Days 3 and 4 of the home vacation were a bit of a wobble. I had to stay in town on day 3 because I had an asthma assessment that had been rescheduled 3 times. There was this insistence that it was very important for my care. So I go in and 5 minutes later I am out. There were some inane questions, a bit of work on the peak flow meter and then a realisation that I didn't need any help managing my asthma - oh right, she says...
Day 4 I had this master plan of going to Stromness in Orkney. I have only really gone through there and it's supposed to have a good museum. During the week, you can take a ferry in the morning and be back by 1830, perfect! So I checked the weather again on Monday night and bought a ticket for the 0845 ferry from Scrabster. I just had to decide whether I was going to take my bike with me or just walk around.
Good morning, got my things together and decided I would not take my bike. I drove over to Scrabster and checked in at 0825. There was some confusion and rustling of paper and then she said, I am afraid you've missed it. I said but it's right there. Yes, but they have shut the door. But she calls and has a long conversation; there is recognition that they were expecting me - like I had a reservation. After about 5 minutes, she says sorry, you've missed.
I was home and had written an e-mail of complaint before they'd pulled out of dock. So I was a bit annoyed. I had done all my chores the day before, as you do. So I leashed up the dogs and took them for a long walk. I took them down to the river. We hadn't been there in a while. At the end of the path, I let them loose and they raced around like crazy dogs. As Thatcher was mid-leap over the river, I shouted, you can't swim! He looked back at me in horror as he splashed down. It was a bit of a cartoon moment.
I had a short but packed week at work and then at the end of the day Friday took the flight to Aberdeen. Flights was completely uneventful with great weather and we took off 10 minutes early. Checked into my hotel and then went to print out my boarding passes for tomorrow's trip to Krakow.
I was having some trouble checking in. I tried over and over and then I looked up the ticket number versus the booking number on my blackberry. As I was doing this, I noticed that my last name seemed to be missing from the reservation and instead it had my first name and my middle name as a last name - not a bad name by the way. So I put this into the check in and viola it worked. My heart sank.
So after a few texts to Gill I worked up the nerve to call Lufthansa. The gal that answered was a bit mewly. I tell her what I have done and she says I have to buy another ticket. Do I want to know how much it will be? Hold please - I am paying 0.10 a minute in addition to my regular service charge for this call. She comes back and says she can't sell me a ticket because the flight is sold out. But I have a seat I say. If you hold, I will ask my supervisor for an exception.
Long wait.
Back she comes and say she can sell me another ticket and it will be £660. I say what about the £400 ticket I already have. Oh we can help you with that and give you a credit of £37. Do you want a ticket - I guess so I say. Clickety clack - can't take any of the information for my existing reservation. There you go she says it is all done, do you have any questions?
Nothing you would be willing or able to answer I imagine. Probably true she says.
there is some familiarity regarding the plane incident..glad you got a seat, sorry it cost you more than double..I hope you try and pursue it when you get home..but for now have a great time..tell Gill Micheal Buble is here in October I think..love you much
ReplyDeleteI don't know why it's so fun to read those trials of travel...probably because it's funnier afterwards when you tell it so well. But I'm sure at the time you had steam coming out your ears. Poor Badger must have learned to swim then?
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