Review: A 12-day Barcelona/NCL Gem Adventure

[wader]

like everyone has said..so much information for those of us traveling behind you..thanks for the time taken to help us all out! We are doing the trip in October and one thing your review has told me is to GET PRIVATE TOURS!! We are trying to find others on our cruise to share the cost with...anyhow..my question was about Malta...i know you took a tour, but I was thinking about doing it on our own...I think we would like to see valetta, Mdina (based souly on your review!!) and the the catacombs..are they in Mdina? Do you think its possible to do these on our own? How far is Mdina from valetta? Could we walk Valetta then cab/bus it to mdina and back? thanks for any help you may have...

[onemoretimeagain]

Thank you for the wonderful trip review. My niece and I are taking the same trip in May for her college graduation, including the extra days in Barcelona, so you have been a big help.

 

Question about the dock sail aways. Can you tell me which side of the ship most of the sail aways were on? We are going in the same order as your trip.

 

thanks

onemoretimeagain

[JessLCH]

I have so enjoyed this review, especially since we are avid family travelers. We usually travel with our kids and at least one set of grandparents. Do you think your kids were at a good age for this itinerary- in terms of enjoyment and endurance? My kids are almost 4 and 7. We are doing Pearl to Alaska next week, then Hawaii cruise next summer. Would love to do Europe someday when my little one has enough stamina for it. Wondering your thoughts on the best ages and how your kids fared.

[aloha25]

like everyone has said..so much information for those of us traveling behind you..thanks for the time taken to help us all out! We are doing the trip in October and one thing your review has told me is to GET PRIVATE TOURS!! We are trying to find others on our cruise to share the cost with...anyhow..my question was about Malta...i know you took a tour, but I was thinking about doing it on our own...I think we would like to see valetta, Mdina (based souly on your review!!) and the the catacombs..are they in Mdina? Do you think its possible to do these on our own? How far is Mdina from valetta? Could we walk Valetta then cab/bus it to mdina and back? thanks for any help you may have...

 

You can first walk around Valletta and then catch a bus or taxi to Mdina. Mdina is about 30mins bus ride away from Valletta. A bus would cost you much cheaper than a taxi. The catacombs are about 15mins walk from Mdina into Rabat (a nearby village). You can do them on your own but it would be better to check the exact opening times of the catacombs.

 

this website can give you details of the bus routes and timings:

http://www.atp.com.mt/atp/servlet/ControllerServlet?action=loadUserPage&userPageName=historicalPlaces2

 

this website can give you a very good overview on Malta:

www.visitmalta.com

 

catacombs:

http://www.visitmalta.com/catacombs?l=1

 

enjoy your holiday!!!

[sjbdtz]

You can first walk around Valletta and then catch a bus or taxi to Mdina. Mdina is about 30mins bus ride away from Valletta.!

 

 

My guess is that in the summer, in the Mediterranean.....this isn't the "funky cold mdina", is it? :rolleyes:

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zligio51yP4

[sunshinestyles]

I enjoyed your review so much, especially the photos. I'll be taking the same cruise with my parents and my 11 and 9 year old kids in May, and your info will be so helpful. We're also from Orlando and cruise over here a lot, and this will be the first time in Europe for the kids. Your attention to detail and explanations of how you kept the kids happy are an inspiration!:)

[OCLadies]

As has been said many time before....your review is wonderfull!!!!! Makes me think I'm there with you. I'm in the process of planing my Med. vacation for 2009 and seeing your PHOTOS makes me realize I need a new camera. Can you please be more specific about your camera type. I've looked up Fuji FinePix6 and Canon Rebel XL and thats not narrowing it down enough or my search techniques are way off. HELP PLEASE. I want my photos to be as good as yours. I'm sincerely hoping that either of these cameras is automatic and not manual as I am all thumbs. Thanks so much for you input.

[Judy Finn]

My daughters (22 & 25) and I are going on a first cruise next week Norwegian Jade 13 days Southampton to Barcelona. WE SO ENJOYED YOUR REVIEW it was fabulous.

