I have never been one who needed to be at the airport hours before my flight. So when the travel agent told me that we were taking a 5.45 am ferry off of Malololailai island in order to be at the Fiji airport for our 11.20 flight, I told her there had to be another way.
So she switched our ferry to the next one, at 8.45 which arrives at the marina at 9.50 for a 20 minute drive to the airport. She said it would be tight and not the 2 hours recommended, but we would make it provided we skipped the free shuttle and took a taxi.
Our last morning arrived and we sat out at the beachfront restaurant and enjoyed a fabulous breakfast with our friends. Our waitress felt compelled to inform us,
“You’re still here, you are going to miss your flight.”
A few best friend hugs goodbye and we boarded our ferry.
We followed the travel agents recommendation and requested our luggage be stowed near the top for a quick retrieval. The reply to which was, ”
“An 11.20 flight, Oh no, you are going to miss it.”
At the marina we easily found a taxi and were on our way by 10.00. Our friendly taxi driver asked the time of our flight and then replied,
“Oh no, you are going to miss your flight. There is construction.“
Then he hit the gas. And I mean hit it. I didn’t know those old crappy cars could take off like that.
No regard for safety or other traffic, just go.
I was in the front seat, seat belt fastened. I tried to capture the roadsigns, but we were moving so fast. Sorry, not my best photography, but you get the idea.
I could see the construction zone ahead and the man with stop sign regulating traffic in the only available lane. As we flew past him he turned the sign to slow. At first I thought,
“Perfect timing.”
It was a few seconds later, when I saw the on-coming cars in the ONLY open lane that I realized he turned the sign not because it was our turn, but as a warning to us to slow down!
Very calmly our cabbie swerved across the cones and into the construction side, continuing to drive quickly over the torn up road, swerving back as traffic cleared. Again and again.
After that it was honking and passing anyone on the road.
I turned to the back seat, the family looked a bit terrified. Then we saw this . . .
Finally, 18 minutes later we arrived at Nadi airport. (It should have taken 40 with the construction).
We entered the airport and looked at the maze for the queue at the Air New Zealand counter. It was empty. There were two open windows, but not another passenger in site.
At 10.20 we approached the counter for our 11.20 flight and the representative said,
“You must be the Albom family.”
“How did you know?”
“You are the last ones.”
So, no drama. We got our tickets, cleared security and all of the other international traveler checkpoints and even had time to buy a sandwich and some final souvenirs before we boarded the plane.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I am sure you know which sign is not real. I can’t take credit for it though – I got the idea from Not Worth Mentioning, who challenged us to use this sign. Thanks Copyboy Jesse! Frighteningly, the rest of the story IS real.
And, if you are not completely tired of seeing Fiji, I have opened a new Fiji Pictures Store at Zazzle. You can see my best photos on all sorts of products there. I will get some out on Amazon in the next few months as well.
Just curious, do you get to the airport early? or have you ever missed a flight?
If you laughed, or just thought I was an idiot, please Vote for Laugh Quotes by clicking on the fence:
Travel with us as we laugh our way around the globe. I am Rhonda Albom, wife, mom, photographer and blogger, sharing the lighter side of our traveling family's life with two teens. 
Considering my dress and the special VIP service I get I HAVE to arrive at least 4 hrs before my flight..the earliest I ever cleared security and got to my gate was 45 mins before boarding I would love to be able to travel like you
Dafeenah recently posted..Building Your Writing Empire
Four hours, what a pain and if I do the math correctly, it actually takes at least three hours. Sorry to hear it. Thanks for commenting and sharing yourself with us so often. You are so brave.
Oh just to clarify that is in the USA now overseas I am more like you but in the states there is no way I would definitely miss my flight if I tried that
Dafeenah recently posted..Building Your Writing Empire
LOL – I don’t think I would show up for an international flight in the US with only an hour, and I have an American passport. Now I understand why you need four hours.
We are always early and we don’t miss our flights. That was one hair raising story though. Not a care in the world just taking our time and then the cab ride. I hope you tipped him really nicely.
Have a terrific day.
Comedy Plus recently posted..Awww…Mondays #91
Oh yes, he was tipped well. Although I am pretty sure we would have made it either way. We had plenty of time, especially with no lines. Traffic in and out of Fiji just isn’t the same volume as bigger countries.
Thank goodness you made it! What a great sign! Once on a ski trip years ago, they paged me by name in the ladies room of a small airport. Of course I was not even slightly embarrassed!
