Tennesee Escape

 

Ohio River, 2022, TN




Summer 2022





Well, it finally happened.



I left California with no intention of moving back. I will find a place to live, to stay, to prosper, to grow, to share, to love. But I don't know where that is right now. The United States and world have so many places that I could go, but God has a place just for me. Knowing my values, my interest and with the plan that He put in my life.



Just believe that it will work out and breathe deep and rest in His provision.




The day before I left California a few of my children and I had Dim Sum at NBC Seafood Restaurant, which is in Monterey Park, CA.








The food was really, really good and we enjoyed the surprise flavors. The sesame ball was addictive, it was good, sweet and a squishy yummy food.


Was it dessert or a main course, I don't know? It was so good.


The chicken feet were good too, but it was a bit of work to eat them. I don't know if I have the technique down.



We then went over to Korea town and sang karaoke for laughs and fun. We all had a great time there, and the price was right, since it was before 5 PM. Loud music, dancing, singing. I enjoy my children so much we have fun and laugh together. I love them!!  


My son said goodbye and I spent the night in Los Angeles with my daughter.


The next day my daughter and I went to a kind of a famous food truck in Los Angeles. #Kogibarbeque. It is a Mexican Korean fusion with tacos and fries, and a host of other items on the menu.



I believe I may be a bit of a French fry snob, and these fries were the best I have ever had. I loved the seasonings, and crunch. I have not had any just like these before, it was a WIN in my book!



I MUST SAY, these are probably the best fries I've ever had.






SOOO, if you want to go to #Kogibarbecue and find their food truck it's definitely worth it for the fries and the taco's we had were really good too. I would definitely go back.


I think they may have 4-5 trucks around the Los Angeles area. The website says where they are on a given day.






We left the BBQ and headed for LAX using surface streets. It was a nice day for a drive and my daughter is really comfortable driving in Los Angeles. What a pro! Thanks DH


I got too LAX with plenty of time (even with a detour and drive around the construction at LAX), and checked in. 



I then realized that my backpack and all that I had stuffed in it was in a bag, not really easy for transport. No wheels and no suitcase carrier, I had not thought out the transportation of this large bag very well. It worked out, except for the fact that it was probably just under 50 lb and it was so heavy. I am strong, but that was heavy!


SO heavy! 


So, my grand plan of not having a suitcase and traveling light was a bust! My baggage was still probably about 50 Lb, PLUS I had a regular backpack that has the computer and a battery bank in it with some snacks, with odds and ends. So basically, I was dragging, pushing, and carrying about 60 lb in all. I finally got checked in with my bag under #50. Yahoo!


That weight was quite a bit for me because remember I'm a senior. I'm not an out of shape person but I'm definitely not IN shape.



I got to my gate and waited for my flight, and it was delayed. I kept getting texts that said it was delayed. I didn't know what the delay was, just that it kept getting delayed. I then would call my hotel and say, "It's going to be later before I check in." I must have called three times, so they didn't give my room away, or let it cancel. The girl assured me I had a confirmed room, and it was fine to be late, they knew to put the first night on my charge card.



So, as it turned out, the flight was delayed about 3 hours, and thankfully I had prepared for this unfortunate event.




I was at the airport in Anchorage AK, in 2019 and something like this happened.

I had no pillow or warm jacket in waiting 16 hours at the airport. I tried to sleep in the airport for rest, with no comfort or warmth. I learned from this experience. Be Prepared!



On this trip to Tennessee, I brought a sweatshirt and a pillow but never needed them until the flight.

  


We got on the flight It was a non-stop flight from LAX to Nashville and we landed I think about 2:10 a.m. 


I got my Ikea-backpack from the carousel just before 3 AM, that was fine but again I realized I was without wheels to transport my very large bag.


So, I just dragged this very full IKEA bag behind me… I have to say the way they've designed it is really quite smart. It's just a tarp with a zipper but it's strong material and it's light.