 

Judy

[cafe rose]

As has been said many time before....your review is wonderfull!!!!! Makes me think I'm there with you. I'm in the process of planing my Med. vacation for 2009 and seeing your PHOTOS makes me realize I need a new camera. Can you please be more specific about your camera type. I've looked up Fuji FinePix6 and Canon Rebel XL and thats not narrowing it down enough or my search techniques are way off. HELP PLEASE. I want my photos to be as good as yours. I'm sincerely hoping that either of these cameras is automatic and not manual as I am all thumbs. Thanks so much for you input.

try the www.uniquephoto.com website They usually have great deals on cameras.:)

[Jackielan]

What a great review !!

 

Only 9 days left for me and Im on the same cruise - I cant wait, Im even more excited than before now I have read your posts.

 

Thanks

 

Jackie

[OCLadies]

Celebrat.....where are you??? I'm going into withdrawl from not hearing your next post. Please come back :)

[Tammiko]

Thank you so much! We are going to be traveling in November and will be doing 37 nights of cruising with our 5 year old daughter! We are not doing all the same ports but we are doing Rome, Naples and Villefranche.

 

This has been wonderful! I think after reading your review that we will take a day off in Livorno and just spend it relaxing on the ship. Will be nice to save the money anyhow. :rolleyes:

 

I wonder if you can tell me the name and author of the book you got in Rome with the overlay pages? I am thinking that I will try to order it from Amazon before we leave to help get my daughter excited and just to save time while we are there. Although, maybe I should ask if you remember how much you paid for it in case it doesn't make $$ sense to pre-purchase.

 

One last question... How long did it take the kids to get used to the time difference? Do they have jet lag as bad as we do?

 

Again, kudos to you, what a generous and fabulous thing you are doing for us all! Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!

[CeleBrat]

Hi guys~

 

Sorry I have been missing in action. Work..business trip..some internet connection trouble...and the oh-so-exciting Olympics on TV at night have just monopolized my time.

 

My next update is partially written--hopefully I can finish it tonight and get it posted. If not, then this pesky Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay, which is heading my way, will definitely give me some down time and I'll be able to get it done. We live in Central Florida so hurricanes are somewhat like snow days--no work, no school, just hanging at home all day waiting for the weather to pass.

 

Anyhow--I see there are quite a few questions that have been posted. Let me see if I can find some answers...

 

CeleBrat

[CeleBrat]

Tammiko--

 

The books are called "Past and Present" books, and I believe I may have paid 10E at the Colosseum for it. They are published by VISION books, and their website is http://www.visionpubl.com

 

Hope that helps!

 

CeleBrat

[wisteria1019]

Hi guys~

 

Sorry I have been missing in action. Work..business trip..some internet connection trouble...and the oh-so-exciting Olympics on TV at night have just monopolized my time.

 

My next update is partially written--hopefully I can finish it tonight and get it posted. If not, then this pesky Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay, which is heading my way, will definitely give me some down time and I'll be able to get it done. We live in Central Florida so hurricanes are somewhat like snow days--no work, no school, just hanging at home all day waiting for the weather to pass.

 

Anyhow--I see there are quite a few questions that have been posted. Let me see if I can find some answers...

 

CeleBrat

 

Keep safe. My mom, brother and family live in Citrus County , so my thoughts are with all of you. I live in Colorado - left for five years to be closer to family. After four hurricanes four years ago, Colorado winters did not seem so bad!

 

Dawn

[CeleBrat]

DH awoke bright and early—5:30am to be exact, so that he could “sneak away”. Actually, due to job commitments, we had pre-arranged for him to fly home at the end of the cruise, while we spent another day in Spain.

 

I wished him well, then fell back asleep. Truth be told, I was feeling kind of sick and had a very rough, dry throat.

 

The kids slept through it all.

 

At 7:30, we woke up again, and the kids immediately FREAKED OUT that their dad was gone. Although we had talked about it many times, they totally forgot that their dad was on his way home. Perhaps they over-reacted because we were at the end of the cruise and everyone was tired?

 

We met everyone up in the Great Outdoors for one last breakfast al fresco. Parked immediately behind us at the pier was the QE2.

 

 

 

I should note that today was as DS’s official birthday. The big 8 years old! Because of that, we had to be sure and take all of the special magical birthday decorations from the cabin with us in our carry-ons.

 

 

Following breakfast, we returned to the cabin for one last look around, then armed with our carry-ons, or shall I say carry-offs, we headed up to Deck 12 to sit by the pool until our color was called.

