Why I hate Public Transportation Vol.2
Yesterday, G was due home from Kansas City on a flight that landed at Logan at 6:56PM. I was sitting here, not doing anything and decided I would suprize him and meet him at the airport. Since his car is already parked at the airport, it would have been silly for me to drive in so I decided to take the T.
So I figured two hours would be enough time to get me to the airport with time to spare to look through the gift shops and maybe grab a bite to eat before his plane got in. So I left my house for the bus stop in front of the house at 4:45PM. The bus is due in Watertown Square at 5PM, At 5 PM I'm still standing at the bus stop freezing my arse off and thinking that maybe I should just stay home and wait for him. Finally the bus came and we got to Watertown square at about 5:10. I stay on the bus, since I'm going to Central Square to the red line. Meanwhile a couple big Irish dudes (with delightful accents I might add, but that was all that was delightful about them) get on with huge bags from Target. One of them stands in front of me, great, swaying crotch in my face for the rest of the ride. Hm...
So we get to Central around 6PM. At 6:15, I'm still waiting on the inbound train platform for a train. (the flight I'm meeting it at 6:56 remember) At 6:20 the train came, packed - I squeeze in. only three stops to Park. Doors wont close - finally close - onward - Kendall, Charles - oops not yet, stop on the bridge, waiting for what? there were no trains for at least 20 minute prior to this one! Finally Park st. switch to green, I'm glad green line runs so many trains through Government center.
Finally to Blue line (hm... 6:30, will I make it or miss him and have to do this whole route backwards) Blue line train at 6:35. To Airport, find the shuttle bus - sitting sitting, what are we waiting for, nobody else is coming out of the station... lets go.
Finally I get to terminal E. (Northwest) 5 minutes to spare, (figures the flight is on-time, when you want it to be a little late right?) - I find the entrance/exit where his plane will be coming through (they don't let non-ticketed passengers to the gates anymore) I need a bathroom - there is one about 15 feet in front of me, past the security checkpoint, but I can't use it. I ask the guard to point me to the nearest ones I can use - I have to go downstairs, through baggage pick-up - through international arrivals to the other end of the terminal to the only restrooms in the terminal that are open because the terminal is under construction and the rest nearby are closed.
I have about 5 minutes before the flight lands - I figure I have time before the passengers disembark as well - I race as fast as my little legs will carry me to the ladies room. On my way back I grabbed a bag of chips from the Hudson News stand, dinner. Terminal E is dead, I swear it looks like the Langoliers are about to arrive - devastated - no people except the handful of security personel. The only shops are a Dunkin Donuts and the Hudson news. (maybe it's good that I didn't get here too early, nothing to do anyway) I get back to the gate and sit down in the waiting area just as the "arrived" flashed on the screen next to his flight.
A few minutes later the flight disembarks and we are on our way to the car - 20 minutes later we are home.
So two hours to get to the airport when I can drive it in 20 minutes.
Since the Pike extension was built, 20 minutes is about the average. 45 minutes roundtrip.
And people wonder why I hate riding public transportation so much.
As a side note: He brought me back some authentic Kansas City BBQ sauce...
So I figured two hours would be enough time to get me to the airport with time to spare to look through the gift shops and maybe grab a bite to eat before his plane got in. So I left my house for the bus stop in front of the house at 4:45PM. The bus is due in Watertown Square at 5PM, At 5 PM I'm still standing at the bus stop freezing my arse off and thinking that maybe I should just stay home and wait for him. Finally the bus came and we got to Watertown square at about 5:10. I stay on the bus, since I'm going to Central Square to the red line. Meanwhile a couple big Irish dudes (with delightful accents I might add, but that was all that was delightful about them) get on with huge bags from Target. One of them stands in front of me, great, swaying crotch in my face for the rest of the ride. Hm...
So we get to Central around 6PM. At 6:15, I'm still waiting on the inbound train platform for a train. (the flight I'm meeting it at 6:56 remember) At 6:20 the train came, packed - I squeeze in. only three stops to Park. Doors wont close - finally close - onward - Kendall, Charles - oops not yet, stop on the bridge, waiting for what? there were no trains for at least 20 minute prior to this one! Finally Park st. switch to green, I'm glad green line runs so many trains through Government center.
Finally to Blue line (hm... 6:30, will I make it or miss him and have to do this whole route backwards) Blue line train at 6:35. To Airport, find the shuttle bus - sitting sitting, what are we waiting for, nobody else is coming out of the station... lets go.
Finally I get to terminal E. (Northwest) 5 minutes to spare, (figures the flight is on-time, when you want it to be a little late right?) - I find the entrance/exit where his plane will be coming through (they don't let non-ticketed passengers to the gates anymore) I need a bathroom - there is one about 15 feet in front of me, past the security checkpoint, but I can't use it. I ask the guard to point me to the nearest ones I can use - I have to go downstairs, through baggage pick-up - through international arrivals to the other end of the terminal to the only restrooms in the terminal that are open because the terminal is under construction and the rest nearby are closed.
I have about 5 minutes before the flight lands - I figure I have time before the passengers disembark as well - I race as fast as my little legs will carry me to the ladies room. On my way back I grabbed a bag of chips from the Hudson News stand, dinner. Terminal E is dead, I swear it looks like the Langoliers are about to arrive - devastated - no people except the handful of security personel. The only shops are a Dunkin Donuts and the Hudson news. (maybe it's good that I didn't get here too early, nothing to do anyway) I get back to the gate and sit down in the waiting area just as the "arrived" flashed on the screen next to his flight.
A few minutes later the flight disembarks and we are on our way to the car - 20 minutes later we are home.
So two hours to get to the airport when I can drive it in 20 minutes.
Since the Pike extension was built, 20 minutes is about the average. 45 minutes roundtrip.
And people wonder why I hate riding public transportation so much.
As a side note: He brought me back some authentic Kansas City BBQ sauce...