Adventures in Travel - part 1

Day 1-3

Ugh, so the travel fairies are totally against me flying to Arkansas.  

Here's the post I made about my trip from last January.

In that post are links to the previous year

The Spouse had been at his Mom's house in Hot Springs since the middle of June and the plan was for me to fly down there and drive back with him - spending our 20th anniversary out on the road somewhere.  We didn't care where - just together (and alone!)!

So my flight was supposed to leave Flint, MI on June 3 at 5:30pm. have a layover in Chicago, then on to Little Rock, landing at 9:40pm.  

Since this was a one way trip, Sis1 drove me to the airport.

Delay

Delay

Delay

Delay

Weather / air traffic control management / lack of flight crew were the reasons I got.

Friday's flight supposedly ended up leaving Flint at 11:15am on the 4th. 

When it went from 8:10pm to 1:15am is when I chatted with someone at American Airlines whose name looked like a cat walked over the keyboard.  

I rebooked my flight for the 4th, leaving at the same time (this a regional shuttle between Flint & Chicago)

At least I was able to go to Mom's house and watch the 4th of July parade with the family. 

Granddaughter was excited that she could go out in the road and not get yelled at!

We also let off some fireworks in the street outside our house. 

and filled up the yard with smoke!

The Spawn had taken the grandkids to see some real fireworks and they are still young enough to dislike the loudness and crowds.  The sparkler fountain ones on the ground were more their speed. 

However, the notifications started at 1pm.

Delay

Delay

Delay

Delay

Last I saw, when the delays made it to 10pm, they just cancelled the flight.

But first, since I missed my flight from Chicago to Little Rock, they rebooked me for the 5th with a 9-hour layover in Dallas / Fort Worth!  Aw hell naw!!

If it had been Houston, I would have called up my friends who live there and hung out with them for a few hours.  But not Dallas.

This time Sis1 found an actual phone number for American Airlines and I was able to talk to a human and rebook AGAIN for the 5th.

 

I was sort of torn.  I looked at flights leaving Detroit for Little Rock on a different airline, which there was a very early one, however it had a short layover in Nashville.  I've been to Nashville twice and both times were a disaster!   So I was hoping 3rd time was a charm leaving Flint. 

So we went back to Sis1's house, and while I stayed at her house Friday night, this time I wanted to go home.  I'd sent most of my clothes with the Spouse, so I had no pjs, underwear or toothbrush with me and instead of doing laundry again and stewing in my anxiety and stress (and the fact a storm we'd gone thru had knocked out her power) I went home. 

This wasn't even the bad storm!

So instead of having Sis1 deal with driving me again me as well as fighting with a generator, etc - I had the Spawn drive me to the airport.  That way I could leave my car at home and it wouldn't be as obvious that she was home alone. 

So third time was indeed a charm.  Although I didn't get my preferred seats that I paid extra for - at least I got on to leave actually ON time and actually made it to Little Rock a few minutes early. 

Hooray!