23 February 2008

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

So I finally managed to find a hotel where I don't have to pay $12.95 for 24 hours of wireless access and I can get caught up! Just a quick recap of where I've been:
  • Wednesday - flew to Mexico City. Had a dinner scheduled with my company and could not get to said dinner due to a huge protest that shut down one of the main drags through Mexico City - la Reforma. My dinner was at a club in the Centro Historico and not a single cab would take me. Gracias. So I wound up eating tres tacos - dos de chorizo y uno do chuleta at El Caminero - I love this taco shop!
  • Thursday - do a presentation in the morning and run to the airport for an afternoon flight back to Washington DC via O'Hare. My upgrade cleared and I had time to stop at my favorite panaderia in the Mexico City airport and I'm thinking all is well. And it was until I got to the gate for my connecting flight to DC. It was like a scene out of the last flight out of Saigon. All flights to BWI and Dulles had already been cancelled due to weather and this flight to Reagan National was the last flight out. People were trying anything to get on this flight. Of course, the inbound aircraft was late, which the gate agents "forgot" to announce. Just before they finally announce boarding, they say to make it quick becuase a monster ice storm is going to hit National. Umm..ok. So they invite First Class to board and on I go, only to discover that they had done an aircraft switch and there was no First Class on this flight. I was too tired to get irate and it's only an hour and 20 minute flight to DC. One guy essentially had a cardiac in the jetway when he saw that there was no First Class and wound up not flying. Well, the urge to get us out was insane. Again, "last flight out!" mentality. Get to DC after midnight and into my hotel by 1AM. Friday morning meetings starting at 7AM. Great...
  • Friday - it's icy in DC and it's going to be an ugly day for flying. By 12:00 Noon, United called me to tell me my flight do Philadelphia is cancelled and they can get me to Philly Saturday afternoon. Check here for "no." So it's Amtrak to the rescue. Who'd a thunk!? After my board meetings ended, a buddy of mine who owns a chauferred car company had a Town Car for me and got me over to Union Station in no time flat. I was on the 4:00PM Acela Express to Philadelphia. Have to admit the train was a pretty darn civilized way to go. Yet another cab upon arrival and I meet my dad at the hotel.

So now that I am in Philadelphia for a week, I'm looking forward to the weekend with my dad and starting this class at Wharton. I'm really glad to not be flying for a week!

1 comment:

heidi said...

Darin is traveling a lot with his new company and it has always reminded me of the Lyons. I remember Shari being the lone parent at times like I am now--with the kids in tow wherever we go. At least the older ones can pretty much hold down the fort around here when he is gone. I just had to go and have baby #4 though and tie myself down. Hope all is well and your family is doing great. I read about your trip to see your dad's hometown and it sounds so awesome. I am a sucker for stuff like that and hope you made the best memories on that trip. See ya.

Heidi