Minor Calamities

7 August 2010

I thought I’d pulled it off. Early Friday morning before our vacation, I had already gotten in my workout and last load of laundry. One usability session, lunch with a client, a quick haircut, and then we’d be off. 8:20 a.m. Then the floor fell away beneath me.

As I began to check in online for our flight, I stared at my passport in disbelief. It had expired. Almost nine months ago. WTF?

I gulped and gasped and googled “same day passport.” The first place I called told me that the earliest they could get me a passport was Tuesday … right about the time our cruise ship would be docking in Stockholm. Crap. Deep breath, call Peter Carideo, our CRC Travel agent (who incidentally is an angel and the best travel agent in the world). A couple of exchanges later, I was dashing down to the passport agency in the city. 9:20 a.m. Valeted my car at a local hotel, ran to the Walgreen’s two blocks down for a passport photo, and then up to the 18th floor, where I stood in line for a chance to beg for help. 10:00 a.m.

Long story short, they processed my passport in a few hours. 1:15 p.m. And they were really wonderful to deal with, too. I got home in time to hug the dogs, grab my camera bag, and get into the car to leave. 2:00 p.m.

The optimist in me is glad that to have the minor calamity out of the way. I find every trip has one—last visit to France, I fell down the stairs and badly sprained my ankle. Then there was the trip to Alaska when I left my iPod and camera in the seat pocket in front of me. Compared to an expired passport and the threat of no vacation at all, most else that could happen is relatively minor. We arrived in Amsterdam two hours ago, let the games begin.