Willow Grove, PA (USA)

[Trip to Willow Grove for flight time] My American Airlines flight from DFW wasn't too early (1105 takeoff ) so Nicky drove me to the airport (before arriving, we had to go back home to get my cell-phone... do'oh!). Checked in quickly (thanks to some help from a nice American Airlines attendant) and made it through the TSA expeditiously. Then learned that my flight was delayed until after 1200. Waited at the Lounge and then headed over to the gate - found a crowded flight. This was my first trip since the airlines jacked up the prices for checked baggage and the process was quite different.  In the past, I tried to get a seat near the front so I could get out of the airplane quickly after landing - now it seems that this strategy will end up leading to your bags being taken by the flight attendants... In other words, there isn't enough room for everyone to bring a carry-on but they do anyway! Oh well, I had some reading materials and the flight went pretty quickly. Arrived in Philadelphia to nasty weather and landed late (around 1530L).  I was planning to meet up with my friend, Scott, in the airport terminal (he was leaving on a trip) but he was already boarding by the time I arrived - too bad. It took a while to get my rental car (from Enterprise) but I was driving out of the lot by 1700. Glad that it was a weekend, because rush hour would have been terrible with the sleet and freezing rain. Even so, it seemed to take forever to get to NAS Willow Grove... Made it safely to the Navy Lodge and checked into my room. Everything worked smoothly from this point - had some take-out at McDonalds and then unpacked. Watched a little TV and went to bed.  Bring on the flying!