12-18-08 Misadventure Galore!

Following a complicated situation followed by a snowstorm that blew off our Internet connection and finally Christmas. I'm catching up on my post. Here's the first one:

Ok, now THAT’S a start.

We get up at 3am, for a flight out of SFO at 7. Shower, breakfast, deposits, mailing my paperwork. All is going fine until I remember that the car is low on gas. All the gas stations are closed in Sonoma County apparently at 4am!

We finally found one open in Novato (Shell station on Delong, they are pricey, but they are OPEN!) get gas back on the highway, we are running late. GREAT!

Getting to the airport, kiss kiss, bye bye, hug the cats for me. I run in, get in line at the Air Canada counter. When it’s finally my turn I’m told I’m at the wrong counter. My first flight to Denver is with United Airlines. Crap! I hate United, like I’m not stressed enough already!

So I walk over to the United counter, wait in line; get to someone, wrong counter again. It’s the other United counter. I try to look pitiful so she’ll help me anyway, nope. With an air of “you just had to get here earlier, she sends me off to the next counter.

I walk off, bitching a little (in French just to be safe) and get to the next United counter. I was straight to a clerk (whatever you call them) and she tells me to get in line. “I want to make sure it’s the right line first. She looks at my ticket; of course it’s the right line. So I wait again, in the right line this time. It’s taking forever, the lady in front of me doesn’t speak English (I’ve been there!), finally it’s my turn, the attendant (a different one) looks at my ticket and ask “Are you sure you’re in the right line?” ARG!

Finally she gets me through (and make sure everybody in her line is at the right place). Security is a breeze, they are so happy in San Francisco. I sit at my gate and they start announcing that my flight was oversold so some people might be moved to a later flight.

I can’t do that, I have 2 connections to make, one in Denver, and one in Montreal. I am NOT staying behind. So I get in the plane, I have the middle seat between a girl who seems to have worms because she’s moving so much, and a guy who’s spreading all over the 2 seats. Both of them are coughing their brains out. Thanks!

On a happy note, there was a baby behind me, not only she was cute as can be, but we barely heard her all through the flight! I’m now in Denver, and my flight has been delayed, looks more and more like I’ll be sleeping in Montreal. Not good, but maybe I’ll get to see my nephew!!

Fast forward, I’m in Denver and the plane is delayed. Instead of starting at 11:25am, we left pas 12. I already had an insanely short time in Montreal (less than 1 hour to go through immigration, customs and everything) and now it’s reduced to next to nothing.

Frankly I’ve always been a big fan of Air Canada, but this time I’m very unimpressed. I’m sitting at the Gate, and when asked when the plane will show up, they don’t know. What do you mean you don’t know? Isn’t the pilot in contact with anybody? Finally here we go. I’m tired, I’m stressed, and I don’t know if I’ll make it to Montreal on time. The pilot announces proudly that with have a good wind pushing us, we’ll make up the lost time. Hum, ok… I’m starting to feel a little better.

On the 3 hours (more or less) flight from Denver to Montreal, I’m sitting next to a man who obviously has never smiled in his life. Stinky business suit, occupying his seat and half of mine, he’s reading a newspaper like he owns the whole freaking plane. I’m sitting with my knees to my chest, leaning toward the window, and still he keeps hitting me with his elbow. Finally, I had to speak up. “Hum, excuse me but I did pay for the use of my whole seat, not just half of it.” He moved off a little bit, not much, never so much as looked at me.

We finally made it to Montreal only 10 minutes later than we were supposed to. So I literally run out of the plane, through the terminal which seemingly goes on forever and wait for my luggage. It is NOT coming. 45 minutes I waited. At that point I don’t know what time it is, I run to the immigration desk, wait some more, the lady before me as a baby, 10 million papers, a different one in each bag. I had to close my eyes and take a deep breath several times to keep from screaming at her.

Done! I run to the “connecting flight counter” it’s 6:05, my flight was at 6. Now what do I do? The lady at the counter can’t help me; I have to go to the ticket purchase counter. I wait in line there for 35 minutes, until I finally am told that not only there isn’t any more flight tonight, but the two flights tomorrow are full, oversold even. Next opening is Saturday and it’s a sucky flight with a 3-4 hours stop in Gaspe. It’s not like I have a choice…

I’m now at my brother’s apartment, and thought I’m really happy to have met my nephew finally, I think this is a sucky way to start the holidays.

Oh, did I mention that my husband had to go home from work today because he’s sick… and that I’m not feeling too hot myself?

Merry Fucking Christmas everybody! Hopefully tomorrow will be better!