The Layover From Hell

After months of preparation, planning, and eagerly reading about Panama in guide books, it's crazy to think that in less than 24 hours we will finally be there.

But what is that saying... all good things come to those who wait? Gen and I are currently at the airport America's Value Inn in Houston, Texas experiencing the layover from hell. When we booked this amazing adventure way back in August, we knew it was coming... 14 hours of waiting. What we had anticipated was spending the night in the airport, patiently playing games and catching bits of shut-eye at the gate as we awaited our four-hour sojourn south. Fourteen hours is but a footnote when the endgame is 3 1/2 weeks in Panama... que no?

However, when we were checking in at the Albuquerque Sunport, we were thrown a (welcomed?) curveball. Because Gen was checking a bag--and for the record, my high-maintenance self was able to fit everything I needed into a carry-on and Gen was the girly girl who couldn't live without a blowdryer for three weeks (which I plan on giving her shit about the entire trip)... but I digress--we found out that we'd have to exit security and pick up her bag in Houston before we could proceed to the international terminal. When we fetched her backpack from the carousel and went to the United ticket counter to get our boarding passes, we learned that they only accept checked baggage four hours before departure. (Good to know, in case you're planning a vacay yourself!) So... it looked as if we'd be spending the night in front the United ticket counter...

That's fine. We had totally counted on the layover from hell and sleeping in the airport. We saw it as a necessary trade-off for booking cheap tickets. The only difference was that we thought we'd at least be able to get through security and possibly find an aiport bar to pass a few hours... What we hadn't counted on was the kindness of one United employee. After informing us that we couldn't check Gen's bag until 4:30 a.m. the following day, he kindly gave us a travel voucher for a discounted hotel room for "unexpected travel interruptions."

Score! A quick shuttle ride to a nearby hotel and here we are... Gen snoring loudly from the other room, and me burning the midnight oil writing this blog post. In approximately 12 hours we will be stepping foot in Panama--and all of the frantic last minute packing on my part (yes, I was still doing laundry when we were supposed to be leaving for the aiport) and eager reading of Frommer's is about to pay off... all we have to do is wait. Well, that, and also make our flight in the morning.

Now, it's off to bed... we have a 5 a.m. wake-up call and I'll be up tossing and turning all night in anticipation... (Grumble, grumble, grumble... I am soooo not a morning person!)

Until we land in Panama City... XOXO!