 

 

 

We had chosen a 9:15am disembark time, since we were in no rush to go anywhere or do anything. Plus, we knew we couldn’t check into the hotel until 2pm.

 

Unlike most of the other cruises we had been on, where the last hour of waiting on the cruise ship is so, so sad, we found we were in great moods. Perhaps because we weren’t immediately rushing to the airport to get home?

 

 

Promptly at 9:15, our color was called, and we traipsed down to Deck 6 to leave via the very same door we had taken to get on the ship one week ago. One last scan of our cards, and we were off. Mom and I almost cried—again. Sigh….

[CeleBrat]

As we were herded through the building, I couldn’t help but notice that there were no foreboding Customs signs announcing “Plants or Animals are verboten from being removed from the ship.” Interesting.

 

We picked up our luggage, which was twirling around on a luggage carrier, and walked outside, with not a second glance at all from the Customs guys stationed at the door.

 

Outside, everyone was being efficiently directed either to a nearby (pre-paid) shuttle bus or the line for taxis. We joining the slowly expanding taxi line, and waited about 20 minutes or so before becoming the head of the line and scoring a taxi. All along, DD was incessantly asking, “Will Daddy be at the hotel?” with me responding, “No sweetie, he’s flying back to our house…in Florida. You will see him tomorrow.” It got a little redundant after about the 5th time.

 

DS, DD, my brother, and I piled into one taxi. Apparently, after disembarking the ship, I regressed in age and my mom thought I was unable to travel alone and INSISTED that my brother be present in the taxi. My mom, SIL, and Dad were in the other taxi.

 

We slowly pulled away from the curb, and I waved and jokingly said, “Bye-Bye Norwegian Gem….”, unbeknownst that DS was trying to hold back his tears. My saying farewell to the ship put him over the edge, and big crocodile tears began running down his cheeks.

 

“Oh honey….what’s wrong…?” I ask.

 

Sniff…”I”…sniff…”It was so fun”…sniff…”I am so sad that it’s over”…sniff…hiccup.

 

WOW—my 8 year old DS was crying, big man that he is and all. Poor thing. It’s his birthday, his dad has “run away” and his heart is breaking over leaving the ship.

 

DD decided to join the drama and immediately began to wail. “I….MISS…MY…DADDDDYYYYYYYY!”

 

It was chaos. And my childless brother was sitting in the front seat of the taxi smirking.

 

We arrived safely back at the Gallerie Hotel but I was worn out. Both kids had red, bloodshot eyes, and were still sniffling. I was in for a long day…

 

Even the sight of pigeons didn’t cheer up the kids. They didn’t even try to chase them!

 

We arranged to store our luggage at the hotel (since we couldn’t check in yet), and headed off into the city again. DD was still asking, “When will I see DADDY again? She was quite the broken record.

 

My brother and SIL decided to venture off on their own, so my parents joined the kids and I. We had decided to spend the morning visiting the Maritime Museum.

 

To get there, we opted to take the subway again, this time paying 1.3E each since our Barcelona cards had expired. It was interesting to see that there was a family on board the subway toting inflatable rafts and beach towels. What a strange concept to take the subway to the beach!

 

 

The Maritime Museum was located a block away from the subway stop, near the bottom end of Las Ramblas. Both the kids and my parents got some sort of crazy discount, so I was “stuck” again paying full fare. The entrance fee to the museum included a free headset, which was an excellent perk.

 

I opted not to use a headset knowing that a some point one or both of the kids would be “done” using theirs and I would be stuck carrying them, and quite frankly, I was still feeling somewhat tired and sick, feverish almost, and just wanted to sit down.

 

DD was fascinated by her headset, and much like her experience on the HOHO bus, she pushed all the buttons and didn’t bother trying to actually LISTEN to what the narrator was telling her.

 

 

The museum displays included many authentic ship models as well as a giant walk-through ship. It was very well-done. I basically just traveled from bench to bench in the museum, cursing the fact that I was feeling feverish and was so far away from home.

 

 

 

At one point, DD found a piece of paper with various letters written on it. It looked as if it were something from the DaVinci Code, so we decided that it truly was a secret coded message. She was ecstatic to have discovered it! Near the exit of the museum, I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw a sign with a magnifying glass and “SPY” in big letters. Apparently, the coded paper was part of a museum activity for kids involving code-cracking. Oops—hope we didn’t ruin the exercise by taking the paper with us….

