NJ transit debacle
I had the worst experience trying to get to the airport in Newark, NJ. I took the letter train by my house to Penn Station no problem. After finding the ticket counter, I realized it was closed so I had to use the ticket kiosk. I looked at the schedule board and my ticket and it didn’t have an airplane next to it, so I went to find help. One lady couldn’t help me and directed me to her coworker. The coworker then couldn’t help me so instructed me to walk to some vague destination to another ticket counter. i then wound up not the ticket counter, but at customer service, who then directed me again to the ticket counter. At the ticket counter the associate informed me I would have to buy another ticket or take this train and pay a $5.50 fee when I got off to get on the air-train. I told him that was fine and he said ok, you train leaves down stairs from the plat form in 2 min. Away I ran down the hall, down the stairs, down the hallway, and finally made it to the platform and no trains with seconds to spare. The guy on the train told me to get off at the third stop.
I got off at the air-train stop and was told I now had to buy the $5.50 ticket to access the gate. I did that but instead of giving me the ticket it took my $20 and didn’t give me a ticket. The ticket lady was actually very helpful here, she let me through and gave me ticket I could use on my way back from Memphis. I finally got to the terminal and got in line for security. I am TSA pre check, so this process should be supper quick because you don’t have to take anything off. The line was very long with 100 people in it, and they were not doing pre check so I have to wait with everyone else. After making it through I was able to quickly find my gate, grab a coffee and board with 15 min to spare. But on the plus side, they plane was able to fly at 28,000 feet to make my trip now 1 hour and 50 min instead of 3 Horus and 10 min. Next time I fly I will either fly out of somewhere else or taketh bus from Penn station to the airport.
On the way back from Memphis, my plane was delayed so I did not land in Newark until 9:45. We taxied a bit on the runway then we had to disembark the plane to get on a bus that would take us to the terminal. From the terminal I went outside to get an Uber but was cancelled at least 4 times for some reason. Then I tried to get on a bus, but only has a $20 bill. I then had to pull my luggage back into the terminal and go all the way back up to get on the air-train. It was a lot easier going back to the city than it was getting out.
After 3 trains, I finally arrived art my stop. 81st street The Museum of Natural History. I was dreading taking my luggage up the huge staircase that would take me out of the station and onto my street. Just as I approached it, I saw my amazing husband coming down the steps to greet me. After a hug and a kiss, he grabbed my luggage and my hand and escorted me to our apartment. It was good to finally be home!