because it’s a race
September 12, 2013
One of my husband’s goals in life is to not spend one second more than necessary at the airport.
And in his effort to make this happen, he plans, devises strategies, and inevitably angers and annoys his fellow travelers (me and Maya) beginning 48 hours prior to departure (PTD).
Ice cream at Fortnum and Mason, Tea at Paul, Scones at Fortnum and Mason, Pudding at Harrods
The following is based on our departure from London last week:
- 48 Hours PTD – Ali discussed, at great length, the cost / time benefit of taking a cab to Heathrow versus the Underground or car service. He consulted Amex. He consulted relatives and friends. He consulted neighbors. He decided on a cab.
- 23.59 Hours PTD – Ali was the very first person to check in online. Because it’s a race.
- 12 Hours PTD – Ali Ignored the fact that clothes and computers were scattered around. Everywhere. And that there was a slim possibility they’d all fit in his carry-on.
At St. James Park, Big Ben, Maya mesmerized by a swing at Heathrow Airport
- 8 Hours PTD – Ali contemplated the fact that the Underground is cheaper and less likely to see delays due to the inclement weather. He consulted Amex. He consulted relatives and friends. He consulted neighbors. He decided on the Underground.
- 4 Hours PTD – Ali watched as I packed all his clothes and computers. He said annoying things like, “I was just about to do that,” and “That’s a nice shirt. Make sure you don’t wrinkle it.”
- 3.5 Hours PTD – Ali noted that the rain had stopped and insisted that 3 people in a cab is only slightly more than 3 people on the Underground. He re-revised plans to take a cab and then (absurdly) said, “We should go to Hyde Park one last time.”
- 2 Hours PTD – We finally left for the airport at my insistence. En route, Ali complained that we’d get there too early and have too much time to kill.
Back to NY in time for Fashion Week! Lots of pretty girls walking around, along with a man in a whole lot of Versace.
- 1.25 Hours PTD – We arrived at the airport with less than the recommended two-hour window. Ali complained about the lines and wondered if there was another secret line that airport security kept unknown from the general public.
- 1 Hour PTD – Ali exchanged boarding passes for pool sticks and start playing pool with Maya. He ignored the loudspeaker as it repeatedly advised travelers on VS 045 to head directly to the boarding gate.
- 0.75 Hours PTD – Ali raced to the gate, all the while screaming at Maya that we were NOT on a Sunday walk, and why can’t she hurry up?
- 0.50 Hours PTD – We all collapsed on the plane. Ali said super annoying thing #542: “See? I told you we’d get here just in time.”
Nobody can accuse us of not knowing how to end a trip on the right note….
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While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
I must say Ameena – I’m a fan of spending the least amount of time at the airport as possible. But this is easier when making frequent trips.
Mad dash to the departure gate – the best part !!!
What can I say … livin on the edge 🙂
Living on the edge. So funny…I just realized this is one of the few times Ali actually likes to live on the edge!
I am totally anal about this too, but in the opposite way. I have to get there super early. In my mind there are so many things that can go wrong, and so I like to have plenty of time to allow for error… and duty free of course!
*kisses* H
I bought a few things from Duty Free…I mean, it’s hard not to when you HAVE to go through that section at Heathrow in order to get to your gate. 🙂
I can be super anal about travelling, I have to get to the airport at least 3 hours early, do the online check in as soon as it opens, clear security with super efficiency and be the 1st one on the plane! Anyone witnessing me with my family would think it was a military drill taking place. I have this fear of missing the flight and get this I live exactly 10 mins away from Heathrow- I could sleep walk to the airport and still marshal my husband and kid with me.
You live 10 minutes from Heathrow? No kidding! We should have met up…next time I’ll ask Ali to leave a 15 minutes earlier and we can have a quick chat. 🙂
Yes that would be great. I can see Ali saying lets make a quick stop to Hyde park, then Sejal’s place and then when we have 30 seconds before check in closes we will dash to airport!
Hahahaha. My mom is exactly like Ali. I’m the total opposite. I like getting to the airport early and browsing around duty free before going to the gate. On our last trip while traveling with my mom, we were so late. Our family was the last to check in, literally just 10 seconds before they shut the counter. The only good thing- because we were so late and the flight was over booked, we got a free upgrade.
A free upgrade! Now there’s a reason to be late. Even I could be late for that. 🙂
Hahaha… never a dull moment with Ali .. I’m the opposite, I’ll be at the airport like 3 or 4 hours prior to the departure time. I couldn’t even have a good night sleep the night before due to the nervousness/fear of missing the flight. Besides, I love airport and being there & the people-watching is one of my fave things to do 🙂
Love NYFW! I’m a bit jealous you got to see all the activities up close. That Versace man is fearless…. 🙂
I don’t love all airports (LAX) but I do like many (Heathrow is one of the nicer ones!). I could definitely spend some time there without getting bored…
I also can’t stand to be in the airport longer than I have to, but I’m also super anxious about making my flight on time, always, so I vibrate between the two.