I had watched a video on how to pack a backpack through the airport, so it didn't get caught up in the mechanisms at the airport. This was what the guy suggested an IKEA bag and I have to suggest that for anybody traveling or moving with oddly shaped items you are flying with.


When I got to the Tennessee Airport baggage carrousel, I realized that I needed to push, pull, or somehow get to the street with my luggage 'bag.'


I called Uber from the curb and the guy said, 'Oh, I can't pick you up there I'll get a ticket. You need to come to me' and I thought to myself, there's NO WAY I'm carrying this bag ½ mile. So, I canceled the ride with Uber.


I'm standing out at the curb and actually just enjoying the nice weather and praying when a car pulls up.  I see the Uber light in his window, but the light is not turned on. 


His passengers were getting out and saying, 'thank you'.


So, I bent over and looked inside, and said, 'Can you give me a ride?'  


He replies and says, 'Well, I'm not working, this is a private ride' and I said, 'Would you be willing to give me a ride I need to go to the Extended Stay Hotel.


He thought about it (and I prayed) and he said 'yes.'


Did you hear the praise chorus in heaven!! Hallelujah, Hallelujah!! it's a Praise God moment!

My heart was singing, at the first of God's supernatural provisions!! 


I KNOW Someone is looking out for me, and I'm so happy! At 3 AM, what a relief to find a ride!



At the Nashville TN airport:

The way it works at Tennessee Airport, is that there's a special parking lot underneath or somewhere at the airport and it's specifically for Uber and Lyft and all those rides but I didn't know that.


It's not stated on the Uber app, so I don't know how you would know that. I am giving my $.02 here…


Put individual airport notes in the app.


It's not that way at: ATL,LAX,PSP,ONT, so I was a bit befuddled. 


So yes, of course as a woman alone at night 3:00 in the morning I needed to be careful. I had no qualms, no disturbances in my spirit. Ladies, listen to your gut. God gave you 'vibes' for a reason. Men too, I am sure, but women definitely are more vulnerable to crimes.


I had a peace. I was trusting it was going to be fine.


I 'had a knowing' that this guy was safe NOT harmful. It seemed like he was a nice guy.  If you get any qualms ANY inner message that it's not safe, DON'T TALK TO THE PERSON. Do not engage!  Just keep moving away.


If it is necessary, very deliberately put your hands up and say "STOP"



This man was, helping his friends out at 3:00 in the morning for their flight, and he was very kind and took me the 5 minutes to the hotel.  I asked him, "how much do I owe you for the ride?"  He said "Nothing. I'm not working. It's just a private ride." 


As a Thank you, I gave him some cash because he didn't have to do that, it took his gas and time.







Now I have to say, that 50 lb bag was getting heavier each time I moved it and with my two other bags I was getting tired. It was getting harder to move my stuff.  



I am now at the Hotel and at the front door there is a sign for 'After hours check in' to 'pick up the phone, press zero and say I need to check in.'



I had called her while I was standing out at the edge of the airport curb waiting for a ride, because I wanted to get the address.

 

So, when I got at the hotel she says, with a total attitude, "Oh are you the lady that put me on hold and then hung up and then said you'd call back?" and I said to her,


"I'm not sure what I said, but I couldn't hear you and I was trying to get a ride. Anyway, I'd like to check in." 


She said, "you're not in the system, you're not here."


I had to laugh I was like really? I am standing right here! What do you mean I am 'Not here.' I told her I had called from LA and the girl said I was checked in and my room was confirmed.


I had told the hotel desk receptionist before I left Los Angeles 'save my room, I'm coming, I'll be there at 2am or so' and she said that she would be sure my room was held for me. 



This new lady was saying there's "no room" and she says, "Oh! she can't do that I'm going to talk to her. She should not have done that, You're not in the system!  You don't have a reservation." 


'I'm thinking, okay what kind of hotel is this, make a reservation and not honor it!?'


She is tapping away on the screen 'No, we don't have any rooms, Hotel.com always over books us'... I'm just watching her work on the computer and I'm standing here with my 60 lb of of stuff and then she writes a number on a key card and hands it to me says, "okay here's a room."


