Stop the Turnip Truck, I Just Fell Off

Delta 16
Sydney to LAX
February 15, 2013

Note: I had planned to use some of the 12+ hours in the air to write a wrap up of our trip but then this happened:

We left the ship early this morning and were shuttled to the airport, arriving about 9 am. Checking in, immigration, security were a breeze. It took us 30 minutes or so to spend our 45 Australian Dollars and then we kicked back in the New Zealand Air Lounge until our flight was called about 11 am.

We boarded, I opened what I thought was a nifty slot for laptops, etc. so put my iPad in and then heard it slide down and hit bottom. Uh Oh. Yes, indeedy, I had opened the tray table compartment and now my iPad was MIA. The flight attendant tried to reach it but no luck; the pilot tried, same result sooooooo two British Airways mechanics arrived to remove the panel below the tray table and retrieve my toy.

I had been on the plane less than five minutes.

Note: Four hours into the flight. I had put away the iPad and wireless keyboard to have lunch and then had a nap and then watched a few TED episodes before deciding to return to the trip wrap-up.

I can't find the keyboard. I've searched the various cubbyholes and nada. I've looked through my "purse", a commodious travel bag, and my carry-on up in the overhead. Nada. My dear friend Cassie gave me a little flashlight a while back and it's always with me. I've used it to find my glasses under another airline seat (Maybe I should limit myself to travel by road or sea), loaned it to a TSA agent to find a drivers license lost on the X-ray machine conveyor belt and today to find the keyboard that had slipped between the chair and the wall to the floor behind my seat. This time it was reachable, no mechanics required.

Jeesh. I've been flying for nearly 60 years. I've got close to a half-million miles on Delta yet it seems I just fell off the turnip truck.

Jim says that next trip, no toys. I will sit with my hands in my lap and feet on the floor.