Describe a time when you missed an event or a plane, train or bus

I'd like to describe a time when I missed my flight to Dubai, about two years ago. I was going to visit a friend for a long weekend, and I'd been looking forward to it for weeks. The flight was at seven in the morning, so I planned to leave my house at four.

The problem was that I made a stupid mistake the night before. I set my alarm for four in the afternoon instead of four in the morning, because I'd used the wrong setting on my phone. I woke up at six, which was almost an hour before the flight, and realised immediately what had happened. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my bag and took a taxi to the airport, hoping against hope that I might still make it. When I arrived at twenty past six, the check-in desk was already closed, and a member of staff told me the flight was boarding and I couldn't get on.

I was furious with myself. I tried to be practical, though. I asked the airline whether there was another flight that day, and they offered me a seat on an evening departure for an extra fee. I paid it, called my friend to explain and spent the day in the airport waiting.

I felt embarrassed and annoyed, and I lost nearly a day of my trip. But I also learned from it. Now I always set two alarms, I check them twice, and I prepare my bag the night before. Missing that flight taught me that small details really do matter.