Swap 'til You Drop

It all started with a 3day trip, layovers in Atlanta and New Orleans. Now I basically asked for this trip... anytime I get to visit home and get paid for it I take it. And I have never been to New Orleans and I wanted the opportunity to visit The Big Easy and party like it's Mardi Gras, even if it is a Tuesday night.

The only problem it wasn't backed up with my other trips. Now if I had been based in Atlanta it wouldn't have been a big deal, but being a commuter you cringe at the fact that your trips are not backed up. This is one more day you spend in a nasty crash pad... or one more day that you spend trying to list yourself on standby in hopes that someone with 85 years seniority doesn't get the last seat before you.

So I turned to the ever so faithful swap board. This is a place where all the flight attendants and new hires list their really crappy trips in hopes that someone somewhere out there will trade you for their equally as crappy trip that works better with your schedule, or somehow you will get lucky and score something that no one has ever seen before. That's how I ended up with a new 3day trip. This one with layovers in Seattle and Washington DC. Score! I wanted to see both of these places SO bad. Problem! It wasn't commutable. I just jumped at the opportunity to see 2 new cities that I didn't even realize I passed up a day at home to spend just another day commuting because my trip didn't release until 11:30pm. Yes, the airline industry is 24/7/365... but flights from NYC to ATL just don't happen at midnight.

Back to the swap board. With no hopes of finding anything I turned to Facebook. Yes, Facebook. Here we have a vast number of groups that we can beg and plead and even bribe other flight attendants to take our trips. Like the swap board, but much more annoying and personal. My post looked something like this:

"Looking for someone to swap. Will take any trip on July 24. Layovers in SEA and IAD. Great trip, just trying to commute"


The reply...


"I will swap you for my Madrid! If you're interested just take it. It's on the board."


Excuse me what!? Is that a international trip!? Someone wants my new hire trip and will swap me for an international to Spain? Um, YES I'm interested!

And that is how I scored an awesome trip to Madrid. I'll just call it new hire luck :)

Bull Fighting Arena

Plaza Mayor

Bull Bar. The walls were completely covered with pictures of bull fighting injuries. Quite gruesome, but very entertaining I must say.

Apparently those hams can go for up to $1200 a leg! Or at least that what I was told

The Cathedral

The Palace

This couple was so adorable. They were sitting outside the park performing with each other. They could  have cared less if anyone was watching though, you could tell they were still so in love. Absolutely precious. Made a great romantic scene in the old streets of Madrid.

These street performers were amazing. Her entire outfit is made from a tarp and a grocery bag, and his instrument is made out of things you can find in street. Notice the bottom is a desk lamp.

Still trying to figure this one out. The back is even more intriguing. 

I have no idea if both people are even real... and how he is squatting that long.

The symbol of Madrid

Cutting the meat for our tapas 

Enjoying Spanish sangria.