July 12, 2012

Scrambled Eggs

I knew this week was going to be messed up when one of my reps called last week and asked that I change my plans to be in San Diego all day Tuesday, no problem, they’ll get better use of my time that way. He suggested I rent a car and drive to San Diego Monday night and then leave at lunch to drive back to Orange County to catch my evening flight to Sacramento

No sweat, better yet, I’ll change my flight Tuesday to fly from San Diego to Sacramento rather than from Orange County, and I’ll take a train to San Diego so I don’t have to rent a car.

I literally jumped on a train in the parking lot of the Angels with a ticket I hurriedly purchased in a kiosk outside the station.  Not everyone speaks English here so I asked a couple of people if indeed the train went to San Diego, because it left the station heading east. No problem, I’m on the right train so sit and relax. Nice ride down the coastline to San Diego, I knew it was time to get off because the next stop was Tijuana. No, just kidding, the old station downtown was the last stop. I got to my hotel and sure enough, no reservation. I told them I prepaid for the room (trying to save $20, remind me not to do that again) After a 30 minute telephone conversation the clerk let me have my room, and told me I’ll have to fight out the refund with Hilton. Thanks Dan, if that’s your real name…………..We’ll have to see how if the customer is always right.

All seemed well until our breakfast meeting on Tuesday, my rep told me he had been sick early in the morning, then proceeded to get sick outside during our breakfast. Yeah, he excused himself, fortunately I hadn’t checked out of my room so I went back to my hotel and cooled my heels while he went home in anticipation of feeling better, and making calls in the afternoon

About 10:00 I left the hotel and walked one block over to the harbor. Lo and behold there sat an old friend of mine, the Surprise, formerly called the HMS Rose. Still not sure exactly how she got there, but after Master and Commander the studio decided not to film a sequel. One of the guides knew a little about the ship and asked if I remembered the captain Richard Bailey. I replied “dick” and he said he thought he went by Richard. I told him I remembered him as being a dick……………

Anyway they let me on despite my attitude and it was good to see that old lady again. The galley had returned to a gun deck, and they let me look in the food prep area where I fondly remembered working with a piece of dried ginger in my mouth to help with the rolling sea. The crew quarters looked, well in a word………..unbearable. I’m still not sure how I got into that top bunk, always stopping to visit the young lady who slept below me while I took the time to apologize for stepping on her hand, again. Good times and a good trip with Jay some 14 years ago.

I knew Southwest had an earlier flight to Sacramento so I left downtown bound for the airport on a rickshaw. Yes, first time for that, I felt like a genuine dingbatter. My driver missed a turn, that’s hard to believe isn’t it, but we got to the terminal and he charged me twice what a cab would have been; that’s OK, now I know why he pulled up in front of the cop to let me out. Karma

Into the airport to see if I can fly standby on the earlier flight, no problem sir, that’s +$80. To fly standby…………….what happened to changing a flight? Wish I’d just stayed uptown and walked around

Time for a little lunch and hey look, there’s only one seat open at the Chili’s Express and there is a beautiful young lady sitting there with an odd shaped pocketbook. “May I sit here?” “Sure” The next thing I know Cujo is coming out of the pocketbook trying to bite me. “He never does that”……………….My thoughts were that perhaps that little Chihuahua (who I called Chi Chi for the rest of my adventure) must be a pretty good judge of character

And so the plane landed safely in Sacramento and I got a call from home telling me that it rained and we have water coming through the sheetrock in the kitchen…………..again. Turns out it was the AC unit drain, or non-drain causing the problems. Some days, I tell you, some days………………..

Then the hotel tells me that yes, a shuttle goes to their hotel, but not “their” shuttle. I need to book a reservation with the Shuttle Express……………..

Worked around northern CA and got a few things done, and it seemed as though my luck was turning, right up to the point when TAR texted me that United called and told her my Friday flight home is cancelled. Wonder how that will turn out………..

It upsets me to waste time and money like this but maybe just maybe I got all of my scrambled eggs out of the way for a while. Man I sure hope so.

Now for your viewing entertainment and to preserve what's left of my sanity something lighter: pictures and videos from my past week in the great state of CA:

HMS Rose, renamed the Surprise:

My new friends, courtesy of the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza in Irvine, CA:

 

Ever ride in a rickshaw? Save your $25, here's your view:

The 12 meter Stars and Stripes, I think was a later version, I think Connor's winning boat was a lighter shade of blue, but still majestic to watch this old beauty stretch her legs

Napa Valley at speed, all of the farmers came out as we rode by and yelled "thank your wife for us!" 

And not a bad shot of San Francisco from the Bay Bridge, especially considering I was in a car.... Alcatraz can be seen through the fog bank, the city is on the left

My favorite restaurant

Does the word "Trion" look familiar to you? 

A fond farewell to the Edwards family is scheduled for this Sunday, we will miss each member of that family and wish them well in Lynchburg VA. Ohio next week, and we continue to wait for Annabel..................