Repost from June 21, 2012
I think a month or so ago, I put in my order. I wanted mom’s baobao (steam buns with bbq pork, asian sausage, and mushrooms). I like mom’s baobaos the best because I get to choose what goes into them. I don’t usually like boiled eggs, sauce/filler, or green onions. Sometimes cilantro is a good surprise. Mom’s baobaos are the best! Tuesday night, mom started working on the filling - soaking mushrooms, cooking pork, chopping sausage. She got up early on Wednesday to get started on the steaming. By the time I woke up, the dining table had trays of steamed buns. With all that I had packed (my carry-on is super heavy with technology and emergency clothes), I had to navigate my treats very carefully - so only one dozen buns in a take-out container.
We left Columbia around noon, only to hit traffic on the beltway - Bethesda through Tyson’s Corner, and part of the Dulles throughway for the metro construction? The whole time debating whether to follow our GPS navigator’s detour directions. (It does show traffic.) Jackie and Jon helped carry my stuff. Mom and dad stood back as I checked-in my larger-than-I-wanted suitcase. Shuffled through the security check - why do I always get pulled for the mega-x-ray screening? Then the waiting began at the gate.
I sat near the windows, and watched the ground crew load the food onto the plane, and then the luggage. They had a hard time driving the cart to the conveyor belt. I hope my luggage arrives! I ate a baobao, fresh raspberries and blackberries (certainly more tart than the ones in San Francisco), and my honey bbq chips - I gotta bring down my carry-ons to a reasonable size. Finally, time to board the plane.
The line, rather the mass, started to form and a few people made it through the glass doors, only to be stopped. Mechanical error?!? They all got ushered back to the waiting area, and some needed new boarding passes. Then the announcements came: “We have a mechanical error, we will update you every 30 minutes.” “The mechanics have identified the problem and are looking for a replacement part.” “We will let you know if you are taking off tonight, or if the flight will be re-assigned.”
Two more baobaos later, I was in line to get my voucher for my hotel room, dinner and lunch. It was 9pm, and the flight was “delayed” until 10am the next morning. As hopeful as I was, there was no way to make it back to Dulles for a 10 am international flight driving from Baltimore. To the hotel it was. It was a very spiffy hotel - rather resort, spa, golf course, several restaurants (only the bar was open at 10:30), several pools including a water slide. If only I could sleep in longer.
Another baobao for breakfast (I opted for more sleep, a nice shower, in leu of overpriced breakfast). And I am here again at the gate. Boarding is delayed another hour, because they underestimated how long it would take to get the whole lot of us bussed back to the airport, re-issued new boarding passes, through security, and back at the gate.
Better safe than sorry. Maybe I’ll have another bun.