Travel almost killed this swim wife today

I left Irvine today to head home to the real world. I was supposed to leave from SNA (Orange County Airport) at 1:30pm and arrive in ATL (Atlanta Airport) at 8:50pm. My flight was cancelled and I was notified via text message from Delta this morning at 8am (Pacific). I immediately called Delta and was rerouted from LAX (Los Angelos Airport) slated to leave at 1pm and arrive in ATL at 8:32. I took a shuttle from SNA to LAX (got stuck in traffic... of course) and arrived at LAX at 11:30. I went to 3 different ticket counters to retrieve my alleged confirmed 1pm flight (for which I received a confirmation email, confirmation number and ticket number). However this alleged confirmed ticket was never entered into the system. I then learned that I would be flying stand by (I was only really confirmed on a 6:05pm flight to Salt Lake City). I moped to and through the security line. I did get to watch a traveling New Yorker get restrained by security because she was threatening to attack the airport security check-in staff. So, at least I wasn't bored.

I made my way to the gate where I was surrounded by, what seemed like, a million angry travelers (I wonder if their mornings were anything like mine). I waited anxiously and by some grace I got onto the flight scheduled for a 1pm departure. Thank goodness, because this traveling swim wife was one traveling snaffoo and a single $4.00 bag of sweedish fish from the airport Newstand away from totally losing my cool.

The flight was fine until we encountered some sort of holding pattern above the Atlanta airport. So, my 4 hour flight from Orange County to Atlanta turned into a two hour shuttle ride through Southern California and a 5 hour flight (one of which was spent circling the airport) from LAX to ATL.

The worst is that I could not get live results from the meet. I, since, have talked with Mark who is so proud of his former Swim MAC teammates and his current Auburn teammates (way to go Tyler and Micah!). Though I didn't get to watch the meet (or even the results), I did get to watch almost 5 hours worth of the Real Housewives of New Jersey via satelite tv from the plane. Oh how I love those crazy wives.

Now, it is time for bed. Tomorrow will start my long distance relationship with Mark via Skype and my mad dash to finalize plans for my trip to the Pan Pacific Games.