Complexities

Yesterday we began our trip. Houston to Atlanta – Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale – Fort Lauderdale to Panama. The plane was pushed away from the gate on time.

That was the last thing that happened on schedule.

The plane was towed back to the gate because of a thunderstorm in Atlanta, our first connection. We were unloaded and spent our quality terminal time scheduling a new Fort Lauderdale connection.

We finally arrived in Atlanta where we got our aerobic exercise running between terminals and out to the main terminal futilely seeking a better way to Fort Lauderdale. Then our existing connection was delayed. Game Over.

We arrived in Fort Lauderdale 2 hours after our Panama flight left. Luckily there are some problems money can solve. We have a Friday flight to Panama. In retrospect I should have booked the expensive, but direct Houston – Panama flight.

Now for the rant: How does a 30 minute thunderstorm delay a flight for 3 hours – especially one that doesn't take off until 7 hours after the storm is over? Proof of a system far too complex. I sometimes worry there are too many other complex systems in society just waiting for a storm.

Another 48 hours and we will be leaving many of those complexities behind, at least for a few weeks.