[OnyxCougar]

We began our journey from Las Vegas. Kelle was just fine with the flight via National Airlines to New York's JFK airport. I explained that the flight to Vienna would be longer, but basically the same. Once Captain Kangaroo managed to controlled-crash us into the runway, he hopped us into the Terminal. Everyone kind of looked at each other and wondered how we managed to escape crashing for real, the landing was so rough. I mean, it was BAD. And Kelle's first landing. I tried to reassure her that it was not the norm, but I don't think she believed me.

Big place, JFK, and surprisingly frustrating to get around in. There is very little information in the terminals on (1) how to get OUT of the airport or (2) how to get to a different airline or terminal for a connecting flight. There are 9 terminals at JFK, and all of them are little self-sufficient city-like beings.

We landed at terminal 4, where all National's flights land, and were supposed to connect to Austrian Airlines 2.5 hours later. Our baggage had been checked through at McCarran (in Vegas) all the way into Austria, so we didn't have to worry about rechecking them in New York. We had our backpacks, fanny packs, a blanket and pillow each, and sweat jackets. We were ready for anything. We knew where our towels were.

Disembarking from the flight in Terminal 4, we looked around the gate with easy assurance that we had two and a half hours to go, and I was confident that that would be plenty of time. There was a sign with a bag, so we followed it. We checked the arrival/departure boards, and quickly discovered that the flights listed were for the terminal we were in only, not the scheduled flights for the entire airport. Since our flight wasn't listed, we figured we would have to go to a different terminal to get on our flight. No problem.



Except that no one in terminal 4 knew what terminal Austrian Air flew out of. We spent 30 minutes trying to figure out where to go. Even the wonderfully young, bubbly in-duh-vidual at the Not-so-much-Information Desk, who did manage to impart to us that we needed to take the red, white and blue shuttle bus, "Which is FREE!" to the terminal in question, didn't know which one. I just know one day she'll grow up to have the intelligence of a garden slug. Well, maybe that's a bit too hopeful.

We went out to the buses. We asked the driver what terminal Austrian Air left out of, he immediately replied, "terminal one." And yes, he did go there. All the buses did. The catch is that all the shuttles go in ONE direction: from ONE to NINE. Which meant we had to sit on the bus through terminals 5,6,7,8, and 9 before we got to Terminal 1. OK, no problem. We can do this. We still had two hours before the flight left. It's only 5 terminals, right??

Mmhmm, five terminals is a LONG way when you endure the company of the Toothless Black Wonder, self subscribed paramedic and "I'm gonna go to L.A. and be a PO-leece officer. New York P.D. wouldn't take me." Go figure. He knew a LOT about the airport, tho. Give that to him. And he helped people with their luggage if they had alot. He was nice, just a little...weird. And the first person we really conversed with in New York. Memo to self: never move here.