Life: Idiotropic

The Car

Kirk heads to the rental car place early to pick up the car.  This is one that we reserved months in advance when we planned this trip.  We specifically arranged to pick up the car in Seattle and return it in San Francisco.

He meets us at breakfast with keys in hand, but not happy.  Somehow their computer says pick up AND return in Seattle and "Oh, sorry.  We don't have a fluid fleet.  You can't drop off out of state."  No, we didn't go through a small company.  This was one of the big ones.

A new rental last minute will be expensive if it's even available.   We contemplate Kirk driving up from San Francisco to Seattle to return the car, then fly back down to catch our flights.  It's not a great plan.  Flights aren't as cheap as we'd remembered.

Our current company mentioned National - a sister company who did have a "fluid fleet," but didn't have anything available.

Funny... when I checked National, they had a car available.  So... we winced at the price and went for it.  Bottom line, in a vacation that begins in one state and ends two below, a car is sort of an essential.  We'll get the new car tomorrow morning...

Thankfully, this and the luggage issue gave us just a bit more time in the area.  We had time to go to Seattle (next post) and enjoy the city.

The Luggage

After traipsing all over Seattle in yesterdays 29 hour outfits using an airline blanket as a poncho, I was a bit eager to find my luggage.

I checked online and got no information.  My claim was still "in process."

I called and got the same "in process" message on a recording with no "real people" option.

So, I jumped on the free airport shuttle and went to the US Airways luggage counter.  This lady was very friendly and seemed like she was honestly trying, but she could not find out where my luggage was and when it would arrive.  The flight I came on yesterday was about to arrive.  I stood there watching the carousel go round and round with not a sign of my stuff.  I'd been told in Philly that my luggage would take my same itinerary 24 hours later... but then they thought my luggage made it to Lisbon...

A mid-30's man lost stood there looking for his flip flops that had fallen out of the side pocket of the backpack that he'd checked in.  He was actually turning to go report then lost.  Seriously?  I'm waiting for four large pieces of luggage for 6 people and he's reporting the flip flops that were loosely shoved into a non-sealable mesh pocket. 

I went back to find the US Airways lady busy.  She had no clue.  Our 4 large pieces of luggage were lost without a trace.  "Ok, well, I'm going to go check at American."

The American luggage service counter was at the far end of baggage claim, but I made it, gave him my luggage tickets and said, "We arrived yesterday on US Airways.  They don't know what happened to my luggage.  Do you?"

And he did!  "I'm showing one piece arriving on this next flight.  They probably grouped all the numbers under just one.  They'll arrive on the carousel directly in front of you in 5 minutes."

And they did!!

A harried me couldn't make the luggage trolley machine take my bills and the credit card function was broken, so I lugged all four unwieldy pieces down to US Airways where they gave me a trolley.  I asked if they would just drive me, but the "luggage delivery service only delivers luggage and it wouldn't go out until tomorrow."

The free shuttle it is.

And I returned triumphant to the happy squeals of everyone.

Bottom line:
We travelled:  Valencia  - Lisbon - Philadelphia - Seattle
Then 24 hours-ish later:
Luggage travelled:  Valencia - Madrid - Orlando - Denver - Seattle

It arrived in the country unaccompanied and untouched.