Saturday, July 24, 2004
Yet another day in airports. Pleasant time on plane from London, two friendly seatmates, one an Australian guy who was going back home, another a high school student who had spent a summer in London after winning a Shakespeare contest. We took off an hour late though, and lines for customs were long so the 2 hr connection time seemed slim.
Even worse waiting for luggage--one never showed up and with 40 minutes to go, I was advised to make a run for it and make my connection. Rainy and struggling with my heavy luggage. But got to the terminal, line which didn't seem that long turned into another wait of almost an hour. Found out flight had been cancelled and latest flight was way overbooked. Could get on standby but would have to almost 2 hours to see if I made it, or could go ahead and get hotel voucher for a confirmed flight at 1:30pm the next day. Having my cell phone really paid off since I was able to call my mom at airport in RDU, which was stormy and mom advised to get the next day's flight since the weather was so bad and she didn't want to be driving back late at night.
So after reporting my lost luggage, made it back to airtrain to hotel shuttle stop. Noone was answering phone at hotel and about a dozen of us were waiting. After a while shuttle finally showed up. When we got to Ramada, about 100 people in line, filling the entire lobby since I guess many people's flights got cancelled in addition to conventions. So I thought I'd use the free dinner coupon--waiter let me have buffet after I asked about the taxes and values of voucher. Fish, chicken, salad, scalloped potatoes, chocolate cake topping it off. At one point, looked like line down to 5 people so wasn't too worried, but by the time I finished, it was back to several dozen people in line. It wasn't bad though--I talked to Adam on my cell as well as a Mexican woman from NY who was there for a Jehovah's Witness conference. Of course, she offered me the brochure with the JW creed, but was surprised when I told her I had been to a service and had a good friend that was JW. She was there with 2 kids and husband so had nice time chatting.
By the time got to front of line and got checked in, was after 10 pm, too late to even think about going into city to explore, aside from which I was exhausted. Hotel staff looked spent, people now irked since they only had single bed rooms left, but that suited me fine of course so went on my way.
Flight next day. Almost got into trouble at check-in because of heavy luggage, but after explained that was connecting international flight and had already checked it through the day before, they told me not to worry about it. Big luggage looked weary, agent recommended hard case plastic since the cheap canvas ones tend not to last.
Hungry since didn't get breakfast included at hotel. By that time almost noon, so no breakfast anymore except au bon pain. Ended up getting sbarro pizza which was so so good. Sat down at table group with guy across from me. Turns out he was going back to his home country of Malaysia and was from Klang, the city I stayed in while I visited. He was pretty shocked when I told him I had been there.
Security line nonexistent, apparently it was slow time of day at airport. Security people were so funny--security woman was apparently trying to flirt with the guy security guard. "I want you" she says, "You want everyone" he retorts. Then she tries to get me involved "Tell him to come over here". So I try to call him over and she's like "She needs you to come over here...She's shy". And so on, with her continuing to try to get his attention. She told me he was crazy, he told me she was crazy. Him complaining that she kept on trying to flirt with him, though I opined she was just being friendly. Him finally declaring "I like men...I like the same thing you like!" Exchanged glances with third security guard sitting there who was laughing at the spectacle.
Flight back a little over an hour and slept part of way so went by fast. Sat next to guy returning from Vietnam who had travelled way longer than I had. Mom so excited to see me. Trauma in parking lot since elevators not working properly and almost had to pay an extra hour since took so long to get luggage and car in one place. But now home sweet home, NC greenery, yummy Mediterranean sandwhich at Subway, showing off pictures to Mom.
Even worse waiting for luggage--one never showed up and with 40 minutes to go, I was advised to make a run for it and make my connection. Rainy and struggling with my heavy luggage. But got to the terminal, line which didn't seem that long turned into another wait of almost an hour. Found out flight had been cancelled and latest flight was way overbooked. Could get on standby but would have to almost 2 hours to see if I made it, or could go ahead and get hotel voucher for a confirmed flight at 1:30pm the next day. Having my cell phone really paid off since I was able to call my mom at airport in RDU, which was stormy and mom advised to get the next day's flight since the weather was so bad and she didn't want to be driving back late at night.
So after reporting my lost luggage, made it back to airtrain to hotel shuttle stop. Noone was answering phone at hotel and about a dozen of us were waiting. After a while shuttle finally showed up. When we got to Ramada, about 100 people in line, filling the entire lobby since I guess many people's flights got cancelled in addition to conventions. So I thought I'd use the free dinner coupon--waiter let me have buffet after I asked about the taxes and values of voucher. Fish, chicken, salad, scalloped potatoes, chocolate cake topping it off. At one point, looked like line down to 5 people so wasn't too worried, but by the time I finished, it was back to several dozen people in line. It wasn't bad though--I talked to Adam on my cell as well as a Mexican woman from NY who was there for a Jehovah's Witness conference. Of course, she offered me the brochure with the JW creed, but was surprised when I told her I had been to a service and had a good friend that was JW. She was there with 2 kids and husband so had nice time chatting.
By the time got to front of line and got checked in, was after 10 pm, too late to even think about going into city to explore, aside from which I was exhausted. Hotel staff looked spent, people now irked since they only had single bed rooms left, but that suited me fine of course so went on my way.
Flight next day. Almost got into trouble at check-in because of heavy luggage, but after explained that was connecting international flight and had already checked it through the day before, they told me not to worry about it. Big luggage looked weary, agent recommended hard case plastic since the cheap canvas ones tend not to last.
Hungry since didn't get breakfast included at hotel. By that time almost noon, so no breakfast anymore except au bon pain. Ended up getting sbarro pizza which was so so good. Sat down at table group with guy across from me. Turns out he was going back to his home country of Malaysia and was from Klang, the city I stayed in while I visited. He was pretty shocked when I told him I had been there.
Security line nonexistent, apparently it was slow time of day at airport. Security people were so funny--security woman was apparently trying to flirt with the guy security guard. "I want you" she says, "You want everyone" he retorts. Then she tries to get me involved "Tell him to come over here". So I try to call him over and she's like "She needs you to come over here...She's shy". And so on, with her continuing to try to get his attention. She told me he was crazy, he told me she was crazy. Him complaining that she kept on trying to flirt with him, though I opined she was just being friendly. Him finally declaring "I like men...I like the same thing you like!" Exchanged glances with third security guard sitting there who was laughing at the spectacle.
Flight back a little over an hour and slept part of way so went by fast. Sat next to guy returning from Vietnam who had travelled way longer than I had. Mom so excited to see me. Trauma in parking lot since elevators not working properly and almost had to pay an extra hour since took so long to get luggage and car in one place. But now home sweet home, NC greenery, yummy Mediterranean sandwhich at Subway, showing off pictures to Mom.
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