sunshine0221's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Amazing Race The Amazing Race, Part 1 I am sure all of you have heard of The Amazing Race. It's is the cream-of-the-crop of reality shows which features pairs of people racing around the world accomplishing tasks and having assorted adventures. And I am here to tell you, they have nothing on me. They have teammates, and camera people who would probably rescue them if they got in a life-threatening situation. Me, not so much. When I was making plans to go visit my dad, I performed the Quest For Cheap Tickets, and finally found a fare of $360. The regular, I just pay what they ask fares were in the $600 range, so I did the victory dance of shopping well The first down side of my inexpensive ticket was that the airline was United, which really used to be my favorite airline, but what with the bankruptcy thingie and all, would not have been my first choice. The second down side was that I had TWO connections - Cedar Rapids to Denver, then Denver to LA, then LA to Sacramento. Also [cue the ominous drums of foreshadowing] had a pretty tight connection from LA to Sacramento. But hey, I saved money, and what could go wrong right? 12/21 3:30 p.m CST.: Arrived at Cedar Rapids Airport. Checkin uneventful, except for a mega security check. 12/21 5:20 p.m.CST Plane from Cedar Rapids departed on time. 12/21 6:22 p.m MST Arrived in Denver. Also on time. 12/21 8:05 p.m. MST Scheduled departure time. At gate waiting to board plane. Mentioned to United employee at desk that I had a tight connection in LA, and she moved me up to the first row of seats so that I could get off the plane quickly. 12/21 8:30 p.m. MST At gate waiting to board plane. 12/21 9:00 p.m. MST Woo! Getting on plane! 12/21 9:30 p.m. On plane. Still on ground. Watched guy who complained to flight attendant and the pilot about the delay get escorted off the plane by very serious security dude who looks like Principal Wood from Buffy. 12/21 9:45 p.m. MST Still on plane and on the ground. Flight attendant told funny story about working a redeye, and in the middle of the flight she found a little dog in a purple sweater sitting in the aisle. She took him up to first class, and when the dog's mom awakened a few hours later, she came and got him. 12/21 9:55 p.m. MST Woo! Plane taking off! 12/21 11:15 p.m PST Arrive at LAX. Hopefully ask United personnel at desk if they held the plane to Sacramento that was scheduled to depart at 10:15 p.m. PST. Am told no, and as there are no more flights that evening, am handed vouchers for a hotel room and breakfast, along with two boarding passes for flights from LA to San Francisco, and San Francisco to Sacramento, because all of the direct flights to Sacramento were full. 12/21 11:30 p.m. PST Went outside to wait for hotel shuttle. 12/22 12:20 a.m. PST Shuttle arrives. 12/22 12:45 a.m PST Arrive at hotel. which is really on a few blocks from the airport, but due to excessive LA traffic it took a really long time to get there. 12/22 12:50 a.m. PST Check in at hotel, and go to room. Order wake up call for 4:00 a.m. and take shower and put on PJ's. 12/22 1:00 a.m. PST Call motel in Sacramento and Budget to explain situation. Motel was no problem. Budget said they would probably not have a car for me. Too tired to worry about it. 12/22 1:10 a.m. PST Gah! Can't sleep. Watch stupid TV show. 12/22 2:10 a.m. PST Finally fall asleep. 12/22 4:00 a.m. PST Wake up call. Got dressed and packed. Went downstairs to wait for airport shuttle 12/22 4:40 a.m. PST Shuttle arrives. 12/22 4:55 a.m. PST Arrive at United terminal. Big lines to get checked in. More big lines to go through security. 12/22 5:30 a.m. PST After really long walk, arrive at gate. 12/22 6:10 a.m. PST Board plane. 12/22 6:30 a.m. PST Plane departs. 12/22 7:45 a.m. PST Arrive in San Francisco. 12/22 8:15 a.m. PST At gate for Sacramento flight. Really long walk from arrival gate. 12/22 9:15 a.m. PST Ask United employee at counter when we will be boarding. Am told they are not sure, there may be a problem. 12/22 10:15 a.m. PST Announcement that our flight has been cancelled due to mechanical problems, but no problem - they are bussing (busing?) us to Sacramento. 12/22 11:00 a.m. PST Another announcement - we need to go back to gate we arrived at (long walk again) and go down some stairs to catch a bus to the satellite terminal where our bus to Sacramento will pick us up. 12/22 11:30 a.m. PST We all cram onto the little airport bus. Most of us are standing, and a guy jokes that this is our bus to Sacramento. We would have laughed, but were afraid it was true. 12/22 11:45 a.m. PST Arrive at satellite terminal. Announcement that (good news!) the bus wll be there in 30 minutes, but that it will take another hour and a half for it to go through security clearance (bad news!) 12/22 12 noon PST Drink coffee and watch Regis and Kelly. Alicia Keys is guest hosting, and not so good actually. 12/22 1:00 p.m. PST Woo! Get on bus for Sacramento. 12/22 1:25 p.m. PST United employee hands out water and pretzels. Laughs when we ask for beer, but doesn't get us any. 12/22 1:35 p.m. PST Bus departs. 12/22 3:20 p.m. PST Arrive at Sacramento airport. 12/22 3:35 p.m. PST Catch shuttle to Rental Car Teminal. 12/22 3:45 p.m. PST Cross my fingers and promise the Rental Car Gods that I will live a perfect and pure life if they will just let me get a car. 12/22 3:55 p.m. PST Woo! Thanks Rental Car Gods! I am getting a car. And an extra big huge smooch for getting me a red Pontiac Vibe when I paid for an economy car. 12/22 4:35 p.m. PST Arrive at motel. Took an extra ten minutes because I got lost literally 100 yards from the motel. Get checked in.
***** To be continued.... 10:10 p.m. - December 26, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
||||||