13 minutes, 12 seconds on the computer, not on an airplane

13:12. That is all the time I have, before the computert automatically signs me out again. I am in the 'business center' of the crowne plaza hotel in Newark, which, naturally, implies that I am not in fact on an airplane winging toward Tel Aviv. While standing in line to check in, an announcement came on over the loud speaker. "Continental flight 90 has been delayed to 6:30 am". (reminder: the flight was supposed to be at 10:50 pm).

So, the options were to stay at the airport all night, go home for around 4 hours, making my parents get up early again to drive back to the airport, or go to the comped hotel room.

It hasn't been too bad so far, to be honest. The airline also gave me food vouchers, so when I got here, another woman from my flight asked me if I would like to join her for dinner in the restaurant. The food was tasty, and her company interesting (she works for the consulate in New York), and now I will have a friend for the daytime flight that I will likely not sleep through in the morning.

Another funny aspect of this, now instead of arriving to Jerusalem around 6pm to go into the building I will be staying in, I may not get there until around 3 am...doubt someone will be there to let me in at 3 am. Looks like I may get very familiar with Ben Gurion airport. at least it has been recently redone.\

benefits of being at the hotel: really big bed. and a decent bath tub. to myself. (the five months ahead of me are shadowed by the communal bathroom awaiting me).

downsides: time of the flight, and needing to head back to the airport at 4:30 am.

So, I have 6:11 on the clock before I get signed off the computer again, and a wake up call in 4 hours, 20 minutes. I am going to leave this here for now, and may I say that I have so far handled this upset with (relatively) remarkable calmness. Chelsea, I hope you are proud.

hopefully, the next post will come from Jerusalem


Shalom!