Previously, we said good by to Juju's parents, and promised to see them "soon" (to a 3 year old=forever, possibly never). A week of grandparent activities, and amazingly few melt-downs... somehow I can't remember any which is a gift of being old a grandparent,.. and a promise that tomorrow we get on the airplane, we finally arrive at the day where we would rise early, drive 1-1/4 hours, and fly 2 flights and arrive at 4:20 PM, in time to go to a hotel, eat, and sleep. The following morning we take taxi to ship, and meet Mommy!
S.... happens.
Jan 5, 2013 (written at the end of the day)
7:20 am on the road to DRO
7:35 message from united. Flight at 10:00 now delayed to 11:00
Still able to catch connection in Denver
7:50 message from united. Flight further delayed to 11:50
Unable to make connection.
Pulled over at turn off to Ignacio. Called united to reschedule.
Complicated by having two tickets. One for juju and another for us using reward miles.
United agent, "Maneesh", made arrangements to switch to American but only for Juju. Reward travel not valid on American.
No options for that day so I mentioned possibility of flying from Albuquerque.
Booked. Through Houston. 1:20 flight.
Arrived at airport with time to park, and relax. No seat assignment for Juju, and flight overbooked. Needed a single person to be bumped but no volunteers.
Re-booked on American flight 3:45 to Dallas. Received $200 airline voucher and $30 in meal vouchers
Amazed that we would arrive in New Orleans 4 hours later than original schedule, and we drove 4 hours extra.
Toddler meltdown at end of flight over potty chaperone. (Grandma not wanted)
With the use of M&M's as extrinsic motivation, (term used by Angie) problem resolved.
Moments later I'm met by a distraught Mick who has discovered that neither one of us has his $3000 piccolo trumpet in tow. Last seen taken off the previous flight.
A quick shuffle of boarding passes, second flight now boarding, mick is put on 10 pm flight and juju and I are on the plane. We sat at the gate FOREVER it seemed, but probably 15 minutes. I hoped to see mick at any moment, and I anticipated meltdown number 2 when juju realized that grandpa wasn't with us anymore. Neither happened, and juju was in a great mood, best behavior and we had a fun trip even though her iPad and all of her packed entertainment for the trip remained in Dallas with grandpa. (At decision time I chose to take my knitting and juju's change of clothes instead of coloring books and dolls. ) This was the luckiest part of the trip.
Arriving in New Orleans, I picked up two suitcases to go along with my duffle and child. Juju took it upon herself to handle the smaller suitcase, and insisted on wrestling it over curbs and across the streets.
When I asked about shuttles to hotels, I was sent across the street to a courtesy phone area, which did NOT list La Quinta, and my phone had no service in the bottom of this parking garage.
Took a taxi. Juju hefted the little suitcase back across the street. Learned how to stand it on four wheels and push.
One minute in the taxi my phone started texting me from Mick and Celina. So many that I couldn't read or respond except to the latest ones.
Arrived at hotel to a nice room, and juju is sleeping like a baby.
Read all text messages to discover that Mick found trumpet at previous gate, (fears of it being destroyed and/or the airport evacuated were put to rest) and his flight was delayed an hour. I had to laugh... I was comfortable for the night, what else could befall?
Huh! 12:30 am. He should be here soon!
Good news: central time zone
The glamour indeed! It aint' what it used to be is it?
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