Many of you at home in Canada are sitting there with every part of your body crossed hoping I will eventually make it to Fiji, and for that you are the best. So here's the story, I got off my flight to Los Angeles ready to hop on one to Fiji. When I got there I saw my flight on a list without a gate listing. It was surrounded by 100 flights all in that terminal so I thought "Okay it will be posted soon". By 8pm I realized that I was wrong. Immediately I ran as fast as I could to my terminal in the desperate hope that 1 hour and 15 minutes was enough to get to my flight at 9:30.
Upon arrival to Tom Bradley International Terminal I was told to go to the south gate. When I got there the line was insane! I talked to the people around me and was comforted that they were all on my flight. As the terminal grew more and more crowded the patience of security wore thin. They sent me to the north end of the terminal and assured me I would make my flight. Running to the other end alongside a 67 year old woman (she was shouting "I'm 67 why are they making me do this!?") I got there only to be greeted by a slightly shorter line and less friendly security. My running buddy gave them her boarding pass and was waved through, I gave him my boarding pass and was told "I'm sorry Miss you need to check in on the south end." I tried desperately to reason with him but he turned his back on me. (Literally, he turned around and ignored me). I ran back to the south end only to be greeted by noone. No staff, security, or passengers, except for two lovely people I would later refer to as my Australian parents. I ran to the closest terminal staff who told me to jump the baggage scale an go behind the counter, which was pretty bad ass. The staff there greeted me and said my flight was closed and they gave away my seat.
From there I was consoled by my Australian parents, who were in the same boat as me, and given a hotel discount voucher. Sure it was a discount, but it was no $10 hostel in Fiji. Head hung I retreated to the hotel and got a bad night sleep. Today I woke up bright and early ready to be first in line for the standby list. I was at the airport at 3pm with my Australian parents in tow, all three of us determined to get on a flight. I cleared security and sat outside my gate until 9:30......when they closed the doors and told me, my Australian parents, and 8 other people that the flight was full. Not being able to afford another hotel, and in no mood to head to the hostel that I looked up just in case, I am now sitting on a couch in LAX that will be my home for tonight. Tomorrow is another day, there will be another flight and maybe I'll be on it.