I said, "thank you wondering what just happened." I got the key card and asked,


"Is there a luggage rack?"


"No, we don't have anything like that." 


 I asked if there's a porter or someone to help me.


" No, we don't have that either." I was too tired to even think poorly of this place, later I would find out they are known for poor customer service.


I started to push my bags back outside.  She told me on my way out, "it's around the back the second building, upstairs."


It was so funny, here I am at 3 AM, I am tired and this lady was no help to me at all and I was getting giddy silly, because it was Rudely Comical. 'No room at the Inn', kept going through my mind.



I managed to put my small backpack on my front and then the big heavy Ikea bag on my back and I prayed for strength.  I felt as though I was picking up an elephant. I prayed my knees wouldn't buckle. 


I'm laughing!  I'm laughing, telling the story and remembering it. Because I think when you think you can't do something God steps in and says, "Sure you can, I'll help you." 


I walked around to the back building and went up the stairs because there's no elevator.  


I went step by step, step by step, very carefully trying to be quiet because it's Oh dark thirty.


And I got in my room. I was "safe!" I felt like I had run a home run!



So here I am in my room, just resting and I will take a nap.  I don't have any plans for a meal of any kind.  I want to go for a walk, but I am just here resting.


I'm thankful and I'm happy, and I'm aware that God is on my side and helping me do things I didn't think I could do.


Like lifting 60 lb of stuff.  That's pretty funny. It bet it was funny to see. I was thinking I was making my life easier by having a large bag but wasn't thinking of how I would transport it. My main concern was to keep the baggage to a minimum in size for later.



All of my necessary items have been reduced to 60 lb of stuff. 


Clothes, makeup, supplements, computer, phone, chargers, boots, tennis shoes. 


That's my life.  Oh, and moccasins. Yep, got to have moccasins. i am a firm believer in letting your feet get strong while walking on the ground. I like the feel of the ground under my feet, and it is good exercise for them at the same time.




Anyway, I am very thankful, I made it safe to TN.

I'm very happy. I have reservations to see a show in downtown Nashville tomorrow. I can't wait!





I hope you'll join me as I travel.


Pray, pray, travel.



As a side note, back on the airplane.


I sat down in my seat and after about, I don't know 4 minutes or so we were waiting for them to get us going.  They had to get somethings off the other plane, maybe suitcases or something I don't know.


So,I'm sitting there just waiting like everybody else, my other prayer was answered and that everybody was calm.  Even babies. 


Those tired babies had been seriously unhappy at the airport.


Babies became quiet on the airplane. That was a blessing, because I was concerned it would be a loud flight. It was whisper silent instead.


I was wondering, I wasn't worried, but I was wondering, if this was this going to be a flight with babies crying and very uncomfortable people for four hours.


It was actually the opposite and I thank the Lord for answering that prayer.


So back to the 4-minute wait and somebody tapped me on my head.


I looked behind me and it was my friend from high school!


She asks, "What are you doing?"


I said, "I'm going to Tennessee, escaping CA"


"She replies, "What did you do?" 


I said, "I'm leaving California. What are you doing?"


She says, "our daughter bought an Airbnb and we're going to get it set up in Nashville."



I replied, "I'll see you when we get off the plane."


 We didn't connect after, but it was nice to see a friend of mine as I left CA.






Shalom, Shalom.  Be at peace and let your heart not be troubled.  As you trust in the Lord, for the known and the unknown.



PS. The show I was to see was canceled, one of the performers was sick. I just stayed in when I heard it was CMA weekend and downtown was crazy busy. I am not one to go into drunken crowds after dark. So, my trip to Nashville was not real eventful. Apart from my late check in and rude receptionis

PPS. go to the Wyndam by the Waffle house near the airport in Tennessee, its only $15.00 more a night and they are kind, friendly, helpful and have a porter and luggage rack at 3am. 

I asked them!





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