Welcome to New York 🙂 I died laughing over the garbage can story.
Hi Ilana! Would love to see you if you are still living here.
It’s been a while…
This must be a man thing. This timeline is pretty much like traveling with Peter (and it’s been passed down through generations), and the exponentially-growing stress has not changed the way we travel (of course). Still, looks like it was a fun and delicious trip! 🙂
I want to meet that man in head-to-toe Versace!
I speak from experience when I say it will never change!
13 years and nothing’s different about the way we travel…
I’m all for going to airport just when needed not 6 hrs before 😀 see you made it at the end
BTW Maya in the picture below looks just like you .. for a second I even thought its you 🙂
Really? You thought it was me? So nice to read this, most people don’t think we look too much alike!
I’m too scared to NOT show up pretty early for a flight. There are too many things that can go wrong and I do not want to miss my flight. Glad you made it!
Exactly…so many things can go wrong. What’s the point in stressing, right?
all the men in my family are exactly like Ali – I don’t know how after overplanning and analyzing for days – they end up late at the airport. And not to mention the last minute shopping mainly the international chargers.
International chargers…I love it. I think Ali has about 10 different chargers. And he seems to always need another one…
So what’s more annoying husbands or airport travel?
It’s a tough call Lauren…I’m going to go with the former.
I so look forward to your posts! You always manage to lighten up the mood 🙂
Well “The Husband” is quite the opposite of Ali in terms of Travel, he gets Panic attacks before advent of any travel and makes sure that we are on the airport at least 3 hrs before the flight domestic or international! He is crazy!!
3 hours, really? Even when flying domestically? I am impressed!
You, I’m sure, are not. 🙂
Thank you for having tea at some fabulous place- I just know you were thinking of me!!!… I prefer traveling with just the right amount of anxiety to make you get there, but without a lot of time to spare. The extra time most likely means that I did not get very much sleep and I had to get up extra early for a 6AM flight, which is NOT on my favorite list. 45 minutes prior to departure is fine by me, which allows time for check in and such, and collapse into the seat with a good book!
45 minutes is the perfect amount of time. So hard to strike that balance! And yes, I agree about the early morning flights being a pain but the great thing? No delays!!
Ha, my bf is the same way!
Sorry to hear that. 🙂
My husband’s the complete opposite – if the airlines suggest 3 hours before departure – he’d make sure he’s atleast that much before if not earlier. I’m okay going earlier as long as I have a book to read and internet…
3 hours?
So interesting how our husbands are at the opposite ends of the spectrum here…. 🙂
I’m amazed he didn’t do another round of checks with Amex, etc. before heading out to Hyde Park!
We didn’t get to Hyde Park. I told him he was insane and he wisely dropped the idea….
Ameena, how do you manage to look the way you do with all that gorgeous food around?? In my family, I’m the obsessive compulsive planner, while my husband only wakes up to the fact that we’re travelling the night before, and as a result tosses and turns through the night. Husbands, I tell you!! My Dad, however, is pretty much like Ali 🙂
You are very kind – thank you for the compliment!
With regards to the tossing and turning, yes I think Ali does that as well the night before we travel. Mostly because he’s trying to determine the most efficient way to get to the airport. 🙂
After reading this I’m considering forgiving my husband for his behavior – seems like it’s a guy thing. I hate getting to the airport early but like to give myself a 30-45 min cushion for unforeseen (traffic) circumstances.
The worst time I’ve had is when were leaving for Sedona for my birthday weekend a few yrs ago and my husband arrived at the airport 45 mins before the flight- decided to drop the bags with me and then go park the car (far away) DESPITE all my yelling and get back on air train to get to the terminal (took about 30 mins) – then stopped to throw out my engagement ring that he was carrying for me wrapped in a tissue paper – emptying your pockets into the garbage bin is important when u are late to a flight -and then headed to meet me at the terminal. We entered the security line 5 mins before the flight that I had given up on. Didn’t know what I was more mad at – the lateness or the ring thing. Fumin (me) we get to the gates and they just announced the flight was delayed. We made it to Phoenix/Sedona but I lost my ring! My worst trip ever.
I always take paddinngton express to heathrow – so much more predictable (traffic wise) than taking the road. (sorry long comment but I needed to vent!)
writing that big reply from an iphone was not easy – sorry about the garbled comment !
That is one amazing comment, especially from an iPhone Archana!
So sorry about the ring…I would have been IRATE.