[CeleBrat]

Following our educational visit to the museum, we decided to walk back down to the waterfront which was two blocks away. DS, having “mostly” recovered from the trauma of leaving the ship, had decided it would REALLY make him feel better if he could just SEE the ship one last time. He explained that because he was crying when we left, he didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.

 

OK…

 

It is his birthday after all…

 

So, we crossed the street and walked to the edge of the waterfront, and…NOTHING. We couldn’t see around the various building that were in the way. He begged and pleaded that we walk along the waterfront, but the adults in the party adamantly cried “NO!” After all, we weren’t quite really sure how far away the cruise pier actually was. And, I swear I was delirious with fever at that point.

 

So, I try some reverse psychology and point to the Christopher Columbus monument nearby. That very same one my Mom had made a scene at and caused us to be labeled “stupid Americans.” It was also the one place DS did not visit because he is somewhat afraid of heights.

 

Pic-max

 

I suggest that FOR SURE we would be able to see the ship if we went to the top of the monument, thinking FOR SURE he would say no and the situation would be over.

 

If there is one thing about kids, they’re unpredicatable…He said YES.

 

So, DS and I traipsed back over to the monument, enter the lobby quietly, and politely pay the admission fee to ride the elevator. Phew—the man behind the counter did not recognize me (as if he would….)

 

We ride up in the oh-so-tiny elevator and step out into the oh-so-small observation area, and I immediately become very, very dizzy and have to hang on to the wall. Much like being at the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, my sea legs were totally messing with my head. I truly felt like I was going to topple out of the 6 inch windows. Right…

 

 

We spy the cruise pier in the distance, and in a heat-breaking moment, DS crouches down, peers through the tiny window, waves, and whispers “Bye GEM. You were a great ship. I’ll be back to see you again sometime.”

 

 

 

And with that, he felt much better.

 

I, on the other hand, was trying not to sound or look anxious, but I really wanted to get down from there because of the crazy dizzy vertigo I was experiencing. DISCLAIMER—I am not afraid of heights!

 

Once back on street level, our party meanders over to the market, finds a cute café for lunch, and then heads back to the hotel via the subway.

 

I was never so glad to be able to lay down once we checked into the hotel. I slept for most of the afternoon, with everyone else tag-teaming to take care of the kids.

 

In the evening, we took one last look at Spain via the rooftop balcony, and called it a night.

 

[dcruisers]

I have LOVED your review and appreciate all the time you put into making it such a great one!

We will be on the Gem Oct 26 and have also booked RomeCab for our tour of Rome. I was so pleased to read that you thought Stefano was so good.

Did you tip him? If so, how much? We will be a group of 8 and are so excited about seeing Rome and the Vatican. Actually, we weren't going to include the Vatican in our tour until we read your wonder review of it.

Also, how many euros did you take to start your trip? We will be in Barcelona a day before and a day after the cruise. I know we can get euros on the ship and at ATMS but would need some before we leave the states.

Thanks again for a very informative and entertaining review. You have a lovely family.

[browneyes7]

Celebrat,

 

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into posting this review. I feel like I was on the cruise with you!! You have beautiful children, and what a great experience for them!!:)

[CathyCruises]

dcruisers--we just got euros at the ATM right outside our hotel in Barcelona--we did have ships transfer from airport to hotel, so we didn't need any upon arrival. Very simple to do--although if you live in a big city (vs mine at 1,200 souls) euros may be easy to come by at home.

 

cathy

[Lvdisnee]

I just came across your review tonight and sat and read the whole thing! Loved it :) Your info and all the fun details made for such a fun read! We are on the Voyager next month and so have many of the same ports/cities to experience. Reading your TR tonight makes me even more anxious and excited for our trip!

 

 

 

I love that you totally understand my Mom! Heheheheheeeee!

 

:D Not only do I totally understand your Mom too, but I'm really afraid that my two daughters would say that at times I AM your Mom!!!:eek:

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

CeleBrat - We need more, did you leave again?

[CeleBrat]

The next morning came all-too-soon. Bleary-eyed, but feeling very refreshed and MUCH better, we packed up and visited our favorite hotel breakfast buffet for one last taste of Guark.

