US Open “Faults”…

Last week, I told you about my first US Open experience. A bucket list check mark! If you missed it, read it HERE.

In tennis, if you hit a serve outside of the service box, it’s called a “fault”.

Well, we had a few “faults” on our trip. We called them bloopers at first, but “faults” is more encompassing. Every trip has a few faux pas; unforeseen blips. If your trips don’t, you have perfected traveling. Bless you!

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Our first “Fault” came at the airport!

The last time I was at LaGuardia Airport … it was a nightmare!! If you missed it, read about it HERE and HERE!

Little did I know, our flight to NY would dock us right in the middle of my former nightmare!! When I heard our gate to deplane, I had a twinge of recall. It was confirmed as I walked up the jet bridge and spilled out at B concourse Gate 45!

There it was … the very place where I spent most of the nightmare!! That couch … I spent the longest and coldest night of my life on with one eye, ear and half my brain open! It flooded a basket full of memories and emotions!

This time it was kinder: filled with daylight, smiles, and waiting passengers. No dread of night or ominous feelings. All was well! Business as usual! The anxious, disoriented, frightful people were gone. I experienced it anew without the terror of aloneness or abandonment. I just had to show you its updated look! I could even smile and roll my eyes with a flippant ease.

I’d already conquered it and this time, I would no longer be its victim! This time, I had a travel companion.

I am, however, grateful for my newfound comrade that nightmare night, Kim! We still keep in touch and forever have a trauma bond from LaGuardia. We’ve made happier bonds since! She’s the bright side of that nightmare: giving me a lot of peace in chaos.

Our second “Fault”… our first Uber to US Open!

Liv and I have been living at a fast pace. She was selling her home and looking for another. I was out-of-town most of August and marketing my book. Both of us dropped the ball a little.

Our Airbnb was located with no trouble. In Queens, we selected a dinner spot for our meal.

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Stop right here!!! This is NOT a fault, but an ACE!!

Thank you “Uncle Peter’s” for a fabulous meal!! I highly recommend any food they serve!! Despite not being related, he took care of us like we were family!! Delicioso!!

By the way, if you travel with my daughter, you will find fabulous food!

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When dinner was over, it was time to head to the major attraction! Our assumption was that our drivers would know the process of ending up at the US Open. We provided him with the address of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, aware that the Billie Jean Tennis Center held additional stadiums. We thought it would get us closest!

Turns out, we were wrong!

Our Uber driver had no knowledge about the US Open or Flushing Meadows Park where it is held. As we got closer, we could see the venue. Traffic was now heavy, I’m guessing rush hour! We knew this much … it is highly recommended you do NOT drive there, but use public transportation instead. We heeded that warning!

We noticed our driver passing the visible stadium. We were traveling beside the park. We could see that much. At every potential entry point, orange cones blocked the entrance! It now seemed we were miles from where we could spot the arena! He eventually said, “I can’t get any closer.” My wise daughter said, “Okay, we will get out here!”

I was mortified/panicked!

How far were we from that distant landmark we passed??

It seemed at least 20 minutes ago by car. Would we be able to find it? Would my legs hold out till we did? I already trekked two airports today. I’m not a long-distance runner.

I looked at her and muttered, “Am I going to make it?” Or make it before it ended! She voiced a reassurance, “Yes!”

We climbed out in the middle of traffic, not knowing how to proceed. Her GPS was set to the stadium, and she said, “we need to walk this way.” We needed to cross this car packed six lane street. We walked three blocks before a crossing path was clear. After we crossed, we were in Flushing Meadows Park. It was helpful to know this, but didn’t exactly comfort me.

See, years ago, my husband and I visited New York City. My ambitious husband convinced me to accompany him as we walked around Central Park! He’d “always” wanted to do it. If you know, you are laughing or at least smirking.

Central Park is 843 ACRES!!!!

On WHAT afternoon jaunt would we accomplish that!! EVER!!

This notion was bouncing like a tennis ball around my brain as we entered this park that obviously had many entry points and no one could see the end in any direction! If this park is 800 acres, we’d arrive in a few months from now!! That is how my self-talk was going! I can’t say I had a positive outlook stemming from my prior experience trauma!

We crossed a few streets inside the park filled with exiting cars. I’m not sure they were at the Open …. We weren’t supposed to drive!! We did question two traffic guards, and they kept pointing toward Liv’s gps spot.

I felt a little like those “Alaskan Shows” I watch, where you live by your compass. If you don’t, you die!! We were in a park wilderness trusting a dot on the phone. We could not see any sign of the US Open! We saw some park people, skateboarding and playing soccer; not encouraging.

Terrifying thoughts crossed my mind like… “If we have to do this when this is over, it will be pitch black and we are in NYC!!!!” “I am NOT exiting this way. I will cling to a NYC police officer and plead my case before I come back this way!!” My full plethora of survival skills were clicking in!! I was formulating an exit plan with every step.

All the while, my loving daughter was asking… “Do you need to rest Mama?” We did twice for a minute or two. Or encouraging, “We are a quarter of the way there!” “A third.” “We have plenty of time, Mom, don’t worry!” At our last stop, she said, “see where the sidewalk circles up there, we’re almost there when we reach it!”

Okay, I can do that!!

When the globe came in view, I knew we had arrived. It is the quint essential landmark of the Tennis Center! I wanted to cry when we saw it!!

We made it to our seats, a few minutes before the players were announced!!

The thrill of the event overtook me once again!! The arrival process faded into the background!!

How would we get back to the Airbnb?

A lingering thought, but I pushed it back holding onto the idea of clinging to a police officers leg if needed!! At the moment, I had some cheering to do!

Stay tuned … next week … FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!

Have you experienced any “Faults” lately?

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By the way, Flushing Meadows Park is 897 ACRES!!

Bigger than Central Park. See my concerns weren’t totally wacky! But goodness knows how far we could have ended up, if we hadn’t gotten out of the car when we did?!? The Uber driver could have driven around that park for a long time, dropping us at much further destinations. Our best estimate is that we walked over two miles to the Stadium. Could have been so much worse!!

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