Tuesday, October 24 – On our way. Finally. But a bit earlier than we planned.

/ Bassman

We started planning this trip in the winter of 2020, to be taken that fall. Then COVID happened, and the trip didn’t. So we’re finally going in the fall of 2023, almost 3.5 years later. I’m pretty sure we never planned a trip this far in advance. Although to be fair, the trip we’re taking now has a different itinerary than we were working on in early 2020.

They know what our flight is; it doesn’t leave from anywhere else, October 2023

Yesterday I got an email from Royal Air Morocco (RAM) saying it was time to check in online. Which I did, of course. Somewhere in that process, they advised us to get to the airport three hours before departure. Sally and I had been counting back from our 8:40pm departure assuming two hours; with this new advice, we need to leave for the airport in the morning!

Thinking perhaps this was a response to the ongoing war in Israel, I checked a few other travel related sites that were not airline affiliated. Several of them were also recommending three hours for international flights (two hours domestic), and the posts were not from the last couple of weeks. When did three hours become a thing? We need to leave about two hours to get to the airport given the vagaries of traffic, so we need to leave our house five hours prior to departure for a flight that is less than 7 hours (including taxi time at both ends). Seems like a bad deal!

Oh, and since we’ll be using a car service (1), we need to allow for additional time to locate a driver and get them to our house. At least we’ll have plenty of time in the airport to have a relaxing dinner.

Full course, sit down dinner at Starbucks (photographer & date unknown)

As if there’s anywhere in the airport to have a relaxing dinner. I found a website that promised:

Travelers with an appetite will be pleased to know that Terminal 1 at JFK Airport houses a wide selection of excellent restaurants. Our list highlights the top eateries … for visitors seeking a bite to eat, from full-course sit-down dinners to quick and simple snacks.

The list of 15 establishments used phrases like “quick bite”, “things you can pack in your carry on” and “grab and go”. None of these sound particularly relaxing.

(1) The few times I’ve tried to use a car service since we moved earlier this year, Uber had nothing to offer me. Lyft did deliver. Checking a few minutes ago showed both seeming to have opportunities. We’ll see when it’s time to leave.

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