TRIP INTERRUPTUS

Or why I’m on a plane instead of easing into my return home ……..

A whole day and a lesson I hope not to need to use in future about how not to fall into the airlines preferred way of accommodating your rebooking.

Involved two hours on the plane while they tried to repair an engine that wouldn’t start (and I’m on the repaired plane now). Flight cancelled and for a while felt some things went pretty well – like they opened an EES checkpoint just for us. After baggage claim the experience lengthened into an endless series of waiting lines.

This, in retrospect I think, was where we went wrong. We should’ve dealt directly with Delta agents instead of doing what Delta told us by text and representatives waving us along.

We’d arrived at 10am for a 1:30pm flight and left the airport finally at 6:40pm in a taxi offered instead of a bus when I began questioning things. Like I had to ask for a photo off the subcontractors phone to know where they were sending us when they said an hour away. They did not intend to give us even a piece of paper with the hotel name on it or shuttle transport provider. The one hour turned into one and a half with some traffic challenge.

So, 9:15pm to get to this

Dinner service in late night eating Spain was closed. We had okay pizza in the bar (and more drinks) rather than use the only food compensation provided for the night – 35€ Uber Eats!!!!!!!

The hotel was nice enough and breakfast was good, but I’ll be making my feelings known to Delta about failing to provide lodging within reasonable distance. We were waaaay up the coastline. The absence of choices was discouraging.

Even the flight they rebooked (ie they just held the crew and plane for repairs) was delayed. I’m not on the same flight for the last leg of the trip as Beth and Mary and will get home in the wee hours after a 11:45pm PDX arrival.

I’ll be glad to get home to Nyx, my bed and Sonicare toothbrush. I’m always ready to get back to my life. This time that involves a significant condo refresh.

Beth handled the delay as an extra adventure. Me, I had a moment or maybe two. Mary just seemed tired and determined. Beth said I needed to eat, get some rest and settle. She was, as often, right about me. After check in I did better, but really! We enjoyed the bar again and that helped. I’ll get my perspective back after I provide my feedback……. And I guess the good news side of this part of my tale is that I’ve traveled this many years without more than a couple hours of delayed flights. Law of averages and all that! And next time it happens, I’ll go rogue on my own and submit “reasonable expenses”. I still have a life filled with good friends and many things others don’t have. Like a trip to Spain and a walk on the Catalan coast.

And I’ll live to travel again!!!