Leah’s Scotland Blog

Ok, so that wasn’t the most efficient trip that I have ever taken. My original flight was supposed to take off on Sunday afternoon. Of course, there were thunderstorms in Chicago, so I was already pessimistic when my mom and Molli dropped me off at the airport.  I was informed upon check-in that my flight was delayed from 3:51 to 5:10 (arriving at 6:05 or so), but I should still make in time for my 7:00 flight to Dublin (this actually was not accurate, because you have to leave Terminal 3 and take a tram to Terminal 5 and then go back through security at the International gates and I don’t believe this could be accomplished in less than the 35 minutes I would have to get there).This is probably a good time to mention that I am not thrilled with my companies travel agent. The general process I have used is that you search for a flight online and then you contact the travel agency with your desired flight. They are then supposed to approve it or come back with cheaper alternatives or possible problems. This worked very well on my first flight to the UK. Unfortunately, this time it was a one-way ticket and there were fewer options. The flight I picked was a United Airlines to Chicago and then Aer Lingus to Dublin and onto Glasgow. When I notified the travel agent of this flight they said because of their agreement with United they would have to separate the flights, meaning if I checked baggage I would have to pick it up in baggage claim in Chicago and re-check for my Aer Lingus flight. I then asked if there were other options for flights, and she said not really. So I took it, but ended up shipping everything so I only had carry-on items. She did not inform me of the consequences if my flight to Chicago was delayed or cancelled. Bringing us back to Sunday…My flight was delayed until 7:00 by this time (and I later found out, actually cancelled). So when the lady at the United counter was trying to switch my tickets, she noticed she didn’t have the ability to switch my Aer Lingus tickets to a different airline. Traveling by plane already puts me at stress level 3 (slightly more stressed than the usual) on a scale on 10, not that I am scared of the actual flight, but just that crap like this will happen. So, now I am at a stress level 5 (high level of concern). She lets me use the desk phone to call the 24 hour emergency line for my travel agent. I am put on hold. Slowly, my stress level rises. By the time someone answers, 10 minutes later, I am up to stress level 7 (so concerned I am making pained faces). The man on the line informs me that because of the way I booked my tickets Aer Lingus is not responsible for when I make it to the Chicago airport and my ticket is non-refundable. So I have to change it to the next available time for a $100 fee (it ended up being $350 total, good thing my company is paying). In addition, Aer Lingus only flies from Chicago to Dublin once a day, so I would have to wait until the next day to fly. I say OK, as I have no other option, and he re-books my flight for Monday. Stress level 8. I surprisingly calmly wait in line to talk to the United airline desk lady again. I am able to switch my United flight to an American flight on the next day leaving at 2:24 pm, giving me hopefully more than enough time to catch my 7:00 pm flight. I ask to use the phone again, since because I was moving I sold my car, discontinued my cell, and only have $1.75 in American cash. I take out my list of phone numbers and start calling anyone possible that might be able to pick me up. After four calls, I finally reach Erin. She unfortunately is at work (she’s at EMT) and can’t leave. At this point I reach the magical stress level 9 (tears) and start crying at the gate, right in front of all the other delayed people. She kindly offers to call up a few of her friends that might be able to help, but I decline, as I realize at this point I should call my manager. So I call up Tammy, in tears, and try to explain the situation in something that resembles English. She offered to pick me up and stay the night at her house, which was wonderful of her, but felt horrible trespassing on her time and family on Easter. So I decided to just take a cab back to my apartment where I could use the hidden key to get back in and wait for my now supposedly “ex-roommates” to get home.So I leave the airport and catch a cab, after making sure I can pay with a credit card (as you will note the $1.75 was all the cash I had). And start on my way back to my apartment. My stress level did not go down while in the cab and I continued to cry. Fortunately, I never did reach level 10 which I am sure entails some kind of nervous break-down and fainting. The poor cabbie probably thought my dog died. Anyways, I get back the apartment, and once in familiar settings my stress level finally starts dropping. My roommates get home eventually and we go out to eat (as, of course, I have no food). The next day (Monday) I just end up going back to work in the morning, shocking a couple co-workers by my unexplained presence. I make myself busy until Tammy can take me to the airport at 12:30, and then have to re-say my goodbyes, which is just way too anti-climatic. At least, Monday is a bright sunny day in Madison and Chicago.I got to Chicago no problem. I had over a 3 hour lay-over, but it went pretty fast. I only got a little freaked out when they started calling people up to the boarding area and telling them to go back to the check-in desk. Fortunately, I got on the plane. Unfortunately, they had to check my carry-on luggage, but they couldn’t check it all the way to Glasgow. No, with my 60 minute lay-over in Dublin, I would have to wait in baggage claim for it. This of course made me more nervous. The over-seas flight was fine, I got a little sleep. But it landed 15 minutes later than expected. Now I have 45 minutes (only 20 minutes until boarding) to find my next plane. First I run through four corridors, and then I have to go through passport checks. The girl two ahead of me takes 5 minutes, but it seems like forever. After I get through there I go to wait for my luggage. This of course takes forever and by the time I get my bags I am back up to a stress level 7 and I am 5 minutes late for boarding (only 20 minutes until the plane is supposed to take off). Again I run, I already have a boarding pass so I try to follow the correct signs but I am fighting against the flow the entire way.  This makes me feel that I am going in the wrong direction, but eventually I get to the gates, and… another security check-point (I should have known). I quickly strip off my shoes and throw everything in the tubs. However, I think the security lady sees the stress on my face and decides to stop me for a pat-down.  Great, stress level 8.  I then tell her that I am late for my flight, which probably wasn’t a good idea, and then she starts questioning me for why I wasn’t there earlier, then I have to tell her the whole story. She does let me through and I start loading myself back up with stuff in a panicked manner. I check my gate and with my shoes not even quite on my feet, I start running for it. Fortunately, I never reach stress level 9, as it was funny enough to see the practically bare-footed American running through the Dublin airport, tears would have made it so much worse. By the time I reach the gate I am 20 minutes late for boarding and the flight is supposed to take off in 5 minutes. At least, the Aer Lingus people knew that my earlier flight was running late and they were waiting for me. I get on the plane and have a very uneventful flight to Glasgow. Bob (the guy helping me relocate) was waiting for me and he took me to pick up my car (oh boy!)  That will have to wait for the next blog.