I just got back from C2's Annual General Meeting in Tucson, AZ - imagine 6 whole days devoted to my favorite work activity - Paint Princess Heaven.
However, there were a few dark clouds marring the perfect princess experience... lost luggage. And all things being what they are, of course, it wasn't a simple case of the airlines messing up - Oh No, it was much worse.
I left for Tucson early Saturday morning, parked the car at an off-site lot, and grabbed a shuttle in to the airport. Feeling lucky because I was able to upgrade to first class - I sashayed through the special first class security line (who knew! that's almost worth the full price fare right there!) and on to the plane.
Made it to Tucson and down to baggage claim. No bag. What? It was a direct flight!
Off to the resort, where I was SUPPOSED to wear a cute outfit for the evenings cocktail party. A call to the airlines indicated that the bag wouldn't arrive until the next morning. Rats.
Checked my messages later in the evening, guess what, they had my bag! Yay!
Not so yay. They delivered the wrong bag, unless of course I happened to pack a bunch of middle-aged men's clothes...
Spent over an HOUR on hold trying to talk to a live person - a freakin' hour! I had to plug my cell phone in to the outlet (inconveniently placed near the floor), because my battery was quickly draining. While hunched on the floor, I has the opportunity to catch up on the latest antics of The Girls Next Door. Whoopee.
Guess what else? It turns out it wasn't the airlines that had messed up - they had already spoken to the middle-aged guy and figured out what had happened - HE had my bag. Not only that, but he realized he had my bag BEFORE he left Seattle to head down to Monterrey, CA.
Apparently, our bags were practically identical, and we each took the wrong bag off the shuttle, when we were coming in to the airport at the crack of dawn.
Worried that my stuff would get lost at the airport, he decided to take my bag with him, to keep an eye on it. Not only that, but he wasn't willing to bring it to the San Francisco airport, where the airline would be happy to forward my bag for no charge. He was in Monterrey, and hour away.
FU*K!!!!!
He wasn't coming back to town until the day before I was due home to Seattle. Imagine, 6 days in the same bloody outfit. I had a great dress I was determined to wear, so I had to think of something quick.
Here's what I learned: FedEx has a great SameDay service they offer. Yes it comes at a premium... but desperate measures for desperate travelers. By about 11pm, I had it arranged that FedEx would pick-up my wayward bags early on Sunday, and have it to my room by Monday morning. Only $350 (I think. Haven't recieved the final bill yet.)
A quick visit to the overpriced gift shop for a cleavage revealing swimsuit and an overpriced top to replace my now sad-looking white t-shirt, and I was set until my bags arrived. Did you know the gift shop charges $10 for disposable razors, the kind that rip your skin to shreds? Sheer robbery.
Lucky girl that I am, my bag arrived early - I got the call at 12:05am Monday morning that my luggage had arrived!!!
I can't tell you how great it is to have your own stuff. Really and truly. Also, after paying so much money, I admit I didn't feel too bad that the gentleman who was "looking out" for my stuff had to go shopping himself.
However, there were a few dark clouds marring the perfect princess experience... lost luggage. And all things being what they are, of course, it wasn't a simple case of the airlines messing up - Oh No, it was much worse.
I left for Tucson early Saturday morning, parked the car at an off-site lot, and grabbed a shuttle in to the airport. Feeling lucky because I was able to upgrade to first class - I sashayed through the special first class security line (who knew! that's almost worth the full price fare right there!) and on to the plane.
Made it to Tucson and down to baggage claim. No bag. What? It was a direct flight!
Off to the resort, where I was SUPPOSED to wear a cute outfit for the evenings cocktail party. A call to the airlines indicated that the bag wouldn't arrive until the next morning. Rats.
Checked my messages later in the evening, guess what, they had my bag! Yay!
Not so yay. They delivered the wrong bag, unless of course I happened to pack a bunch of middle-aged men's clothes...
Spent over an HOUR on hold trying to talk to a live person - a freakin' hour! I had to plug my cell phone in to the outlet (inconveniently placed near the floor), because my battery was quickly draining. While hunched on the floor, I has the opportunity to catch up on the latest antics of The Girls Next Door. Whoopee.
Guess what else? It turns out it wasn't the airlines that had messed up - they had already spoken to the middle-aged guy and figured out what had happened - HE had my bag. Not only that, but he realized he had my bag BEFORE he left Seattle to head down to Monterrey, CA.
Apparently, our bags were practically identical, and we each took the wrong bag off the shuttle, when we were coming in to the airport at the crack of dawn.
Worried that my stuff would get lost at the airport, he decided to take my bag with him, to keep an eye on it. Not only that, but he wasn't willing to bring it to the San Francisco airport, where the airline would be happy to forward my bag for no charge. He was in Monterrey, and hour away.
FU*K!!!!!
He wasn't coming back to town until the day before I was due home to Seattle. Imagine, 6 days in the same bloody outfit. I had a great dress I was determined to wear, so I had to think of something quick.
Here's what I learned: FedEx has a great SameDay service they offer. Yes it comes at a premium... but desperate measures for desperate travelers. By about 11pm, I had it arranged that FedEx would pick-up my wayward bags early on Sunday, and have it to my room by Monday morning. Only $350 (I think. Haven't recieved the final bill yet.)
A quick visit to the overpriced gift shop for a cleavage revealing swimsuit and an overpriced top to replace my now sad-looking white t-shirt, and I was set until my bags arrived. Did you know the gift shop charges $10 for disposable razors, the kind that rip your skin to shreds? Sheer robbery.
Lucky girl that I am, my bag arrived early - I got the call at 12:05am Monday morning that my luggage had arrived!!!
I can't tell you how great it is to have your own stuff. Really and truly. Also, after paying so much money, I admit I didn't feel too bad that the gentleman who was "looking out" for my stuff had to go shopping himself.
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