Sometimes we take the Heathrow Express but it is a bit expensive and so ultimately with 3 people it’s just cheaper to take a cab.
And please vent away! I can relate more than you know.
Is he by any chance a nervous flyer? I’m kinda like him in that I prefer dashing manically through the airport at the last minute so I spend less time there and thereby less time thinking about the fact that I’m about to fly…
Ali has no problem flying so we can’t blame it on that. 🙂
no matter how much planning i do, i always get to the airport later than i expect and usually stress the entire way. i’ve actually had that movie moment where you are running through newark and your bag unzips and all your sh*t flies everywhere and random strangers help you up and you barely make your flight to india before they shut the plane door. your classmates clap as you sink into your seat. oh just me? lol
I’m laughing at this comment! I’m especially interested in the fact that you went to India!
So curious what you thought of it?
I’m not a fan of getting to the airport super early, but I do like to sit there for 30 minutes so I can use the bathroom and play on my iPhone… just need more internet time. 🙂 This was fun to read… 🙂 Really nice pics… all of them.
Thanks Nisha!
The airport is definitely a great time to catch up on the Internet…not that I usually have too much extra time to do that, thanks to Ali! LOL
I had to laugh when Ali consulted Amex, the neighbours and friends & relatives! I am total opposite. Have to been at least 3 hours before hand and for some reason, times flies in the airport. I’m glad you made it to your flight though!
Time does usually go fast at the airport, but it depends which airport. There is NOTHING to do at LAX …
I thoroughly enjoyed this (laughed out loud at 4 hours PTD).
I love your family. 🙂
4 Hours PTD. Love it Jennie!
Love the photos!
I don’t mind the airport as long as I can sit at the bar! Xx
Thanks for the compliment my friend! 🙂
I really like this post. It is funny:) Sometimes When I read your posts it brings past years to mind before I got very very ill and summer of 2008, when I was an intern in London. I was nostalgic when I saw pictures of Green Park and Fortnum and Mason and Sofra and Prezzo. So last month after I came back from Israel, I visited those places and had a belated Birthday Tea at Fortnum and Masons and week later a belated Birthday Dinner at Sofra. I cannot tell you how Happy I was. I couldn’t believe how much world has changed but food at Sofra and Fortnum and Mason was the same. Thanks Ameena and God Bless you Forever.
Two of my favorite places! So glad you had a chance to visit them and I’m glad they were as good as you remembered.
Happy Belated Birthday!
Thank you:)
Men, can’t live with them, can’t live without them ( actually we probably could, they couldn’t live without us)
Nazneen
So funny Nazneen…they definitely couldn’t live without us!
Travelling is always stressful for everyone I think. My mom likes to get to the airport super early so we always sit in the terminal forever! I don’t know which I would prefer!
There must be some medium…not sure why I can’t seem to find it!!
I think an airport experience with Ali would lead me to a nervous breakdown. I would be so freaked out about missing the flight…especially an international flight no less. Holy guacamole. Plus I need time for my airport rituals (buy overpriced candy and trashy mags, pee before flight, glass of wine no matter how overpriced before flight). I’d have to resort to asking for the wine in a to-go cup, I guess.
Trashy mags aren’t my problem, it’s the Buy One, Get One Half Off at Hudson Books that always kills me!
“He consulted Amex. He consulted relatives and friends. He consulted neighbors. ” – that is the story of my life every single day for every purchase that we ever make at home. Consult the world. *sigh*
You have my sympathies my friend. So sorry you can relate…truly!
classic ameena!! love ali’s consultations….pics are fab, per usual! dying over that big H on the pudding, yuum! missing you all, need more pics of fashion week and pretty girls, please, xoxoxo
I totally feel your post on so many levels. My husband first needs to discuss every decision with friends, the Internet, even if we are pretty sure what we want to do. I’m pretty planned out with the airport, I have a crazy fear of missing a flight!
I hate toadmit it – but Iam a lot like your hubby – but, my PTD plan sets into action about 8 hrs before departure 😉
Oh my. That’s a lot of over-thinking just to get to the airport and then sprinting for the flight. Glad you all made it, eventually, thanks to Ali 😉
You are so funny! Amit is the total opposite, nags, nags, nags and packs and repacks things and consults 10 online things on how to get to the airport. Despite all of that, we still somehow huff and puff and are usually the last to board a flight. Flying is annoying as it is, but flying with the husband is taking it to another level. Seriously!
hahaha Ali would hate me. I’m the one that would rather be there four hours early than risk the possibility of being even a little bit late or rushed. I don’t handle that kind of pressure very well.
I love time at the airport, to shop, chill and have a glass of champagne. But only at London airport. I try and arrive just on time at all other airports. GG