Days of scheduled travel always seem to go one of two ways: impeccably, or disastrously.

Let’s start with the only known fact of the day:
Kyle has to be on an international flight from Heathrow to Nice, FR at 8:40PM

Here's a recap of our day... I wasn’t able to get to sleep until 5 o’ clock in the morning, thank you, Netflix! When I finally got up at 11, Kyle was gone, off to his casting somewhere in White City. I took his laptop upstairs to the community kitchen, watched some more Netflix and had my breakfast. Afterwards I went back to my room to shower and get ready for the day – Kyle and I had planned to go to the Victoria & Albert Museum, before he left for Nice. After my shower I preceded to turn on Spotify (music website) while I blow-dried my hair… however, the MacBook was unresponsive – I plugged it in to the charger, hoping for it to turn on. After a few minutes of different maneuvers it appeared that the laptop had indeed died.

Horrified at the idea of killing Kyle’s new MacBook I grabbed my phone and called the Apple Service Center. After a solid twenty minutes of troubleshooting, the phone tech recommended I take it to an Apple Store with a Genius Bar to get it fixed – problem was, the next available appointment in my area was at a store an hour away… on June 24! I hung up the phone distraught as Kyle walked in from his casting. I confessed to him that the laptop had ceased to live, and it was possibly my fault. My only idea for trying to get it fixed before we leave for Tenerife on the 28 was to take it to the Apple Store in Covent Garden and beg for them to look at it – luckily, he wasn’t upset, and agreed to skip the museum for a trip to the Apple Store.

We got to the Apple Store around 1:30, and waited for about three hours before we heard a word about the state of the computer… Could it be fixed? Would Kyle have to buy another new computer? Did we have to spend the next two months without a laptop (I left my computer in the States, and opted to take my iPad)… Each minute I grew more and more anxious about the computer, and Kyle and I getting home in time for him to finish packing and get prepared for his flight to Nice.

At a quarter to five the technician came back with the laptop, it was a minor problem – the guy fixed it under warranty, no more worries! All we had to do now was get back to the flat and get Kyle packed and to the airport, under the pressure of a slight time constraint. As luck would have it, Kyle was out the door and on the tube by 5:30 – unfortunately he had to take the Heathrow Express from Paddington (slightly more expensive, but a huge time saver) because of the computer set back. After seeing him off at Belsize Park I returned to the flat to relax after a somewhat stressful day of thinking I had ruined the computer.

…Two hours later, as I laid down to catch up on my missed sleep from the night before, my cell phone rang – it was Kyle, from Heathrow!… However, he didn’t call to tell me he was all set and ready to board the plane, instead I heard his stressed voice “jump in a taxi, NOW, and meet me at Paddington Station. Bring my Passport – I forgot it and need it – PLEASE HURRY!” First thought to cross my mind was that I am out of money and can only take the tube! I grabbed Kyle’s Passport, RAN to Belsize Park, hopped on the first train, and preceded to go as fast as I could to meet him at Paddington Station where he had just taken the Heathrow Express BACK. Forty minutes later we were able to meet up – I threw his the Passport as he ran back towards the Express train once again bound for Heathrow Airport.

The time was 8:05pm.

As I solemnly walked back to the tube, I knew there was no way he could make an international flight that left at 8:40 – the trek from Paddington Station to Heathrow Airport via the Express train alone was 20 minutes, plus walking time, security checks, etc. As my tube car left Paddington Station headed back to Belsize Park I got a text, it was Kyle – he wanted me to call British Airways and let them know he would be late, hopefully they would hold the doors for him. I hopped off the tube at the next exit in Edgeware. I called the airline but my London cell phone was out of minutes and needed to be “topped-up.” REALLY?!?!

This was it… The worst day ever since getting to London! First I thought I had killed his computer, we spent the whole day trying to fix it, and now a missed flight – FOR A JOB! When I got off the tube at Belsize Park it was 8:53, I called Kyle one last time, hoping he wouldn’t pick up because the flight had departed, but unfortunately after two rings I heard “Hi Babe…”

I knew he had missed his flight… but for some strange reason though the tone in his voice was upbeat! Apparently the pilot on his flight was 30-minutes late. Kyle made the flight!!! AND to top it off, the Heathrow Express had credited him tickets for traveling back and forth!!!

This was amazing! Despite all the obstacles we had to overcome today, everything turned out for the best! Traveling at the VERY last minute is SO stressful. Worrying about packing, Passports and being the last to board the plane on an international flight can be tough, but somehow luck is always on our side :)

Lesson One: Prioritize your Packing list

Walking out the door of my flat, fingers clutched tight to my suitcase handle I walk briskly toward the Belsize park tube station. Megan, being as adorable as only she can be, accompanied me to steal a last minute kiss before my flight to Nice.

Thoughts rush through my head...Did I grab everything? ...Did I give myself enough time to get there?... Are there any flaws in my route to the airport?... Belsize Park to Kings Cross, Kings Cross to Paddington, Heathrow Express to terminal 5 and British Airlines flight 530 to Nice, France... It sounded pretty solid to me.

Upon arriving at Paddington station I walked up to a ticket machine marked - Heathrow Express, and purchased a ticket for 19 pounds. I climbed aboard as I always have, placed my small suitcase neatly on the middle shelf of the luggage rack and found a seemingly cozy seat nearby as I yawned...Long day after the issue with my MacBook this morning, which had to be taken in to the Apple store and repaired. (I'll let Megan tell that story) I proceeded to take a short mental nap, knowing that everything was in order. Fifteen minutes later I was jolted awake by the sudden deceleration of the train, I had reached the first stop, Heathrow terminals one, two and three. THEN IT HIT ME, I slowly opened top zipper on my luggage and asked myself "Kyle where is your passport"? I felt around as if it were some kind of bad dream. In an instant I leapt off the train and sprinted across the platform to the other side. I somehow managed to forget my passport, of all things, back at my flat, all the way in Camden...

I'M GOING TO MISS MY FLIGHT!!! Jumping on the next train back to Paddington I frantically dialed Megan’s cell number praying she would answer. When she finally did, after three or four no answer calls, which I blame on underground reception, she sounded very happy to hear from me. My call meant that I got safely to the airport and that I made my flight on time. The trembling tone in my voice told her otherwise. I told her what happened and asked her if there was anyway she could meet me back at Paddington. She agreed and sped off the phone. That was the longest right back to the train station I've ever been on. The fifteen minute trip back felt like hours...Am I going to miss my flight?... Would the client be understanding?... Could this possibly ruin my relationship with the client, forfeiting my money and gouging my professional reputation? Upon my arrival I still had to wait twenty scary minutes for Megan to arrive. Shamefully I walked over and purchase another 19 pound train ticket to Heathrow. The passport hand off was laser sharp and precise, as though we were in an Olympic relay race. Luckily my suitcase has backpack straps and a hip belt; I strapped it on and sprinted toward the next available train.

Arriving at Heathrow with only 25 minutes to spare before the departure of an international flight is moronic. The gentleman at the counter laughed at me when he pulled up my information. "You've missed your flight,” he chuckled and rolled his eyes. Upon pulling up my information he saw that my flight was delayed twenty minutes and made a brief phone call. "I'll let you go through this time" he said, "but you better run.”

I made my flight with moments to spare learning a valuable lesson...You can't travel anywhere without a passport. Make sure that's the FIRST thing you pack!