I have made a horrible, terrible decision.
So, picture this. It’s 5:47am and I’ve just arrived at the domestic terminal of the Auckland Airport to catch a flight down to Queenstown. Mind you, I am NOT a morning person. I don’t remember the last time I rose before 7:30am, and that’s still earlier than I’d prefer to start my day. I digress. I print out my boarding pass, leave my body bag (AKA my big ass backpack) and then proceed to follow the signs to gates 20-33. I’m at gate 32, in case you were wondering. Along the way, I come across a food court of sorts. I’m hungry, I haven’t eaten anything yet. I’m always hungry, actually. Literally always. There are noodle places, smoothie places, a McDonald’s – there’s always a McDonald’s – etc. I look at a few menus, but my mind is really on getting through security, because I mean if you’ve ever been to an airport in the States, you know how big the struggle can be. Anyways, in a haste to make sure I’m not pressed for time as they make sure I’m not carrying any weapons of mass destruction or full-sized toiletries, I forgo the food lines and make a B line for security.
As you can probably guess, I make it through in no time. Like, the fastest I’ve ever made it through security. It’s funny how things work out like that. You’re probably wondering if I took the time to see if the security line was long and then decide if I’d take a hot second to grab a bite to eat – yes, I did. Notice the line, that is. But remember, I’m not a morning person and it’s the ass crack of dawn – I’m not yet running at fully capacity.
As I head towards my gate, I catch a glimpse of a vending machine out of my peripheral. Noted. I keep walking, with that looming, awful feeling that you’ve just missed out on something huge – breakfast. I missed breakfast. As I approach my gate, my suspicions are confirmed – the food is all behind me, on the other side of the security line and there’s no turning back. My heart sinks. I check around the corner just to be absolutely sure, but there’s nothing. No food in sight. Reluctantly, I swing back around to the vending machine to grab a Snickers (t’s just like in the commercials, I turn into a raging diva if my blood sugar levels get too low) but it’s full of water and soda, damnit! That just won’t do. The word Hangry (yes, with a capital H) comes to mind. I then slink back to my seat at the gate, no food in belly, totally defeated.
So, now I’m sitting here at my gate, breakfast-less and rather hungry with 50 whole minutes (!) until boarding and no idea if I’ll be getting breakfast on the place. Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way – or in my case, the hungry way.
Fast-forward an hour. I sit down in my seat next to two ladies drinking coffee, and I ask them where the heck they got the coffee. Well, as you may have already guessed, there was in fact a café past the security line - on the opposite side of where my gate was. I know there are at least a lot of you that are wondering how the hell I’m going to make it, and I don’t blame you. I wonder that same very thing dozens of times every single day
I thought I’d share my experience with y’all in case you ever find yourself well, really, anywhere or doing anything. Look up. Pay attention. Be aware. Follow the smells. Don’t ever let yourself go without a hearty breakfast like I did.
The end.