Saturday, April 11, 2009

WE'RE HERE!!

Good-bye Midwest, Hello South! After a grueling day yesterday (Friday), we are living in our hotel in Atlanta!

We woke up at 6:20am yesterday and got ready for the day, re-packed from our temporary hotel, called for assistance with the hotel shopping cart, caught the girls and gave them their kitty Valium, loaded on the shuttle and checked in. We paid our pet fee ($150 per pet) and got our boarding passes, made it through security - each of us carrying a kitty - and had a little breakfast at McDonald's.

We waited at the gate for over an hour past the scheduled time - air traffic control delayed us due to weather in Atlanta. We finally boarded an A330 (2 seats, 4 seats, 2 seats) in the second to last row with an empty seat between us for the girls. By this time the kitty Valium was definitely in effect and the meows were small and feeble. Jeff also made sure to take his Dramamine!

Our normal flight time of 2 hours and 5 minutes went above 3 hours due to the same severe weather patterns - while we circled above thunderclouds in Atlanta, bumping and diving, for an hour until we were cleared to land. In the meantime, 2 people barfed (thank goodness, not Jeff or Bella, or Maddie).

We went to baggage, finally got our bags, loaded the bags on the rental car bus, went to the rental car place to get our car for the day, reloaded the bags, fought about the fact I forgot our GPS on my trip this past week (we are getting it back Thursday on my St Louis trip), circled the wrong way to the hotel and drove 5 miles, drove 5 miles back to the start point, pulled into the Embassy Suites, unloaded the bags for the last time, and collapsed onto the sofa. For a second. Then we got the girls out - who were wobbly, pupils dilated, hungry, but fine - and unpacked a little.

Our dinner at the hotel was fast and quiet, but we are glad the travel is over - for as much as I am on the road by myself, it is a whole other story with 7 times as much luggage, 2 pets, and one other person - it does not go as quickly or as easily as one would think! I am glad we don't have to do it again for awhile!

1 comment:

Marne said...

So glad you made it safely. AND, more importantly, thanks for story about 'circling' for an hour... I will remain a Dramamine customer in deed. I am just kind of starting to get comfortable w/o it (so I don't get to groggy)... but this is a great reminder NOT to! Also glad it went safe with the kitties! Good luck with the next few weeks... let us know when you move in... we may need to have a virtual House Warming Party! My friend Linda just bought one too and we are having a Margaritaville themed house warming party on May 8th... you could have one to and we could toast!

Miss and Love ya!
Marne