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Day 12: NYC to Portland via Philadelphia
We got a private car to take us to the airport (and one for Daniel and Eve). Very civilized and not much more than a taxi. It was a somewhat interesting drive through Manhattan and Queens and voila, we’re at La Guardia. It was easy enough to get our bags checked and boarding passes. But then it got interesting. Our plane is at gate C42. So we dutifully walk to the C gates where we see that only C1-14 are available. So we ask the TSA agent where C42 is. Oh, you have to take a shuttle by the D gates. Ok, that would have been helpful to know before we walked out here but ok. So we walk over to D. There’s no sign or indication that any C gates are available past security so we ask again. Oh yes, through security and get the shuttle. Ok. We had TSA pre-check which is always nice. Interesting that our first class tickets always got pre-check but that’s another story. Marion had accidentally left a Diet Coke in her bag and got busted. Oops.
So then we go stand by the sign that says shuttle while people randomly line up. There’s no further info but it seems like the right place. We stand there for a while and nothing happens. But then people start coming out of a side door as if the shuttle has arrived and the girl monitoring things says she has room for 4 people going to the C gates we want, so we make our move. Out to… 3 shuttle busses. No signs, no people. Nothing to indicate where to go. So we follow the people ahead of us (usually the right move) and get on the bus which does in fact, drive around through the airport alleys and deposits us near our gate. A lot of stress and trauma that could have been alleviated by about 3 signs and 2 sentences from the airline counter to direct us, but no. You’re just supposed to know. A theme which continues when we try to buy some snacks. There’s no one at the register which says ‘closed’ on it. We go back and ask and are directed to the register again. It turns out there’s an automated checkout, or, you can go across the way to what looks like a different store and pay there. It would take 5 minutes to make a little sign. But no. Perhaps I’ve spent too long in customer service but this does not seem hard. And I would think the constant questions would get annoying to the staff (not that they seemed to care). Later we walked further up the terminal and it looks like we could have walked to this gate from the D gate entrance. What the hell?!
It was a quick flight to Philadelphia. In fact, so quick, that we managed to arrive 30 minutes early for a flight scheduled for 35 minutes. I’m not sure how we accomplished that since we did seem to leave on time. Some sort of time warp I guess. Not that I’m complaining. You can arrive early all you want.
It was a reasonably long wait in Philadelphia, but then a direct flight to Portland. Once again, no in seat or in flight movies in first class but we did get ice cream sundaes after dinner. So we can’t really complain too much.
Les was there to meet us and once again we were whisked away home in a fancy Lincoln. Very posh. The kitties were both glad to see us and angry at us. Marie, who had been watching them for us, said they thought she had put us in a wood chipper. But they settled down. Marion’s plants were still alive, much to her relief (it had been VERY hot). And the next day I was on a plane to California for work and all the relaxing benefits of vacation quickly dissipated. But it was nice while it lasted.
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