From Spring Break To Winter Storm

During the early spring of 2007, I was heading back home to the island for my spring break. It was great to see old friends, get some sun, and speak spanish everywhere I went. However, this story isn't about my spring break vacation, but rather about what happened once it was done.

I was already at the airport, waiting for my plane to depart. Then suddenly, I hear news about the massive snowstorm that was sweeping the north east at the time. Right there, I start hoping the captain knows exactly what to do. He won't be crazy enough to let us fly, I thought. The only way we would be cleared under this storm is if that storm was already leaving.

I was skeptical from that point onward.

And a few minutes later, we board the plane. I was relaxed, thinking I was gonna be home sleeping in a few hours. Then again, when have I ever been right when it comes to situations involving Murphy's Law? The plane was already taking longer than usual, when I suddenly hear the captain speak. "We are going to New York to refuel and wait out the storm."

Oh, no.

We spend about 2-3 hours refueling in NY, and my feet were already killing me. My back was messed up, my neck felt like it got karate chopped, and my mind was exhausted from the paranoia. But the in-flight movie was good at least. Not too much later, we refueled and were ready to leave, but to Detroit instead.

"We gotta spend the night in Detroit due to the winter storm in the north east."

Really? You didn't think of this before we departed? Now I was headed to a place I didn't even know, and by myself of all things. Back then, I wasn't the deep thinker I am today. I wasn't as analytical yet, but if it were me in the present, I would have totally handled that situation (the same way).

Freaking out just made me wanna use the bathroom more.

So we arrived in Detroit, and I quickly followed the group to the service desk. And just like any situation where you need to know exactly what to do, I kicked in the strangest survival instinct I ever had in my entire life. I pretended I barely knew english. Why? Because the employee at the service desk didn't make a lick of sense. I couldn't understand that accent, so my mind quickly told itself to temporarily forget the english language until I could hear the instructions in spanish.

Lo and behold, a fellow group of puerto ricans were nice enough to help me out. They knew I could speak english, but they told the other employee I didn't speak any so they had to find a way to break it down to me. I never knew who they were, but they were awesome in playing along with my charade.

So I picked up my luggage and went to the hotel we were told to go. I hitchhiked with a group of college students for the taxi, just to save a few bucks. And once I was at the hotel, I just wanted to sleep. It was almost midnight. But there was one bigger problem ahead. The winter storm was approaching Detroit, and I didn't have any winter gear with me. I was gonna get my gear at the airport when I got picked up so I didn't have to take it on vacation. But now, I felt naked in front of that cold.

If only I had a Tauntaun in Detroit, I wouldn't have frozen myself.

I finally got into my room and threw myself in the bed. It kinda sucked I was alone, because it would have been kinda fun if I had someone else join me. I probably wouldn't have gone so crazy. And so, I tried to sleep in the bitter cold and wait for my next flight early in the morning. But when I wake up, I'm nauseous and feeling sick. Great, just great. All the shivering I did in my sleep turned me into a bottle of Diet Coke with Mentos, just waiting to explode. So I do the morning procedure of a sick person, and then proceed to try to eat, get on the bus, and arrive at the airport.

Once I finally arrived at my gate, I was actually able to relax for a change. If only I weren't so much in panic the day before, I would have actually enjoyed my brief trip to Detroit. I got on the plane, read for the entire trip, and then arrived home and slept an entire day.

And to this day, that remains the craziest trip I have ever taken in my life and is one of the reasons I don't like to travel alone. The other reason came during my return visit to Jersey in 2008. But that's a story for another time.