What travel mishaps or unplanned or unexpected things have occurred? Were there things that went awry or didnt meet expectations? What about way better than expected or pleasantly surprised things?
When I was 21 I flew for the first time. I was supposed to go from Chicago O'hare, to Phoenix, to Tucson. Due to the flight not leaving on time in Chicago tho, I missed my connecting flight. So they rebooked me from Phoenix to Las Vegas to Tucson. In Vegas I landed with 5 minutes to get to the connecting flight, but they didnt wait for me and they left without me. I was 21 years old, never traveled before and was a good Christian girl now expected to stay the night in sin city. I bawled at the gate. They put me up in a hotel, and re booked me from Las Vegas to Phoenix to Tucson. (I know... I had just CAME from there and they were sending me BACK. stupid!) By the next morning, the flight to Phoenix was cancelled. They rebooked me later in the day for a flight directly to Tucson and I finally made it.
My parents wrote a nasty letter to TWA and the response was a $50 gift voucher for the next time I flew with them.
Once, we were about 3 hours from home and mom remembered she didn't pack dad's shirts. They were together in the garment bag but no one actually put them in the car. Dad got 8 new shirts.
Then the time we were camping and some really severe weather came through. It was a beautiful, pleasant summer day and then in about 20 minutes we were in near black out conditions and bracing for a tornado. The park Rangers came through, told everyone to lock down and head to the pool house or nearest shower house. It came faster than anyone was expecting and we just finished getting the camper hooked to the car and we didn't have time to get to the shower house. Thankfully it was over in less then 3 minutes and nothing happened, the sky was brilliant blue again just like that. We went out about an hour later to have dinner at a restaurant in town. About a half mile outside the campground the tornado sat down, looked like it took a lap around the mountain and was gone.
Another camping trip we were in Jekyll Island. We were given strict instructions on locking up food and checking under the camper and table every time we came close to them. Raccoons the size of German Shepherds roamed the campground at night, you could hear them turning over trash cans all over the island. Alligators would get in the shade under tables and campers, so you had to check that you didn't step on one. But you could hand feed the squirrels and birds. They'd come right up to you and take food from your hand.
We stayed in the camper, in Orlando, in July once. That was the single, most miserable trip, ever. It was cooler inside Disney world than in the camper.
Dad likes ice cream. A lot. On vacation, he will buy everyone ice cream any time they, or he, wants it. On vacation, one time, we had ice cream at least twice every day.
As a kid, we didn't have much entertainment when riding, and you'd get in areas that didn't have much in the way of radio selection. But no matter where you were, you could get classic music and Paul Harvey. I learned to appreciate both on long stretches of highway.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Quick question, how early do you have to leave your hotel to get your room cleaned? I mean, we were visiting the one day and didn't leave our room until like 1130am or so. And, got back in the evening and our room had not been cleaned. What is the standard time?
Quick question, how early do you have to leave your hotel to get your room cleaned? I mean, we were visiting the one day and didn't leave our room until like 1130am or so. And, got back in the evening and our room had not been cleaned. What is the standard time?
That's just wrong. It doesn't matter when you leave. They knock on the door and if you are still there, you can have them clean or not. Many times, on a long stay, we will just ask for extra towels or something.
All rooms should be cleaned and ready to go by no later than 3:00. I would have complained...
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
We will let them in about day 3, but someone stays in the room.
We swap out towels daily, we just catch them in the hallway.
Most places we stay have general cleaning supplies, broom or sweeper, and usually quick wipes.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Quick question, how early do you have to leave your hotel to get your room cleaned? I mean, we were visiting the one day and didn't leave our room until like 1130am or so. And, got back in the evening and our room had not been cleaned. What is the standard time?
That's just wrong. It doesn't matter when you leave. They knock on the door and if you are still there, you can have them clean or not. Many times, on a long stay, we will just ask for extra towels or something.
All rooms should be cleaned and ready to go by no later than 3:00. I would have complained...
This isn't the first time this has happened. We were at the Homewood Suites. Then we have been traveling with the AAU team and have had some of that. We dont' stay at the fancy hotels but we don't stay at flea motels either. Usually Hamptons, homewood suites, etc.
I've had REALLY great travel experiences. Except for one...
We were leaving Italy, flying home via Paris. I didn't know, but G had decided to stay overnight in Paris as a surprise for me.
So, we get up at 4:00 in the morning for a 7:00 flight from Milan to Paris. We get to the airport and there is no 7:00 flight. We pulled out our Itinerary and showed them the flight number and the booking approval. Well, the flights had changed and no one informed us. In fact the airline that we were flying on (Air Italia maybe?) wasn't going to Paris that day at all. We were freaking out.
