Air travel out of Nashville

I was reminded this weekend of the price I pay to live in a "small big city" rather than a "big big city." I love Nashville. I love how I can bump into people I know at that mall, in restaurants, and even downtown! I love how I can bump into famous people that I don't know (and I have to confess that even though I'm bound to have bumped into some of them in the past 21 years--I haven't known it. There was this one time at my labor and delivery classes that I introduced myself to Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife and asked, "did you go to Samford University? Your name sounds real familiar to me." He graciously told me he didn't go to Samford, and couldn't imagine where we might know one another. It wasn't until later than my brain came alive and I said, "Stephen Curtis Chapman!! Duh!")

Anyway...I love my Nashville airport and how late Saturday nights I'm sometimes the last one there. I love the feeling that this little voice is gently saying, "just turn off the lights and lock the door when you leave, Leighann."

But there is one thing I don't love. And that is the places I have to go before I go where I want to go when I leave from BNA (the code letters for my beloved Nashville International Airport). For instance, this weekend I went to Alexandria, Louisiana. But first I had to go to Atlanta, Georgia where I sat for 6 hours waiting on my delayed flight to Louisiana. And then on Saturday night I had to go to Houston and walk 6 miles and ride a shuttle bus to get on the plane that was to bring me home to Nashville.

While I was in Atlanta I was trying to book flights for next month. I need to go to West Palm Beach, Florida. And as I was searching for flights it became apparent to me that I could choose to either fly through Detroit, Chicago or Atlanta (again) to go to Florida. Why is that cheaper than simply flying from here to there?

And then there are the little bitty planes that I fly in!! What happened to all the big planes? You know, the ones with two seats on both sides of the aisles!! And those with space to actually fit a purse at your feet?!

And what happened to "carry-on luggage" compartments!! They ought to call it "carry to" luggage, since we now carry our own luggage TO the plane where they still load and unload it while we wait in the COLD to get it.

Because there are no more of those nicely air-conditioned tunnels!! We now have to haul our selves down the stairs and out into the cold like I used to see people do in the 60's!! And those itty bitty steps we have to balance on getting in and out of those planes...

Whew, I love living in Nashville. It's just the flying about that tends to be a bit taxing. But I wouldn't trade it for the world!! Thank God we can actually get there from here.

Thursday I'm leaving in the morning for Mazatlan, Mexico with my husband and daughter Kaleigh (so she can lay the ground work for a youth trip this summer), and in a few weeks I'm headed to Las Vegas (WHERE I WAS ABLE TO BOOK A DIRECT FLIGHT!!) and then--to West Palm Beach, Florida. So right now I need to stop blogging and decide whether I want to go through Detroit, Chicago or...Atlanta to get there.

Oh the places you will go!!