Mishap numero uno

I've decided there is one absolute way you can blow your cover as a cool backpacker (that's what I WAS going for) and expose that you're actually a first time foreign flier.

How? Forgetting your passport at the check-in stand. Let me explain.

I had just gotten out of the car. Standing at the departures curb was yours truly, lovely Allison, glowing mother Julie and sharp father Mike. I was determined to do things the grown up way, and since I was departing for a flight I told my family to just drop me off at the departures curb. Thus, they did. We said our good-byes, we hugged and some of us cried. I won't name names, but hand to heart it was not me. I only became slightly watery-eyed when my mom said, mid embrace, "I'm proud of you!" What kid isn't gonna cry upon hearing those words from their mama?

I rushed in the airport doors! I was so excited to just check-in. What I wasn't expecting was the spooky feeling I got when I realized that I was completely alone. I realized that it might be a little while 'till I really talk to someone. Regardless, I was so excited that I walked all the way past the correct check-in counter. I knew something was strange when all I saw was Continental Counters and there were no more counters to walk past...so I turned around and realized that in my excitement I had totally walked passed the United counters, my airline. That's what adrenaline does to me, I go crazy and get a little flaky.

Here's where I really lost it. I handed the man my boarding pass and my Passport. Normal. I placed my suitcase on the scale. Normal. I saw it weigh in at 50.5 pounds. Normal. He gave me my baggage stub. Normal. I walked away. Normal. Oops! Only a mistake made by a first-time foreign traveler.

That good ol' little voice inside my head said, "Hey there! Let's just double check you've got your passport and your boarding pass before you get to security!" I said back to the voice, "You know, that's not a bad idea." I continued walking away from the check-in area, delighted with my success thus far. I reached into my money belt (which is kind-of super annoying) and was genuinely puzzled to see no passport or boarding pass. Luckily, it did not take long for me to retrace my steps. I did the quickest 180 I've ever done and busted over to the counter. The man, luckily, was already on his way to chase me and I met him back at the counter.

He gave me a look and I could hear him saying to me (like an annoyed chaperone to a traveling minor), "Passport. Boarding Pass. These are the most essential documents while traveling. We better tape 'em to your forehead so you don't do THAT again!" What he really said was, "Ma'am, we're not done here."

He returned to me my boarding pass and passport. I gave him and his coworkers at United a good laugh. Southwest employees wouldn't have laughed...but at least I helped make his day a little brighter.

I made it through security, and everything turned out fine. Thank goodness I didn't get any grief about the 500 pennies I've got stowed away.

Now I'm sitting here eavesdropping and enjoying my Jamba Juice waiting for my delayed flight to depart. Next stop: LAX.