It happens to the best of us

Am I referring to myself as “the best of us” here? Well, sort of.

I am a seasoned traveler, by which I mean that I have traveled a lot. Not like every week or anything, but I’ve always loved to travel, and over the years I’ve been adding more and more trips to my calendar for both work and pleasure. Given that I’m now, er, middle aged (exactly where in middle age to remain undisclosed), that adds up to a lot of travel. I have developed tips and tricks that I use for things like avoiding jet lag, dealing with other cranky travelers, and handling unexpected delays. When walking through an airport, my head is on a swivel, making sure I suss out the most efficient way to get from one place to another. I wouldn’t say I’m a travel “expert,” per say, but I like to think I’m pretty savvy.

Last week I was returning from a trip abroad, and given that my niece (who has not traveled much at this point in her young life) would be on the same flight three weeks later I was texting her a blow-by-blow as I made my way through the airport. Oh, it’s so fast, I said. No need to arrive three hours early. At this time of day there are no lines. The train to the airport was on time, I made it through security and passport control with virtually no wait. I’m heading down the escalator to my gate now. So easy, I said.

Then I came to a stop. There was a huge, meandering line in front of me–actually two lines. Why? I’d already gone through passport control. What is the meaning of this? But I was looking for the “E” gates, there was a sign for the “E” gates in front of me, and it looked like those lines were the only way through. I asked an airport worker and he directed me to the correct (longest, natch) line for U.S. passports. I had plenty of time to update my niece with the following message: “I thought I was clear through but after some shops there is a second line. This line is the reason to come three hours early. Worse than Disney. Apparently none of the e-things are working down here. Workers keep coming through the line asking for people whose flights are leaving soon to fast track them. Wish I’d filled up my water bottle first.”

I have been through such lines in the past, lines that make no sense but require me to show my passport AGAIN, even when just transiting through a country. So I did not question it. Instead, I stood in line, shuffling forward, reading an e-book on my phone, and occasionally commiserating with other travelers. After about an hour, I made it to the front of the line, to a very grumpy customs officer. It is my policy to be extra nice to irritable workers in the airport, so I chirped a smiley hello as I handed him my passport. When he asked where I was going, I said the United States. He looked up and said “What did you say?” “The United States,” I replied. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. (Ha, I didn’t say that last part, only thought it.)

“This line is for Europe,” he said. “You are in the wrong line.” Good gravy! Now it’s only a few minutes until my flight boards. “Why were you in this line?” he said. “That’s where I was told to go!” I exclaimed sheepishly. “You can’t make it to your flight in time. I’ll send you with an escort,” the annoyed agent said.

Well, how embarrassing is that. Here I am, self-described super traveler, really know what I’m doing, teaching my niece and others all I know, and I’m in the wrong line. It turns out there are two sets of E gates in this particular airport. Or maybe I’m just telling myself that so I feel better about such a ridiculous mistake. The gate I needed to go to was a four-minute walk in the other direction. I didn’t really need an escort. I was able to find it on my own once pointed in the right direction. I even had time for a potty break before getting on the plane.

So what is the moral of this story? First, don’t get cocky about anything. And second, as I told my niece (after telling her that really two hours is plenty of time at this airport): always make sure you have to be in a line before joining it. Seems like that is a good lesson not just for airports but for life.