My 'Trip' to Vegas

Yesterday I got kicked off an airplane.
That was a first for me. I can honestly say that I have never, in my life, been kicked off an airplane. I've traveled a fair bit around this world, but never have I ever been close to getting kicked off a plane, let alone be the one that the stewardess comes over to and says, "you're going to have to get off this plane, grab your carry-on and follow me please."

So what did I do?
Let me tell you the whole story.

It all started about a year ago when Bethany and I got it into our heads that we really wanted to go to Las Vegas. It just looked like such a fun place. We don't gamble, but we like to see and try new things. We decided that after she graduated from university, we would find a cheap trip online and go. I found an *amazing* deal at Bing. com (great prices, great website, excellent telephone customer service minus the ridiculous wait times). $309 for four nights in a hotel and flight from Bellingham. How can you say no to a deal like that? We booked it.

We spent 3 weeks researching all the really cool things to see and do in Vegas, rented a car for one day so we could drive around, looked up free things, exchanged money, got music ready for the drive, picked out a trip theme song (Cha Ching by Hedley), we packed, bought new running shoes, cleaned out the car and talked about nothing except our trip.

Sunday afternoon we drove to Abbotsford through a wicked snowstorm - which made our vacation plans that much better. (Ohhhh those suckers in Canada, with the snow, this time tomorrow we will be hot and by a pool. YESSSSSS score one for vacation time!). We stopped at Swiss Chalet (Kamloops looses 900 cool points for not having one and making us drive to the coast to get a quarter-chicken-dinner-white-meat-and-fries), and then went over to my friend Robyn's for the night.

Had a great time with Robyn. Who is hilarious. We met in college and after a brief lapse in friendship (she disappeared and then I did), we randomly met again at the ACSI Teachers Convention in October. Anyways. I love Robyn. And I love that we got to stay at her place, and hang out and laugh and look at old pictures, and laugh. Did I mention that we laughed?

Bethany and I went to sleep in good time so that we would be up and ready to leave for Bellingham by 6am. (Which to my body was 5am because of the recent time change).

At 3:30am I heard Bethany throwing up in the Bathroom.
At 3:45am " "
at 4:00am " "
at 4:45 am " "
at 5:15am " "
at 5:50am " "

We drove to the airport in Bellingham (pulling over 6 times), and I waited in the ticket line while Bethany slept on the bench. As we went through security I made her fake being ok so that we would get through. We got all the way on to the plane and *just* before taxing down the runway (literally, within 1 minute - the seatbelt sign was on and the stewardess had the seatbelt demonstration ready in her hand) Beth threw up again. And they kicked us off the plane.

We had to make a decision - try to take a later flight, or one the next day, or postpone indefinitely. Bethany (who by the way hasn't been sick since infancy) was in no state to travel, so we postponed indefinitely. The thought of driving anywhere, let alone back to Kamloops just about made Beth have a meltdown, so I got us a hotel in Bellingham and while she spent the day barfing (literally 30 times), I kept myself occupied finding cup-of-soup, soda crackers, apple juice and an international calling card. I cancelled our plans, walked to Barns and Noble, went in the hot tub, watched tv quietly and felt bad for my sister whom I love a lot.

Bethany slept for 20 hours straight. STRAIGHT. No waking up except to puke. In the morning she was better (not 'better' but comparatively better than on Monday). We drove back to Kamloops. Where it was snow-raining. :(

I should be more disappointed than I am. It does suck that I'm in Kamloops, in March, in the rain. But really, travelling is not relaxing. Now I have an extra week of just kicking back and doing whatever (starting my garden seeds, painting a picture, practicing music, church work, sewing, hobbies, letters etc.). AND I have a fairly strong sense that God really didn't want us to go to Vegas this week. I had a nightmare about going earlier this week (and I really believe God speaks to me in my dreams), and I just really have felt peace about not going. Peace and 'ok-ness' about not going, when I should be really sad, disappointed and angry. As I was thinking about this when we were driving back into Kamloops there was a massive rainbow going over the hills and the valley. Rainbow are a sign of promise. God will never leave me, or forsake me. He has a plan. Which reminds me that while Beth was being sick, I was watching Criminal Minds and Dr. Spencer Reid quoted "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Maybe these were all signs. Who am I to know what might have happend there? Good or bad? Or what might happen here that I need to be around for?

Anyways, that's the basic story. Look forward to the next few posts:
Americans
Border Control
Why Bellingham Sucks
Why TARGET is not actually that great