Sandy's Stitching

Long Beach At Last!

Things didn't start off too well.  Woke up to a thunderstorm with gushes of rain dropping. Get dropped off at the airport, go through security without a hitch.  Then the fun begins.

Our first leg (from Lexington we had to go to Charlotte - then Phoenix - then Long Beach) from Lexington ended up being delayed for an hour because our flight was delayed coming in because of the storms it had to come through.  This of course meant - you guessed it - we would have a very tight connection in Charlotte.  We also had a bumpy flight.  I fluffed up my barf bag just in case.

Get to Charlotte.  Of course we land in the most remote terminal wing in existence and our next flight has a gate in the total opposite end of the whole complex.  They do  have electric car waiting for us.  Unfortunately, our plane did not wait for us.  So off to make some changes.  They put us on standby on one flight and proceed to try to get us on another.  Now, off to another gate to try to make another flight.

Sitting waiting patiently and guess what?  Another delay.  Now we're sweating Phoenix.  Waiting for update on flight and they change our gate number.  We end up being delayed by 40 minutes into Phoenix.  Oh well, the bright side is that now we have time to sit and have a leisurely lunch.  On to Phoenix and hope for the best -

At Phoenix we are scheduled to land at terminal Asomething on the far end and leave out of B about midway.  We have 22 minutes.  We're talking about old people here folks - we can't run airports like we use to.  While sweating the connection and while we are waiting to get off the plane, the attendant announces that we have landed at a different gate than originally planned.  We have landed somewhere in the B terminal.  Really?  That's a switch for us.

Get off the plane and hustle forward.  Quickly ask the airlines assistant at departing gate to look up our flight and see if on schedule and if still at the scheduled gate.  On time, of course, always is when you are tight, and . . . wait for it. . . . we have a gate change - should I have expected otherwise?

But wait, the gate is actually the one next door.  Oh joy!  Our luck is changing.  We did not even get to sit down.  Just walked right on to our flight to Long Beach.  But - - - you knew it, right?  We sit down and a young lady comes along and says we have her seat.  They did not seat us together.  But she graciously says she'll just sit in my husband's seat, which he eagerly jumps at the idea of letting her do.  Little did he know that he was placed in First Class - LOL. Oh well.

Now, lord only knows where our luggage is right?  We've were only on our initial plane and they hopped us all over the airports but we have no idea what our poor luggage was doing.  Now, keep in mind that one of these had class kits.  Our carry ons have the first day of class kits (I'm not totally stupid).

So, not at the carousel - of course, we did not expect otherwise.  Go to claims.  No extra luggage there, but he'll call around anyway.  Finally find one of the suitcases.  The unimportant one - the one with clothes.  And, it was damaged.  Don't know if it will make it back to KY or not.

Checked computer, etc., and finally it ends back up at the carousel.  Oh well, at least it did show up!

Shuttle ride to hotel quick and efficient.  Good sign.

Hotel registration - everything in order - got the perfect room.  Another good sign.

It is now after 9 pm Pacific time (we were due in at 3 pm) which means it is midnight in KY and we still haven't had dinner.  Hotel restaurant is being remodeled.  We hit the streets before we sit down or unpack because we are afraid we will no be able to get back up!  Find a nice deli, have a wonderful salad and pasta.  Another good turn.

Back to hotel - unpack and double check kits and get everything ready for the first 2 classes tomorrow.
Okay, gotta get in that bed - been up since 4:30 am EST - my butt is dragging!

Oh well, a great ending to another cross-country adventure.

More tomorrow.