To say that we were excited about our vacation would be a gross understatement.
Since I have really been unsure if Stella would be well enough for us to go until a few days ago, I was ecstatic when we finally arrived, tickets in hand, at the airport. We were going to return to Florida and had a whole range of great stuff planned with Stella’s family first and then mine in California. The plans include Disney water parks, Sea World, and Discovery Cove — where you have a guaranteed date with a dolphin.
When you never know what the next week will bring, the chance to have a vacation like this is just a dream, and a much better one that I normally have. It may sound like a cliche — but we really needed a break.
We made it to the gate and got ready to board. Stella has a wheelchair and first class ticket so they told us when they started boarding, we would get to go first.
But then they apologized and said there would be a twenty minute delay.
And after twenty minutes they said so again.
And again.
And again.
The story came out that the plane needed a part and that they were trying to borrow it from another airline.
Hello?? Is there an e-mail list and they were posting a request and waiting to see who had an extra airplane thingy?
Well, apparently no one responded and so at about 1:30 AM, they announced that the plane would be delayed another DAY!!! Not to worry, they would bus us to a hotel.
Of course outside the airport, we waited with a few hundred other people for busses that never came. Maybe they put out another request on the list “Looking to borrow a few buses for the night.”
We finally grabbed a cab and went to the hotel. We got here at 3:00 AM. But the hotel was initially not going to let us in until the buses with the airline people arrived. Since the night service guy did not want to get lynched, he decided to go ahead and check us in.
So now we really have no idea when we are going to get to Orlando. It won’t be today, we know that. The best we can do is the Newark airport hotel tonight. And then Orlando…. tomorrow??
So yeah. This does suck. It really does.
BUT — I am right now in a five star hotel. I’m in bed with a beautiful woman. And I’m about to get a huge Israeli breakfast. So things could be a lot worse. And THAT may be the understatement of the century.
We’re going to have to enjoy our “modified” vacation plan. The dolphins will wait.