Saturday, June 30, 2012

Cuenca to Oregon to Cuenca


GONNA HAVE A LITTLE RANT GOING HERE.

Brennie and I spent the last 2 weeks in Oregon visiting our son and daughter.  There are no words to describe the joy in seeing them.  


But, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!  Expensive!  I knew this up front.  It was no surprise.  I wasn’t shocked.  But, still it was shocking.  But that is not the subject of the rant.

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The return trip to Ecuador was ‘interesting’.  We had a real sucky itinerary to begin with  ..... and that is our fault.  For many reasons, we had trouble pulling together a feasible and reasonable flight plan.  Everything was a moving target.  Finally we just pulled the trigger (reservations had to be made) and we had our (less than perfect and very expensive) flights.

But then on the way back home to Cuenca ........ with our cobbled together POS flight plans ....... the wheels started coming off the cart.  


It started when Delta cancelled our flight from Detroit to Miami.  They pieced together a couple other flights to get us to Miami, but this left us less than an hour to gather our bags (checked, but not checked through), go to the LAN counter to get our boarding passes and  check the baggage, go through security, etc and be on our connecting flight to Quito.  As everyone knows, gathering the bags alone can take 30+ minutes and security can take another 30.


So, best case scenario, not likely to make it.  Possible, but not likely.  One can always hope ........ 


So, anyway, it turned out to be impossible, because our bags did not fly with us.  


So, according to the the folk at Delta Miami:
..... “Don’t worry about your bags.  Run to the gate.  Fly to Cuenca.  Fly without the bags.  We can have them to your house in Cuenca in a day or so.”  This seemed really, really hard to believe.  I suspect it was an intentional lie just to get us out of their hair.
OR
..... “If the bags are not here, all you have to do is to put in claims for them.  Getting them on the planes to Ecuador (international flight) takes some extra paper work, but it shouldn’t take over 2 weeks.”  I am NOT making this up.
OR
..... “Don’t even think about flying international without your bags.  Between TSA and us (Delta), you will just have to fly back here to Miami to eventually pick them up.”  Actually, I am not sure exactly how this went, but it was basically, wait for your bags, don’t fly without them, etc.


As it turns out, three of the bags arrived in Miami an hour after our LAN flight to Quito left.  The fourth apparently flew (for free) from Detroit to Atlanta to Minneapolis to Atlanta to Miami.  Not making this up.  The lost baggage guy in Miami traced it for us. This bag arrived in Miami hours later and with lots of frequent flyer miles.  


So, we 
- spent the lovely hot humid night in Miami at the Regency Hotel, 
- paid rebooking fees for the last available seats on our next 3 flights and 
- arrived home only 1 day later than we should have.  


How exciting.


Delta did give each of us a $6 food voucher for airport food.  This too is exciting.


But, this is not the topic of todays little rant either.


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ON TO THE RANT ......


Who are the Kardashians?


Why are they so important to Americans?


Are these people the latest representatives of American morals, values and ethics?


Why is it that everywhere I went, there were magazine cover stories on these people?


How could anyone possibly care what these people think or do?


Has any Kardashian at any time had a newsworthy thought or contributed any thing of any type to this world.


What is a Snooki?  Is a Snooki a Kardashian?  They seem to be cut from the same cloth.


Truly folks.  If the Kardashians are representative of what is ‘important’ in American culture ........... there is no polite way to end this thought.


Sad.  Desperate.


And THAT was the rant.


Life is sweet,
Clarke


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Here is another take on the Delta Screwup and the night in Miami;
“Because of a small problem with a connecting flight, we were able to spend a glorious night in Miami soaking up the heat.  I was enjoying a cigar while enjoying a sauna-walk in the evening and walked up to an iced-latte-to-go place.  A complete stranger at the walk up window was there with his family.  We made small talk as best as I can in Spanish.  He and his family had just gotten back from the Dominican Republic and he had bought some Dominican cigars.  He gave me a couple cigars. (Remember, I was smoking a cigar.) When I smoked them later, I could reflect on the fact that the world has much kindness and generosity in it.  Every cloud has a silver lining.”

5 comments:

  1. I agree with you about the trend the younger generation is taking. And to think that they people vote!

    I guess I am old-fashioned but I am so glad that I don't watch much TV anymore. Nothing of any redeemable value. I think I know now how our parents must have felt when we were young adults just starting out and changing the American culture to suit our hippie-type ideals.

    The only hope is that the younger generation will eventually mature into smart people with critical-thinking skills, but I doubt it.

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  2. Clarke,

    I have done much air traveling, and only once had a serious problem and it was with Delta. I will never fly Delta again. If we ever get together like we talk about, I'll tell you about it then. My four days in Miami last month were pure hell whenever I ventured from my hotel room. The humidity was suffocating. It is definitely a place only for snow birds.

    Patty, half the Baby Boomers have yet to grow up, and certainly share much with the younger generation in the lack of critical thinking skills. THe younger generation is only a reflection of the kind of values the older generation (Baby boomers) encouraged to become entrenched in our society.
    Jim Mola

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  3. I used to feel the same way about Paris Hilton --- you could be nice and say that at least she came from serious money and has a great PR manager --- but I still don't know why anyone cares about her life.

    And where did the 'K' family come from??? Suddenly they were everywhere and I thought there must be a talent or award that was won or something...and now they are rich and famous.

    Clarke, when I get to Cuenca, I will represent you and I will have JIF begging to use you (poor Brennie - she will be so bummed when she finds out what we are asking for as compensation). I am going to make you the most famous person in Cuenca - no, in Ecuador!

    Denise
    Charlotte NC

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  4. Reminds me of a Robin William skit: He once said "I called the airlines and said that I wanted to book a flight to San Fransisco. And could they please send my bags to Denver." "Sorry sir but there's no way we can possibly do that." "Why not, that's what you did last week."

    And yes the Kardashian's ARE that important.

    :)

    Ossie
    Sweltering in Texas

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  5. I love your rant!!!
    Keep it up. I am so ready to get my Grand Children out of this type of environment. The only thing keeping me from heading South is my parents still living here. They've always been there for me and I just can't leave them now. They are in their eighties and They don't think they want to pick up stakes and move.
    I really envy you and your adventure.
    I have enjoyed reading your blog. Please keep it up because it's the only way people like me can get good information about what you've experienced.
    I will continue to follow your blog and envy you from afar.
    Best wishes
    Jim Sanders

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