Ever have one of those travel days?!?
Well getting to Phuket proved to be just that. After the whole ordeal of getting the ticket, you would think the rest of the trip would go smoothly. Alas, here are the comedy of errors!
Woke up on Friday morning to discover that the weather was not that good. Yes, once again the fog had started to roll in. Cameron, a friend of Marc's was staying at the apartment as well and being a pilot explained the process for bad weather and amber vs. red alert warnings at HKG. Well the fog continued to roll in, managed to get to an Amber alert, but flights were going. Beth and I gathered our bags and headed for the airport.
We managed to make it there, get 2 seats together and were about to pass through imigration when Beth's phone rang. 'Yes, hello Cameron. What? No keys? Hmmm, come to the airport and I'll meet you out front.' I proceeded to the lounge, ate, drank and Beth ensured Cameron had somewhere to sleep.
Due to the alert, flight to Bangkok was delayed by 45 minutes. Not terrible, we can live with this. Get on the plane, business class ~ as the price difference was $30... Hear the announcement from the pilot, we are going to be at least 40 minutes before we push away from the gate due the the back up of traffic from the weather. Beth looked at me, said aren't you glad you sprung the $30 for Business?!?
We leave Hong Kong an hour late and question our arrival and if we will have time to make our connection. As Beth checks her watch, does the accounting for the hour time change, we should make it. That is until as we have a missed approach. Never in my time flying with Class have I ever experienced this, however Beth assures me that this is common for Asia. Just when you think you are going to touch down, no, you are propelled back up into the air. We are then advised that there are thunderstorm and the plane touches down about 20 minutes later.
Miraculously we make our connection. We get on the plane, only to be told that we are 21st for take off. WHAT?!? An hour sitting on the plane before we get ready to leave for Phuket, we are now feeling really bad for Lizzy, a woman we haven't met who is coming to the airport to pick us up.
We arrive in Phuket, get through customs, wait for the bags. And wait. And wait. Yes, that is right, we made the plane, they didn't. There is a chance they will arrive on the next flight. I'm just happy I have my toothbrush in my carry on.
We find Lizzy and go to check out the villa that Marc, Beth and their friend Jeff have purchased. It is almost complete and we see the first unit ~ it does look spectacular. After a few drinks to unwind, the developer's driver takes us to the hotel.
When we arrive, Beth goes to check in. The receptionist and Beth have a dialog that goes something like...
Receptionist: Welcome back Ms. Beth.
Beth: Thank you. Mr. Tacchi will not be staying. I will be staying and so will my friend.
Receptionist: Oh, your friend? She no stay with you
Beth: Yes, friend stay with me.
Receptionist: Friend, no name on reservation
Beth: Friend will stay with me. Me and Friend stay until Monday.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay with you. Friend own room.
Beth: No friend stay with me. Friend no stay in other room.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay with you.
Beth: Where friend stay? Friend sleep street? That OK with you? Friend sleep lobby?
It is at this point that I glance over at Beth and really hope that she knows I don't have a sleeping bag in the massive amounts of luggage I am carting around with me. The conversation continues.
Receptionist: No. Friend own room.
Beth: No. Friend stay with me.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay you.
Beth: OK. Friend sleep street? That OK with you? Friend sleep lobby? Over there? That OK?
The conversation continued with a few more chorus' of 'friend sleep street' when they receptionist finally said it was OK for me to stay one night but that Beth would need to speak to Manager tomorrow.
I have never been so happy to find the bed ~ but I must say, it was a beautiful bed ~ and the price sure was right. Thank you Marc!
Woke up on Friday morning to discover that the weather was not that good. Yes, once again the fog had started to roll in. Cameron, a friend of Marc's was staying at the apartment as well and being a pilot explained the process for bad weather and amber vs. red alert warnings at HKG. Well the fog continued to roll in, managed to get to an Amber alert, but flights were going. Beth and I gathered our bags and headed for the airport.
We managed to make it there, get 2 seats together and were about to pass through imigration when Beth's phone rang. 'Yes, hello Cameron. What? No keys? Hmmm, come to the airport and I'll meet you out front.' I proceeded to the lounge, ate, drank and Beth ensured Cameron had somewhere to sleep.
Due to the alert, flight to Bangkok was delayed by 45 minutes. Not terrible, we can live with this. Get on the plane, business class ~ as the price difference was $30... Hear the announcement from the pilot, we are going to be at least 40 minutes before we push away from the gate due the the back up of traffic from the weather. Beth looked at me, said aren't you glad you sprung the $30 for Business?!?
We leave Hong Kong an hour late and question our arrival and if we will have time to make our connection. As Beth checks her watch, does the accounting for the hour time change, we should make it. That is until as we have a missed approach. Never in my time flying with Class have I ever experienced this, however Beth assures me that this is common for Asia. Just when you think you are going to touch down, no, you are propelled back up into the air. We are then advised that there are thunderstorm and the plane touches down about 20 minutes later.
Miraculously we make our connection. We get on the plane, only to be told that we are 21st for take off. WHAT?!? An hour sitting on the plane before we get ready to leave for Phuket, we are now feeling really bad for Lizzy, a woman we haven't met who is coming to the airport to pick us up.
We arrive in Phuket, get through customs, wait for the bags. And wait. And wait. Yes, that is right, we made the plane, they didn't. There is a chance they will arrive on the next flight. I'm just happy I have my toothbrush in my carry on.
We find Lizzy and go to check out the villa that Marc, Beth and their friend Jeff have purchased. It is almost complete and we see the first unit ~ it does look spectacular. After a few drinks to unwind, the developer's driver takes us to the hotel.
When we arrive, Beth goes to check in. The receptionist and Beth have a dialog that goes something like...
Receptionist: Welcome back Ms. Beth.
Beth: Thank you. Mr. Tacchi will not be staying. I will be staying and so will my friend.
Receptionist: Oh, your friend? She no stay with you
Beth: Yes, friend stay with me.
Receptionist: Friend, no name on reservation
Beth: Friend will stay with me. Me and Friend stay until Monday.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay with you. Friend own room.
Beth: No friend stay with me. Friend no stay in other room.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay with you.
Beth: Where friend stay? Friend sleep street? That OK with you? Friend sleep lobby?
It is at this point that I glance over at Beth and really hope that she knows I don't have a sleeping bag in the massive amounts of luggage I am carting around with me. The conversation continues.
Receptionist: No. Friend own room.
Beth: No. Friend stay with me.
Receptionist: No. Friend no stay you.
Beth: OK. Friend sleep street? That OK with you? Friend sleep lobby? Over there? That OK?
The conversation continued with a few more chorus' of 'friend sleep street' when they receptionist finally said it was OK for me to stay one night but that Beth would need to speak to Manager tomorrow.
I have never been so happy to find the bed ~ but I must say, it was a beautiful bed ~ and the price sure was right. Thank you Marc!
posted by Carrie @ 9:12 PM
1 Comments:
At 9:44 PM,
Bethy said…
I think you could have made a better point of letting people know exactly how LOADED I was form the Gin & tonics and Paul & Lizzie's. I'm not as obnoxious when I'm sober.
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