airport tomato

If I lived in DC, the entire on-air trip from Taipei would have been only 19 hours.
If the last flight was not delayed, the entire door-to-door trip would have been only 24 hours.

Mama saw me off in the drizzling morning. I waved at her and wanted to tell her "don't wait on me". She did not look up to me in the bus but looked somewhere unfocused. Or my eyes were not waken yet and saw everything in a blur. I know how to take the bus. I know how to get to the airport. I know where I am going. I know what I am doing. I know things. You have trained me well. Go home, my dear. See you soon.

Ms Chen, the travel agent, was right: It is better if my seats are not assigned as the tickets are booked. A few days before my flights, I went on to the airline website. Just like Ms Chen said, all expensive "leggy" seats were open at the last minute without paying 50 bucks more. My seats were having more room, and in fact I was upgraded to the business class during the first flight. Nice to learn something new even after many years of flying.

I checked in online, 24 hours before the flight.
I stayed in line for simply checking in my luggage.
I was in a casual mood, not worrying about anything.
I walked slowly passing by the customs and the x-ray.
At the time when my flight started boarding, I went to the bathroom, bought a sun block, and emailed superstar. I am so experienced with the airport business. Which is why I was not too upset when my last flight was delayed. Oh well... it has been a not so pleasant night, and there is no point to get mad at anyone who would not be capable to improve the situation anyway.

People who paralyze in their couch for doing everything and thinking nothing are called couch potato. People who spend more time in the airport waiting than in the airplane flying may be called airport tomato (btw, Neffy 星 is correct, tomato juice served on the plane is tasty), because... tomato rhymes with potato.
And I realize that I have become an airport tomato (who loves Taiwan!)：


Potato stares at the TV. (I finally caught up with some Taiwan/HongKong movies on TV this time).
Tomato stares at the computer. (I should work on the grant waiting for me to submit in a month).

Vacation is over.
Get back to work.