Why This Blog Is Late (or, The Nelson Sisters Wrap-Up 2010 with a quick U.S. Tour) by Kibettoo

SATURDAY DECEMBER 18

Maui - L.A. - New York.
Spend days 5th Avenue window viewing, Rockerfeller tree awing, glogg drinking, pool playing, Christmas shopping, hat/glove/scarf wearing, friend seeing.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 24

New York - Atlanta.

6:30 am - Off to see siblings, niece and nephews. First travel experience with O. S. discovers that he does not feel the same need she does to get to the airport early. S. threatens to leave without him. H., peacemaker, sits between them in the cab.

Christmas Eve - Meatballs, presents, wine, etc. (Meanwhile, the news forecasts snow in Atlanta and pending blizzard in the Northeast.)

SATURDAY DECEMBER 25

Snow in Atlanta!
The news forecasts white-out and high winds in the northeast.

H & S prepare themselves for canceled flights and reschedule straight away. Nice sounding chap working the Delta phones in New Zealand rebooks S. to Monday morning. H & O reschedule on American Airlines. All is well.

Snow angels, snowballs fights, and game-playing ensues. Family time, well worth trip.


SUNDAY DECEMBER 26TH

Blizzard hits NYC. All airports closed. Storm predicted to end Monday morning.

S. attempts to reschedule flights again. Nice sounding chap working Delta phones in New Zealand becomes so overwhelmed he transfers S. without warning to an American woman who is exasperated from the get go and within a minute or two - wait for it – hangs up.

Call back. Nice lady in New Zealand answers. S. rebooked for Monday midday flight back to New York. Will make it in time to catch flight back to Maui on Tuesday morning.

MONDAY DECEMBER 27TH

Atlanta - Philly - New York.

8:00 am - Brother R. wakes S. shaking his head. Flight canceled. Delta shuts down phone and online booking. S. handles situation with less grace than desired.

10:00 am - S heads to airport with brother R. to deal with Delta in person.
Stands in Delta’s rebooking line while brother R. goes counter hopping to various airlines in attempt to rebook S. to NY or to make Maui connection. Booked. Booked. Booked. Unavailable. Unavailable. Unavailable.

S. observes that there are 8 open counters for pet-check in and unaccompanied minors and no lines. S. observes that there are 2 open counters for human check-in and a line 100+ people deep.

3:00 pm - Reach Delta counter. Offer to rebook to Philadelphia. Philadelphia??!! Nice young Indian couple one counter over assure S. they can help get her to New York. S. accepts boarding pass to Philly.

Immediately call Amtrak to reserve train ticket from Philly to New York. No trains running.

Run into young Indian couple at gate. They have bought tickets on Megabus. S. does the same.

4:00 pm - Text from H & O. Their multiple canceled flights = they are driving back to NY.

4:45 pm - The stand-by list numbers 199.
Announcement: delay due to late arriving plane.
Announcement: delay due to late arriving crew member (pause) - the captain.

5:45 pm - S. boards plane.

Text message: Megabus trip canceled.

S. heads to the loo. Sees man standing in the galley. S. tosses out the question, “Any chance you know how to get from Philly to New York?”

By george, he does! He has rented a car to come down from New York. Would S. like a ride? Yes! Yes! And, could nice young Indian couple join? Yes, they can join. Meet new travel companion - John.

S. has faith she will make her next morning flight to Maui.

8:00 pm - Land in Philly and meet driver, Mr. Singh.
S. hearts Mr. Singh & Mr. John.

Text message: flight canceled out of Newark in the morning. Brother R. has rebooked S. for Thursday.

11:00 pm - New York City. S. slips, slides and clambers through snow banks to reach warm, dry apartment. Victory!

THURSDAY DECEMBER 30TH
New York - Denver - Las Vegas - Maui

5:45 am - S. heads to aiport.
10:15 am - Land in Denver. All good. Light snow.
11:24 am - Board for Las Vegas on time. All good

12:00 pm - Still on runway waiting for a part (!), paperwork and the de-icing machine.

S. asks flight attendant if Las Vegas connections are aware of Denver delays. Flight attendant asks where S. is flying to. Kahului, Maui.
Flight attendant knows of no flights from Las Vegas to Maui.
S. presents boarding pass.
Flight attendant brings it to show other flight attendants. All are baffled and amused. S. is baffled. Not amused.

1:39 pm - S. lands in Vegas at exact time as planned departure for Maui. S. calls H from runway. H. searches online for flight details: Lucky! It is delayed. But, wait - what’s this? Flight 193 to Maui is actually going to San Francisco.

So: New York-Denver-Las Vegas-San Francisco-Maui.

4:12 pm - Land in San Francisco.
4:16 pm - Board for Maui. On time. Upgrade to first class. Wine promptly ordered.

Resolution for 2011, or at least for January. Stay put.