Delays and Curve Balls and Mishaps Oh My!

Most of you know this about me, but as the head of sales for an EdTech company, I have to hop on a plane and travel quite a bit for my job. On a regular basis mishaps, delays and unforeseen challenges come my way. This last week I had more challenges in one trip than I have had combined in the last few months. Throughout the experience, I decided to treat the entire trip as an exercise in maintaining positivity during adversity. 

Let me set the stage for you! I was flying out of the Lincoln Nebraska Airport (one airline... tiny airport) and traveling to Northern California (2 airlines... tiny airport). I should have known that this was going to be like walking a tightrope. 

Mishap #1: Delays 

I was delayed out of Lincoln by over 9 hours. I would have gone home and worked, but sadly this delay came in the form of 30 minutes at a time. I decided to plug in my computer, use my phone as a hotspot, and get working on a few large data projects I had been putting off for a rainy day. By the end of the 9 hours, I was able to get 75% of the data researched and entered into my system. I almost decided to drive to Omaha, but magically our plane was ready to go right at the make-or-break decision point.  

Mishap #2: Missed Flights

Because of the significant delays that took place, I missed the only connecting flight into Northern California. I had to route to San Francisco, and then from San Francisco to Northern California. Taking 3 flights in one day is less than ideal, but I was able to get caught up on my emails and also had time to rewatch The Hunger Games. I forgot how awesome those books were, and how badass Jennifer Lawrence is as Katniss Everdeen! If you haven't watched that movie in a while, trust me, it is worth a rewatch! 

Mishap #3: Transportation Challenges 

By the time I got into the airport, it was after 1:00 am. I had a rental car reserved, but unfortunately, the rental car company closed at 9:00 pm. No problem, I can get an Uber or a Lyft, nope. They don't operate in this rural community. I am resourceful, I can figure this out. I tried to call a cab, but they were already pre-scheduled for the 2 travelers who arranged rides. Maybe a ride-share? There was one van of people getting a shuttle to their destination. I walked over to the driver and kindly asked if I could also get a ride to my hotel. The lady was really nice and could tell I was desperate at this point and asked everyone to squish together to make room and drop me off at my hotel. I called the cab company in the morning to arrange for a ride to my meeting, they were booked up, but the guy said, "you seem like a really nice lady, try this other company." The other cab company was able to take me to my meeting. I was then able to get my rental car that afternoon so that I could have a way to get to dinner and back to the airport the next day to catch my flight. 

Mishap Break: Fun Activity

After all of those challenges, I decided to do something adventurous and fun to make the trip more enjoyable. I had a little over an hour of daylight left and decided to take a hike through the redwood trees. It was one of the most beautiful trails I have ever walked (Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail). Every ounce of challenge I had getting to my destination was worth it to see 300-year-old trees wider than my truck. Check out some of the photos I took at the end of this post! I also sat in the middle of one of the old hollowed-out trees and did a 30-minute gratitude meditation and connected to my guides and angels. It was magical, peaceful and exactly what I needed after a long week.  

Mishap #4: Canceled Flight

After that amazing hike and a good meal, I felt like my luck was turning around! My flight back through Denver was on time and life was looking up. About 20 minutes before we were supposed to land the pilot mentioned that the storms in Denver coupled with the fog were going to make it very challenging to land the plane, but that he would do his best. This amazing crew kept everyone calm and we were able to land the plane with zero visibility. It was a little scary, but we made it. I had a quick connection to catch my flight to Lincoln, which of course was delayed because the plane trying to come to Denver was not so lucky and could not land. After several more delays, they eventually canceled the flight to Lincoln and it was going to be over 24 hours before I could get back home. I went into the app and noticed there was a flight to Omaha and quickly snagged a seat, crisis averted. I encouraged everyone around me to get on this flight and that we could still get to Nebraska with a little luck and a good attitude. We ended up being delayed a few more hours, but the plane eventually made it to Omaha.

Mishap #5: Canceled Rides

Because it was snowing, cold and all-around winter weather fun, it was hard to get an Uber or Lyft. My ride was canceled over 10 times between the two ride-share providers. My guess was that no driver wanted to drive from Omaha to Lincoln in the winter storm. I tried Oma-Link, but they needed 48 hours notice to arrange a ride. My last option was to get a hotel and try to arrange a ride the next day.... but then..... I saw some people waiting for their bags that were definitely on the original flight to Lincoln. I mustered up some courage and asked them if they were heading to Lincoln tonight and if there was any way they would be willing to take a complete stranger with them. After a few seconds of trepidation, they agreed to take me with them. 

I will forever be grateful to those good samaritans who helped me get home from a challenging trip and allowed me to not disappoint my kiddo who definitely thought I would be home in time to take her to a play date the following day. 

So what is the moral of this crazy story? Even in a blizzard and winter storm warning, we have the opportunity to make our own weather. Every step of the way I decided to encourage others to maintain a good attitude, and we bonded together over some tough travel challenges. I helped less savvy travelers find creative ways to book other flight options and find ways to their destinations. I sent all sorts of kindness to people who helped me out along the way. I made a decision after the first 30-minute delay to have an attitude worth catching. 

I also managed to wear my #Salesforce #Trailblazer zip-up hoodie in every selfie I took on this trip. From being delayed in the united club, to my hike, to a selfie at the ocean by the airport. So in the spirit of my hoodie... BLAZE A TRAIL of joy, fun, and positivity and remember that your attitude has a ripple effect on those around you.   

Trail Blaze On my friends! 

Love and light,

Kara