Julie recently posted..The New BFF’s (Blogging Friends & Followers)
LOL – I wouldn’t be embarrassed either, although I am not sure and I think your answer might have been sarcasm.
Real or not, I love the sign!
Joyce Lansky recently posted..The Spark Blogfest
You can make one too. Lots of funny stuff with Catch My Words.
I did miss a flight about 20 years ago, I got to the airport and the plane doors had just been shut so I managed to see my plane taxi off leaving me in Christchurch wondering what on earth I was going to do. No more flights until the next day when I was supposed to be at work by 8.30 in the morning – oops!
The worst thing was that I had left in plenty of time, but the person taking me to the airport got a flat tyre, luckily he waved down another couple of people who we recognized from the conference we’d all been at and they offered to take me the rest of the way……..then their car broke down – it was like a comedy film
Louanne recently posted..Shopaholic Gift Ideas
So, what did you do in Christchurch overnight. It is one of my favorite cities, so much to do. Of course that is now, I have no idea what it was like 20 years ago. I would imagine not as interesting.
I actually ended up staying the night at Jim Anderton’s house (long story) with about 4 other people it was very interesting – talk about a crash course in NZ political history for a young girl fresh from the UK! Then his wife Carole took me shopping in Sydenham the next morning before taking me to the airport – she couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t hold the plane for me because they always did for her
Louanne recently posted..The Beatles T-Shirts
LOL – they wouldn’t hold the plane for you too. That is hilarious. What an interesting night you must have had.
Many years ago your mother and I went to Florida with tickets to go to Nassua. In those old days you had to confirm your flight 24 hours in advance. I called the airline and they told me they had cancelled our reservtions because the 30 minute flight was an international flight requiring 72 hours confirmation. After arguing
for a while he finally got us rebooked on the plane. I then asked to confirm by return flight since we were not going to be in Nassua for 72 hours. He said I could only confirm our flight home in Nassua. I said but you could cancel it for not being timely confirmed. He said that would never happen. I said it just did. He said that would never happen. I said it just did. He said that would never happen. I said it just did.
Dad
LOL Dad, Sounds like you were destined to be a humor blogger too. That is why these things happen to us.
Had to laugh, I’ve been in some similar situations, but having to take a ferry at 5:45am – that doesn’t bare thinking about does it.
I love the customisable signs. I have one on my Religious Jokes lens on Squidoo. There is a lot you can do with them.
On my first trip to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) we had been out dancing all night with people from the office (not planned), then dropped into a hotel for breakfast, but by the time we got back to our hotel there was barely enough time to pack our bags, to check out, and to head off to the airport.
The airport took forever to get to, it’s a long way outside the city, and then the queues were horrendous. There was a queue for this, another for that, and by the time we arrived at the gate, it was already closed.
Fortunately we were travelling first class, and American Airlines being very helpful as always, managed to find us 2 seats in first class on the Pan Am flight that was departing for Miami in about 20 minutes.
So, we were practically frog marched to the gate, out onto the tarmac, and they had to put the steps back to the door for us to board. Phew!
We got to Miami and went to get our bags, bumping into another visitor who had been with us, and who had been really concerned about not having seen us on the plane.
Having not slept the night before, we certainly did on the night flight back to London.
Tony Payne recently posted..More Religious Jokes updated Sat Aug 6 2011 7:56 am CDT
Amazing that they had more first class seats available on another airline that late, and they hadn’t upgraded someone else. Thanks for sharing your story.
you live to prove people wrong, dont you =)
and i love your sign!
tara tyler recently posted..Oooo, Sparky Sparkles!
Yes, I guess I do. Never a dull moment, and always something to laugh about. Hey, maybe that should be my new tag line.
Loved it and yes I am at the airport early. We always have a mad taxie driver I think that is all there are.
I voted for you on the fence always for myself too. I may be the only one voting for me.
Elise recently posted..Becoming a Grandmother
Do you live in New York or Boston? I have heard they cabbies are all mad there
Thanks for voting for me. 
I said but you could cancel it for not being timely confirmed. I called the airline and they told me they had cancelled our reservtions because the 30 minute flight was an international flight requiring 72 hours confirmation.
Maryann Lester recently posted..Many Mops
Traffic in and out of Fiji just isn’t the same volume as bigger countries. Oh yes, he was tipped well.
Summer Richardson recently posted..Top Realtors in Murrieta CA
Thankfully there was less traffic than Auckland (which is less than much of the world).