 

I am proud to say that we did not make another taxi error. Upon check out, we refused assistance from the bellman and instead dragged all of our luggage out to the back entrance of the hotel BY OURSELVES so we could flag down a taxi. As luck would have it, one was already parked at the street corner.

 

Once again, my brother rode with the kids and I, since my Mom can’t allow a “helpless” woman travel alone with two young kids. Right…

 

We arrived at the airport safe-and-sound, and enter a very crowded check-in area. Immediately, things do not go well. We notice that our 11am flight is listed as DELAYED, and it is only 8:30 in the morning. Hmmmm…

 

 

We wait in a fairly long and somewhat disorganized line. Despite our efforts to keep the line in order, we notice several times that people have gotten in front of us. No matter—our flight was delayed and we were in no rush.

 

Up at the counter, we check our luggage and ask if they knew how long the delay was. NOPE. We then ask if they could look at see what other options there were for us in NY, since we had a short connection layover. NOPE.

 

OK…so we head over to the terminal for our looooooooong wait. By now, the flight boards had been updated and we were scheduled to depart at 1:15pm. It was 9:30am.

 

So we sat, and walked, and sat, and walked.

 

 

At one point we challenged ourselves to spend all of our remaining Euros in the terminal stores. It was quite a challenge, as most of us had 40-60E left., and no one was successful. Got some cool new shoes and jewelry at one of the stores. I can’t help but laugh because I always wonder who actually shops at those airport stores?!?! People like me, who are on delayed flights!

 

We ate lunch.

 

Finally, 1:15pm came…..and went.

 

 

 

We ask again at the terminal counter if they could assist us in arranging for alternative flight options, since we had FOR SURE missed our connecting flight. Again, NOPE. “They will assist you in NY.” We walked away scratching our heads since there was a good 9+ hours before we even got to NY and wouldn’t it make sense to try and help us now, before all the other flights got booked up?

 

Finally, at 1:30pm, boarding started.

 

I mused out loud to our party, “I wonder how the airlines fixes a late flight problem like this? Surely, they don’t keep sending the same plane on the same route, only to get later and later as they days go by….” Apparently, they do.

 

The flight was fairly non-uneventful, other than the fact that I was sitting between my two kids and every 5 minutes I would get elbowed, kneed, or poked. And, there was a large teen tour group aboard as well that got a bit unruly. They wouldn’t stay in their seats, and much to the chagrin of the passengers near the bathrooms, they kept trying to become members of the Mile High Club. Honest! Their chaperone was sitting right behind me, so I kept hearing him being chastised by the flight attendants.

 

As we approached Kennedy Airport in NY, the attendants spieled their normal connecting flight info, along with “For those of you who have missed your connections, please stop by the Connections Desk where they will be glad to assist you.”

 

Once aground, we picked up our luggage and GASP, were missing DD’s booster seat. It was nowhere to be found. It was… LOST LUGGAGE!! I was hoping it wasn’t sitting in the grass near the tarmac in Spain, having just fallen off a luggage cart.

 

We debated whether we should stop and declare the missing car seat, or just head to the connections desk first.

 

After picking up our luggage, and clearing Customs, we rounded the corner to find the Connections Desk, and a huge crowd, which was fronted by loud Customer Service Agent that was yelling, “ONLY CHICAGO AND MIAMI FLIGHT HERE!”

 

Undeterred by her yelling, I approached her and asked about assistance for our missed flight. The conversation went something like this:

 

Me “Hi, the flight attendant on the plane said you’d help u…..”

 

Agent, cuts me off, “We’re only doing Chicago and Miami here.”

 

ME “But we missed our flight and need to rebook and we were directed…”

 

Agent, cuts me off again, “Upstairs, 3rd floor.” She then resumes her loud yelling spiel to the crowd, “PEOPLE WE ARE ONLY HELPING CHICAGO AND MIAMI HERE.”

 

Yikes, nice welcome to the States.

 

Upstairs we find the normal airline counter, and a very long line. At the head of the line is a much quieter, but oh-so-sassy agent. We approach and I state, “We missed our connecting flight and need to talk to someone about re-booking?”

 

Sassy agent turns and points, “Wait in the line.”

 

It was really long. And we had our luggage. And we were extremely tired since it was going on midnight in Barcelona-time. Fortunately, the kids hadn’t started up their “Where’s Daddy chant?” yet.