While we were talking to the person at the counter, an Air France employee heard us, came over, and told us that they would take care of us. No payment needed, just a copy of the confirmation...they would handle compensation with Air Italia directly. They even gave us food vouchers because it was going to be another couple of hours before Air France boarded. So a nightmare turned into just an inconvenience because of another airline.
We were supposed to arrive in Paris at about 9:00. Got there after 1:00. By the time we got to the hotel it was 3:00. Very little time to see the city...but we did it. We literally ran around town until we could not walk anymore. Almost crawled to our room. Make me tired just thinking about it. But worth every single step...
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Quick question, how early do you have to leave your hotel to get your room cleaned? I mean, we were visiting the one day and didn't leave our room until like 1130am or so. And, got back in the evening and our room had not been cleaned. What is the standard time?
That's just wrong. It doesn't matter when you leave. They knock on the door and if you are still there, you can have them clean or not. Many times, on a long stay, we will just ask for extra towels or something.
All rooms should be cleaned and ready to go by no later than 3:00. I would have complained...
This isn't the first time this has happened. We were at the Homewood Suites. Then we have been traveling with the AAU team and have had some of that. We dont' stay at the fancy hotels but we don't stay at flea motels either. Usually Hamptons, homewood suites, etc.
I will admit, I am slightly spoiled. We tend to stay at fancier places. The kick is though, we don't pay for them. It's all part of G's rider...and the vast majority of the places we go are places where he has a show.
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Our rooms are usually cleaned by 3, and turn down service (if staying at a high end place) is around 8. But....last winter we stayed at Embassy Suites in Williamsburg and we had a heck of a time getting our room cleaned. One night they didn't come until around 6. They were short staffed. On the busiest week of the year. Not acceptable. They comped us for one night.
When returning from Paris to Dulles we were landing in a thunderstorm. The pilot was a 20+ year Air Force pilot and said this was his most difficult landing. He had trained for such a landing, but had never done one before IRL until then. We tried 4 touch and go's before he was able to set it down. Each time the plane dropped significantly. Everyone held hands and prayed.
I meet a lot of nice people when I travel, especially when I travel alone. I have had drinks bought for me, upgrades to first class given (without asking), people help me carry my suitcases up stairs in metro stations, and just had great conversations with people on the planes. Mostly in 1st class, because in coach I tend to sleep more to avoid feeling claustrophobic.
We try to stay at Hilton Hotels because I am an Honor member. I'm a member of iPrefer and Sheraton as well, but we don't stay there often enough to get perks as we do with Hilton. So far the boys' favorite Hilton Hotel is the Embassy Suites at LAX next to the Budget Rental Car return lot. The restaurant has really good calamari.
When I went to Paris in 2000, I was waiting in line to go through immigration. There were two lines. One was going very quickly. I decided to get in that line instead. I noticed the passengers just flashed their passports briefly and went through. So that's I did. 4 days into my visit I was cleaning out my purse and asked my friend what I was supposed to do with that form I filled out on the plane. She said they should have taken it at customs. Apparently I went through as a European and there was no record of me being in the country! I tried to get my passport stamped on my way out but they wouldn't do it.
Checked in at the San Francisco Hilton at 2 p.m. My mother-in-law, wife and myself. Got to the room; looked like a cyclone had hit it. Trash, towels, etc. all over. Called Housekeeping. They said "What do you want us to do?" I thought (gosh isn't this housekeeping??) Told them we would like to have the room cleaned as soon as possible. Evidently we could have requested a different room, but did not know that. We went out; came back and the room was cleaned. It was a 3 person room (since there were 3 of us) and when we checked out, they only charged for two as a kind of "we are sorry for the inconvenience" gesture.
I swear, G never pays for a drink on a flight. He just has a great personality and the flight attendants just love him. He's one of those guys. You have to know him...he's just G. Most personable guy in the world...seriously...
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America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Was in Gatlinburg with my kiddos, got to our reserved room and the bathroom was nasty. I called the front desk, told them, they immediately moved us.
Sent someone up to take our bags, got to the new room and the lock was jammed.
The guy was so embarrassed.
He upgraded us to a huge room and only charged for a single person for the week instead of the week and gave me comp vouchers for restaurants and activities all over town.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I swear, G never pays for a drink on a flight. He just has a great personality and the flight attendants just love him. He's one of those guys. You have to know him...he's just G. Most personable guy in the world...seriously...
Visited thailand with a school group when I was 13. We ran away from our chaperones numerous times and one girl went out in the middle of the night to meet up with a boy she'd met during the day. He took her to his house. We're lucky she came back. We were stupid then.
Hmm. There was the time we took a bus tour to Paris. My dad broke his ankle when we switched buses in Germany. He refused to go to a French doctor or cancel our trip, so we spent four days in Paris with my dad using my brother and I as crutches. You know the steps at Montmartre? Went up and down them.
