Trip to St. Petersburg

So I went to St. Petersburg for a meeting last week and flew out of Pensacola on a nonstop 1.5 hour flight - FABULOUS! From Mobile it was going to be connections in Atlanta, Dallas, or Houston, so I'm way ahead of the game here, right? Well, when I look for my gate I have to ride an escalator down to a tiny area where 3 men are sitting and there are a total of 8 chairs, so I think "mistake" and ride right back up that escalator. I restudy the signs, and realize that that was indeed my gate. I bravely go back down the escalator (yes fellas, I'm back, I meant to go in a circle - I love riding escalators!). When we finally walk out to the plane I climb up the stairs and have to duck my head and swallow back a little claustrophobia. This plane is tiny. I'm sure the logo painted on the wing is Fisher-Price. There are 19 seats and a tiny aisle from which I can touch both sides of the airplane simultaneously.

I take my seat and watch the man close the door then go sit in the cockpit. There's no door on the cockpit - cool! Someone makes an announcement about flight time, etc. I look around for where the stewardess is sitting, because I've missed her. Nope, no jumpseat by the front door. Nope, no jumpseat in the rear. Hey, where's the bathroom? Holy crap - was that the pilot locking the door and talking???

Now I realize that this is a tiny do-it-yourself flight for businessmen. And I wish I was a businessman wearing a suit - it's freezing with no heater and no blankets. I also refrain from holding my arm out to see if I even need to lean over to reach the window across the aisle. When we land (I was tempted to shout suggestions from my seat on the approach) and I finally get to the luggage carousel, I feel very foolish. My suitcase is the only one sitting on the silent conveyor belt. Silly woman - if I didn't have that damn bottle of Clear Care for my contacts I could've been in a cab already!

The return trip was even better because I was the only passenger - it was a charter flight! That is why I surreptitiously snapped some photos before turning off my phone. I was tempted to take more during takeoff and landing, but I would've had to reprimand myself and take my phone away.