becomes a test of the fine motor skills.
So, there I was fumbling around with the bags and trying to walk at the same time and all, and getting that text. I find a stopping place out of the way and look to see that my red-eye flight that was supposed to leave at 11:45pm, would now be leaving at 1:15am.
I’d just gotten off the shuttle bus, which was a four-hour ride, so this wasn’t the beginning of my trip or anything.
Ahhhh! I wanted to throw down my wheelie bags and have a fit right there.
But I didn’t. Cue happy thoughts.
What then to do with all the extra time on my hands… without going crazy.
Later I would get more texts about more flight delays. It just so happened that the clocks changed that night, so the flight didn’t end up leaving until 4:15am! Ugh!
Checking out the digs and taking photos
First of all, I decided to do exactly what I did when something similar happened in Panama City the prior year — this isn’t my first rodeo or anything — I wandered around. I checked out the shops of course, but more than that I looked for interesting windows offering views to take photos, displays and other such things.
Do I worry about running around and looking like a tourist gawking and taking photos? No, I don’t. I do so respectfully, for one thing. And for another, no one controls my happiness except for me, and if that’s what I want to do then I do it!
For instance, I’ve had plenty of time to wander around Piarco International airport in Trinidad, as many times as I’ve flown in and out of the country now. The last time I flew out I decided to explore various displays of artwork and even found a mini-museum of Trinidad culture and history.
Thought that was cool and it made the minutes melt away as I checked things out and patiently awaited my boarding time.
Plus, I got to stretch my legs and get exercise… important considering the next several hours I will be sitting in the same seat mostly unable to move.
Walking around and checking out the digs provides entertainment, exercise and opportunities to take interesting photos for my photo file.
Skyline seats and other hidden gems
Luckily, the airport in Salt Lake City just went through major renovations… which was sorely needed. Everything looked new and shiny.
I found these great skyline seats where I could watch a large portion of the tarmac. After a bit of wandering, it was nice to sit a bit and watch planes take off. I watched people scurry about and do their thing… workers working and passengers awaiting their flights.
And then there was the grand piano. I’d never seen a grand piano at an airport before, and I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get more photos.
When I first sat down a young woman was playing music she’d pulled up on her iPad. It was clear she was learning but I enjoyed hearing pleasing tunes like “Time to Say Goodbye” and Debussy classics like “Reverie” and “Clair de Lune”.
I silently cheered her on every time she missed getting the notes right.
After a while she tired of it though, or had to go to her flight perhaps, and afterwards a series of young children came along to butcher their way through “Chopsticks” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and the like.
Suddenly that beautiful concert hall with the grand piano transformed itself into the basement of someone’s house.
Watching stuff on YouTube
Concert over, I needed to find something else to do and block out the children clacking away at the keys.
If you’re a frequent traveler, it’s always good to have a laptop with you.
I busied myself for a while watching old clips of Saturday Night Live.
Laughter and other content that produced positive wellbeing is always a good idea before a flight, don’t you think?
After watching funny stuff I was feeling great and not too tired. I’m always afraid to sleep lest I should sleep through my flight time.
Patiently listening to audio books
As the original time of departure neared for my flight, I decided to head to the gate area. Always a good idea in case something suddenly changes.
The tradeoff though is that the gate area seats are usually much more uncomfortable and there are throngs of unhappy people mulling about grumbling about the flight delay.
A few minutes after I sat down in a place where it seemed I would have plenty of room, a family of locust… I mean people… swarmed in. Soon, they were waving over more family members and getting upset because my bags were in their way. I looked over to other sections of the waiting area that were completely empty and just about lost my cool and told them off.
What is it with big annoying families anyway? It’s like their safety in numbers make them army-like sometimes!
Ha ha, I checked myself though and decided not to lose my cool. I headed for the open area of seating a little further away where it didn’t seem like I would have such trouble and plopped myself down.
I decided to listen to a book on Audible (not an affiliate link). The great thing about Audible is I can turn off the display screen on my phone and listen without draining the battery.
This time I decided to listen to The Library Book by Susan Orlean, and I let the time melt away while I became engrossed in the story.
These are just some of the things I do to amuse myself and keep myself from going crazy while awaiting a flight.
What do you occupy yourself with while awaiting your flight?
Here are a couple of other great travel stories from Globetrotters you may want to check out:
This fab story by Darren Weir: “Searching for Egypt’s Ancient History”
And this equally great story by Anne Bonfert: “The Largest Inactive and Intact Volcanic Caldera”
