My travel nightmare

[skymama 35]

I'm supposed to be on a train to Paris right now. I'm posting this from my home.

We got to the airport yesterday, everyone was in high spirits. We were concerned that our flight to Miami was going to come in too late to make our flight from Miami to London (we have been checking on the web the last week and their track record wasn't good), so we went early to catch an earlier flight. We got on that flight, we were thrilled and sat around until boarding.

You know how you hear about people sitting on a plane, stuck on a runway, and you think, "boy, that must suck"? Well, that was us! We were ready for take-off and the pilot said there were mechanical difficulties, something about asymmetrical flaps, and we had to go back. We sat there for 2 hours on the plane before they cancelled the flight. The real kicker? The flight we were originally scheduled for took off. It was late again, but it left!

We got off with everyone else to reschedule, and then we were told all luggage is going to Miami. So, if we tried to get a flight out of another city, our luggage was still going to Miami!

We waited for an hour to get rescheduled. A girl typed her heart out getting us on a flight to Atlanta, then straight to Paris, our final destination, (instead of London) and sent all these messages to get the luggage to Atlanta. We had to run back to the front of the airport to Delta (we were on American) to get our tickets and they told us we weren't in their system. Steve ran back to the American counter, he's calling me on the cell phone to talk to the Delta people and we find out that the Delta flight is overbooked and the registration never went through!

Now, it's about 7 hours later than when we first started, we've had no food, we're exhausted and totally frustrated. They gave us new tickets, a ride home and we're starting over again today.

We have no idea where our luggage is.
We've lost an entire day of sightseeing in Paris.
We've lost $500 on non-refundable train tickets that go from London to Paris. (The airline is at least giving us a flight from London to Paris, but there's a long lay-over).
We lost $200 for an apartment in Paris that we've already paid to stay in tonight while now we'll still be on the plane.
It will cost more money to get to the apartment from the airport than it would from the train.
I am back home, but all my toiletries to get dressed today are in my luggage!

There is such a sense of dread in starting this all over again today. I'll feel so much better when we at least find our luggage. Sigh...what a way to start a vacation.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[souleh 0]

Doh, feel your pain on that one! Chin up though, it'll be great once you finally get to Paris.
Hope you've taken an umbrella

'buttplugs? where?' - geno

[JENNR8R 0]

Wow! It sucks to be you today. Someone wrote this to me in another thread. Does your mind feel expanded yet?

***Travel expands your mind by -

- taking you out of your comfort zone, forcing you to adapt to whatever comes along

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[lauraliscious 0]

That sucks!!! I hope your next travel attempt goes much better. I'm sending you good travel vibes...

Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091

[normiss 622]

geez I hope this isn't some kind of a sign...
BIG important trips? Travel insurance.
Sounds like the airline should be hooking you guys up! Complain more...LOTS more!
I've also been told when traveling to Europe...go with Virgin. Directs from MCO also...those connecting flights to get to Europe can be a pain.

best wishes Andrea, I hope the trip gets much better...and it will all be worth it soon enough!

[skymama 35]

LOL, I was just reading your thread and thinking, "I need to be more like Jen and just stay home".

I usually love traveling. I've never experienced anything like this, I guess it was my turn. All the reasons that Lisa gave you to travel to a foreign country are spot on. I'm spending a fortune taking my kids on this trip because I want them to get the travel bug while they are young. I've traveled around the states a good bit too, but it's really cool to visit places that are more than 250 years old.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skymama 35]

Thanks! Can't you pull some strings for me now that you work there?

The worst thing for you all is that I'm going to be online today and now I'm really grouchy.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[jakee 1,254]

I feel your pain.

Sat on the tarmac for 2 hours? Been there, done that, told them where they could shove their bloody T-shirt!

Hope the next flight works out for you.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[normiss 622]

SNAP!
there goes my whole "while skymama is off-line what can we do to misbehave again" thread idea.

there IS wireless all over MCO my dear...and a mall, and some fine restaurants, even a Crocs store (although I have a suspicion this is only for European tourists )

[skymama 35]

Yeah, but if I pull the laptop out I have to share it with the kids too. I figured it was better not to bother with it than to listen to Alix complaining that it was her turn.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[JENNR8R 0]

Glad that you're learning to "adapt."

Your experience is what traveling means to me. I'd rather see your pictures when you get back.

What do you call a beautiful, sunny day that comes after two cloudy, rainy
ones? -- Monday.

[skymama 35]

Well, if we ever get there, I'll try to upload some pics along the way and give you some, "where in the world is skymama" moments.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[jenfly00 0]

Quote

but all my toiletries to get dressed today are in my luggage!

????????????????????????? Just exactly what do you require to "get dressed".

-----------------------
"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[skymama 35]

Well, to start with, a little deoderant would be nice. I know, I know, I'm high maintenance.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[jenfly00 0]

Quote

Well, to start with, a little deoderant would be nice. I know, I know, I'm high maintenance.

Ok, not one bit of deoderant around your house ...what else?

-----------------------
"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[Shotgun 1]

Quote

Well, to start with, a little deoderant would be nice. I know, I know, I'm high maintenance.

Hey, you're going to Europe. You'll be alright without deodorant.

But good luck in having a better travel day today! Sounds like it will be a fun vacation.

[bbarnhouse 0]

Well hell Andrea my plane has been swtiched for tomorrow as well.
The airline discontinued direct flights into Miami so now we have to fly to Charlotte first. The damn Charlotte flights are ALWAYS late which means we will more than likely miss our connection to Miami.
GRRRRRRR...asshats.

[MikeForsythe 0]

If it is any consolation the last time that I flew into Charles de Gaulle the flight was on time and I had a great week, oh, the flight home was on time too.

Hope everything works out and you have a great time.

Time and pressure will always show you who a person really is!

[piisfish 135]

Quote

Hey, you're going to Europe. You'll be alright without deodorant.

we don't need any, we are naturally clean and good-smelling

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[simplyputsi 0]

so am i to understand that your luggage is sitting at the Atlanta airport???

hmmmmmmm........

Skymama's #2 stalker -

[piisfish 135]

Quote

Wow! It sucks to be you today. Someone wrote this to me in another thread. Does your mind feel expanded yet? ***Travel expands your mind by - - taking you out of your comfort zone, forcing you to adapt to whatever comes along

for the moment she's still travelling inside the US of A

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skymama 35]

Quote

so am i to understand that your luggage is sitting at the Atlanta airport???

Could be Miami, could be Atlanta, could be in someone's house because they stole it from the luggage carousel last night! Tell you what, if you find it, I'll let you keep one of my thongs as a finder's fee.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skymama 35]

Quote

Well hell Andrea my plane has been swtiched for tomorrow as well.

Argh, that's awful too, Betsy! Are you on American too? Some poor folks going to/from Dallas got their flight cancelled yesterday too. The airlines have overbooked so many of the flights, it's hard to get on a new one. We begged to get on an early morning flight and even said we'd rent a car and drive to Miami but there was absolutely nothing available. I had heard reports that the summer travel season was going to be tough, I believe it now!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[simplyputsi 0]

I already have one of your thongs

I doubt that it's in someones house. Probably behind some counter or getting shuffled onto another plane to meet up with you eventually.

Hope things get worked out for you. I would probably be strangling someone by now if I were you.

Skymama's #2 stalker -

[skymama 35]

Quote

I would probably be strangling someone by now if I were you.

The kids are still in bed, I don't know if they're still sleeping or hiding.

On the plus side, I found some deodorant in my gear bag and last night I found the toothpaste in my drawer that was supposed to be in my luggage (oops, forgot that!). Things are looking up!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon