Cruise day 9, Alligator AIR BOAT

Just like that, we were walking off the ship for good.

By far the worst part vacation, having it end.

We threw in a last minute adventure.

Alligator air boat tour!

Let me state, I HATE alligators.

Like, a hundred times more than birds!

They creep me out to no other.

They are ugly, mean, live in nasty water, the list could go on.

I was surprised I was willing to do this.

It was crazy flying right over these tall shrubs. 

I just knew we would get caught and get bucked into the infested water.

For 15 minutes we saw lots of birds.

Eww. 

Even a bald eagle.

Then we hit the jackpot.

Gators straight ahead!

Double eww.

It was actually pretty cool to see them up close.

Hey Burt Reynolds!

Any Hart of Dixie fans out there?

Our guide said we could walk to the front of the boat to get a better glimpse.

Ugh, what?

I threatened the kids that there was no pushing and shoving.

 If they were not careful and fell in, 

ain't no way I was jumping in after them. 

You on your own!

I just knew it was going to leap right into the boat and eat me, lol!

Oh yay, we get hold them.

Did you catch my sarcastic voice?

My face says it all.

The gift shop had some winners:)

I was pretty proud of ourselves.

We added in the alligators, and got to the airport with plenty of time to spare!

This is where I have the strongest dislike for the Orlando Airport.

* The layout is TERRIBLE, on top of it being old and run down.

The security line was on the longer side.

It was super slow moving though.

But I wasn't too worried.

We got to the front and the worker started scanning our virtual

boarding passes on my phone, along with checking our ID.

Lane, green.

Lindi, green,

Casey, green.

Shelley, green.

Rusty, red.

Huh?

Tried again.

 Red.

Ugh!

I started to panic.

They said sometimes they have trouble with the phone apps not scanning.

That is definitely NOT my problem, it is YOURS.

They tried a different booth.

Red.

Now what?

Ma'am, you will need to take him to the airline counter and print him a boarding pass.

Sure, I can do that.

Will I be able to come back to the front of the line?

No, we can't allow that.

This is where I start seeing red.

I had no time to argue.

We had just enough time to run back, print out his boarding pass, get back in line,

scan the pass THEN go through security machines.

It didn't help that he was dancing around about to pee his pants.

Casey took the other 2 kids to the gate and I ran

like He#* back to the airline kiosk to print the dang boarding pass.

( which I ALMOST did when checking our bags JUST to make sure.

LESSON LEARNED!)

Rusty ran to the bathroom while I was frantically punching in confirmation

numbers and names.

He came back right as it was printing.

I grabbed it and we took off back on our amazing race.

The security line looked about the same length as before.

I think we will make it!!

Dreams crushed when the worker pointed back passed a walk way.

Ma'am, the line extends back there.

WHAT?! 

How did it grow that fast?!

I frantically started telling him we already waited in this line and

yada yada...

He had no sympathy .

I was calculating how long it would take and when our flight left.

Nope, not going to make it.

I got scrappy, or desperate.

I went up to the lady at the end of the original line and told her what had happened.

I asked if we could cut and even offered her $20!

She was so sweet and said we could with out paying her.

Sigh of relief.

Then jerk face worker man said,

"You will have to ask everybody behind you if you can cut them"

in the meanest voice.

I'm pretty sure if looks could kill.

I was FUMING!

Have you no sympathy?

You know I'm being separated from my husband right now.

I yelled:

This isn't even my problem!!

I waited my turn already!!

YOUR crappy machines was the point of this whole mess.

Remember, I am pissed and NOT being quiet about this situation.

I am pretty much screaming.

I didn't even care.

This was so unfathomable that this was happening.

HALF MY FAMILY IS ALREADY AT THE GATE AND WE ARE
GOING TO MISS OUR FLIGHT !

This makes Rusty freak out and bursts into un controllable,

hysterical crying.

Looking back, I know airports are heavily recorded for crazy situations...

how did this not draw attention to security?

People were stopped dead in their tracks watching me

chew out this man with big hand

gestures while I have a child loudly wailing beside me.

Just shows you how crappy of an airport it is.

Screwing one person after another. 

I didn't know what to do so I went way back to the end of the line and started praying.

The extended line, before the normal line.

I took this picture and told Casey we were not going to make it.

I was thinking of what to do when a sweet nice man who works for CLEAR,

the AA card that lets you cut security, came to find me.

He asked if there was anything he could do to help.

I said yes! Get me to the front of the line!

Thinking about it now, he had no authority to do that.

He said he couldn't, but if I signed up for the CLEAR card 

I could cut the line.

I was flustered and said sure.

He was trying to be helpful, and I appreciated that.

While following him, I'm thinking I don't have time to sign up

for a CLEAR membership. 

He went to get the paper work when a cleaning lady

told me to just get in the stroller/handicap lane. 

Funny how people remembered me and my dramatic scene earlier.

I asked, really?

She said why not?

She even escorted me to the line.

I guess it was technically a worker, so I followed!

LOL.

I was praying the cranky worker wouldn't see me and arrest me.

Nobody ever said anything.

Now we are in a little bit of a sorter line,

but it was so slow moving.

Casey text saying they are shutting the plane door in 20 minutes.

Ugh. 

It was a crap shoot. 

Finally we got to the front.

Green and green.

Wait in the next line to get through security.

Get through security.

5 minutes until they lock the door.

I grabbed Rusty's arm and said RUN.

Son of a... I forgot you had to get on a tram to get to the gate!

My gut said it was game over, but we still had to try.

Got on the tram. Off the tram.

We ran like the family on Home Alone and LITERALLY

got to the check in desk AS THEY WERE SHUTTING THE DOOR!!

I could not believe it.

WE MADE IT!!!

What a miracle. 

The CLEAR worker was an answer to my prayers.

Without him offering to help, I never would have gotten out of

the line for the cleaning lady to tell me to get in the stroller lane.

We exhaustedly, and gratefully took our seats and

within seconds we were in the air.

BACK HOME!

Honestly, if we had missed our flights I told myself we

would take a lyft to Disneyworld.

Ha.

However, I was happy to be going HOME to our Della girl!