When my Grandma told me she had a free flight for me to use I was over joyed. Last minute getting time off of work, not a problem. But I wont even go into the hassle of us driving down to the airport to sign the ticket over to my name only to find a rude sales clerk at a closed ticket counter. Never mind we spent those hours shopping at the Pier One clearance store finding very good deals! They wasted our time. Though, the airline did redeem itself when we did go back and this very nice older gentleman explained thoroughly why I had to be in stand by.

I had never been on stand by before. Im not really a stand by girl to be honest. I dont mind doing things spare the moment at all. But when it comes to flying across the county Id like some assurance that its actually going to happen. So yes, I might make it to say Utah, but then be stuck there for another 13 hours waiting to get to North Carlina. I have slept in an airport for 12 hours. In a foreign country, I have done my dues. Besides, this is a ticket given to my Grandma for spending 16 hours in an airport. Something just isnt right here.

The nice man at the counter told me to just keep calling to see if flights cleared up. A couple days ago one did, which secured for me that I was going. Though, I was prepared to practice for The Amazing Race and go stand by. I even was going to pull out from the rafters of my garage my backpack through Europe style backpack and get ready to rough it. Nothing like a little practice you know? I even got tips from a coworker about going stand by (good ones too). But no, God apparently had a little talk with the airline folks and told them there will be a way!

Now, red eye, I think I will understand by the end of my adventure why they call it that. My flight leaves at 10pm and I will arrive in Charlotte at 5:30am. Thats 2:30 my time folks. That means, if Im lucky, I will get four airplane sleep hours. Lets hope I do because Im gonna have to stay awake for 2 and half hours in the airport until a flight to Greensboro takes off at 8am. The difference of me sleeping in the airport in Germany (the foreign country) that I was with a group of people, three of them being males, one very protective one. So, this time, not so safe.

Hopefully everything will go as smoothly as possible. I will spend my extra day in town sleeping since I know I wont get much the night before, to make sure I am ready for my time in Greensboro. But if you dont have anything to do and feel like keeping me company in the Charlotte airport, feel free. Or just bring coffee and go back to bed. Id be eternally grateful.