Awful flying experience

I hate flying.

The trip started off with a long wait at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport where I checked my luggage and waited for security.

Our plane came in and I immediately noticed that it was one of those propeller-driven planes from the 60s which had been demoted to a shuttle. That didn’t give me a good feeling.

I felt even worse at security. I removed my shoes, laptop, cell phone, and PDA, only to have the metal clip from my leather PDA case set off the metal detector. So I removed that and went through again. As I was collecting my stuff, my carry-on bag set off the scanner. They stopped everything and then went through my bag item by idem, swabbing things with pads. I was terrified that I had left something I shouldn’t in mybag. They were extremely interested in my PSP but eventually they packed my back. However, because I had set off the alarm twice, they had to take me to a semi-private room and pat me down. I was finally allowed on the plane, but before I left I made sure to ask the nice TSA employee what set off the alarm so I could avoid it when I come back.

She had no idea what set off the alarm.

The takeoff was just terrible. I sat there completely tense for the entire 20 minute trip to St. Paul. When that plane landed I just sat there for a few minutes before leaving, still terrified. It was a loud, bumpy, awful ride.

THe journey from St. Paul to Rochester was uneventful. The plane was packed full but the ride was really smooth and fast.

I waited for my bag at the baggage return but it was nowhere to be found. I kept hoping to see it but lost all hope when the baggage conveyer stopped. I went to talk to the Northwest counter attendant and he was unable to locate my bag on their computer. I was given a lot of forms and told that they’d find my bag and send it to the hotel.

Depressed and upset, I went and hailed the hotel shuttle, As I was leaving, they called my name over the loudspeaker and I rushed back to the counter. There was my bag on the floor. Apparently it was one of the first off the plane. I don’t know why it wasn’t on the belt but I didn’t care. I checked for my stuff and headed for the hotel.

I hate flying.