Traveling – It’s Not Always Great…..
Anyone who has traveled to a family function with kids might appreciate this….this was a trip report I actually filed at work.
Just arrived back home. I figure I can avail myself this opportunity to entertain you a bit with some of the trials and tribulations of this little trip for my sister’s wedding. I know I sometimes enjoy listening to someone else’s travel episodes and end up thinking “Boy, things aren’t so bad after all eh?”
- <in summary – sister’s wedding was short and sweet, nice to see my extended family – but glad I was booked to be in Las Vegas only 48 hours>
- Arrive at airport for “return flight” to go back home.
- Get notified that when Delta booked the flight on their code-sharing partner (Alaska), something got mixed up and my flight was actually going to be for the next day at 9:50PM (note – traveling with wife and a 5yr old and 3yr old)
- After lots of research and arguing, we realize there are no flights to go home whatsoever until tomorrow. <Head starting to ache>
- Call hotel where we had just checked out 2 hours earlier (and where many pieces of my extended family is still staying) and get the message that that hotel is booked and I cannot get a room there any longer. <I start using many colorful adjectives for this hotel>
- Finally call around and find a hotel with a room available.
- Arrange for transportation to take the shell-shocked family there and proceed to answer the questions (paraphrased) “Dad, why aren’t we going home?” – “Dad, are we going to Washington” – “Dad, are we going to live in Las Vegas”, etc.
- When I arrive, the check-in line is literally a line that is reminiscent of those lines witnessed at very popular rides at a Disney attraction. Queue wait time, in excess of 30 minutes. <Head ache is getting worse>
- Due to late departure of the next day’s flight, try to arrange for late checkout.
- Am informed that they can give me a late checkout. Instead of 11am, I can now check out at 12pm. (Note the 9:50pm flight departure)
- To add insult to injury, not only am I paying for an extra night I had not anticipated, I am forced to pay for two extra nights since trying to keep a 3 and 5 yr old under control with nowhere to go in a place like Las Vegas is a bit fraught with peril.
- I am informed that my first night is $140.00 for the first night, but my second “night” which realistically I am using for 6 hours or so is going to be $199. <At this point in time, the vein in my temple is starting to throb…..>
- No AAA discount, no corporate discount, no negotiations…par for the course at this point in time.
- Finally, after staying the night and exhausting all the local entertainment options and watching a pay-per-view movie for $10.99 of “Chicken Little” which I already own at home – it is finally about an hour prior to when it makes sense to go to the airport. <Word of wisdom, do not take a 3 or 5 yr old to a 3D IMAX movie – they won’t necessarily be thrilled>
- I try to see about getting a shuttle (since unfortunately, we have so many bags [don’t ask] we all don’t fit in a single taxi with our baggage) and am informed that that last shuttle arrived at 6pm, and they run from 6am to 6pm. <Aneurysm imminent>
- End up spending $60.00 for a limo to take us to the airport since it was the only viable transportation that was readily available that wouldn’t require splitting the clan into separate vehicles.
- Arrive at airport (See #2)
- Arrive at gate
- Plane is delayed 45 minutes
- Plane is delayed another 40 minutes
- Finally arrive in Seattle, 1:30am
- Arrive home at 2:30am
- Note to self, if sister ever gets married for a second time – just mail her a check and don’t bring yourself and the family to her.
- And some people wonder why I am not a big fan of traveling.
– Mike Rothman