 

 

So we waited in the slowest moving line. Ever. We timed it---57 minutes. Various other line-waiters were becoming quite angry at the length of the line, since they were trying to check-in for outgoing flights. And, we had all arrived at the shift-turnover time. So, for about 15 minutes the counter went from 5 agents, to 2, before 2 more showed up.

 

Partway through the line, I realize with sudden dread, that I don’t think we’re going to make it home tonight, and I believe I might have a really important work engagement tomorrow that I MUST be at. It was too late for me to call work, and I didn’t have my Blackberry on since I was on vacation. So, I frantically start to call DH, thinking that he is at home and he can check my schedule and let me know exactly what I need to creatively try to get out of.

 

I call home…no answer. I call his cel…no answer. Several times I do this. On the 5th time, I reach him on his cel.

 

“Where are you?” I ask.

 

His reply, “On a plane.”

 

And because I am so jet-lagged, I actually think he is running AWAY from his family—leaving us.

 

“Uhhh…. Where are you going?” I ask.

 

“Home silly!” is his reply. “I am just now landing. My flight was delayed and I have had a heck of a time getting home..”

 

We laugh about the misunderstanding. Apparently, his flight from Barcelona was longer than normal due to bad weather at NY causing them to circle for over an hour before landing. Since his plane was late, it was then late getting back to Barcelona, and then we were late leaving. AHA! The airlines don’t ever fix late flights. I wonder how much longer that flight was going to go back and forth over the Atlantic, getting later and later each time…

 

DH had been stranded in NY overnight, and had been put on our connecting flight (which we missed) and was looking forward to surprising us by appearing on the flight. That would’ve been so cool! I explain that I need him to check my BlackBerry as soon as he arrives home.

 

The line slowly moves forward, and eventually we are at the head of the line! I can’t help but turn around and wave at everyone. HAHA! I’m first!

 

We step up to the counter, and I tell the agent, “We are heading to Orlando and have missed our connecting flight. It’s really important that we try and get out tonight.”

 

I then give the agent all of our travel documents. We had forbidden my Mom to speak because she was tired as well, and heaven only knows what would’ve come out of her mouth.

 

The agent doesn’t say anything, nor does she take the documents. She just types on her computer. After about a minute, the silence is so unnerving (kind of like when you are on a phone and you are unsure if the other person is still on the line) that I say, “I’m sorry, did you hear me?”

 

She sighs, and says, “Yes, I’m checking for flights.”

 

Clearly, we weren’t the first people to have problems today.

 

After about 5 minutes, she looks up and says, “There’s nothing tonight.”

 

I tell her, “Can you look at the other airlines too?”

 

She responds tiredly, “I already have.”

 

“Oh..”

 

She puts her head down and starts typing again, and I am afraid to ask if she is even still helping us. At that point, I actually turn and walk away from the counter BEFORE I TURN INTO MY MOM AND EXPLODE!!! I have made a career working for accompany that EXCELS in guest service, and I cannot believe how we are being treated. Rudely! No one, anywhere, has even taken a moment to say, “I’m sorry you’ve missed your flight.” Instead, we have been herded around like cattle and treated like it’s OUR FUALT that a problem has occurred.

 

I count to 10 and return to the counter and ask, “Any luck?”

 

Her response, “I’m not sure you’re going to get out of here anytime soon.”

 

WOW—that’s making me feel great!

 

Eventually she stops typing and says, “I have a flight out tomorrow at 9am from La Guardia. Documents and passports.”

 

We cheer. Bitter, Mean Agent lady is our hero!

 

She assigns us overnight vouchers for the Crown Plaza, complete with taxi voucher and meal coupon. We are ecstatic. She is happy to see us leave her counter, I’m sure.

 

Before leaving the airport, I head back down to the Lost Luggage desk to report the missing booster seat, and find Inept Agent. He says, “It easy. Your missing luggage was probably put on that flight you missed” with a big smile. OK, at least he’s friendly.

 

“Sir, that’s impossible since we landed AFTER that connecting flight had already taken off” I respond.

 

“Well then, let’s just see what we have here” he says, typing into his computer. “No problem at all! I show all your luggage as still being checked to Florida. It’s probably on it’s way there now.”

 

I grit my teeth and respond, “With all due respect, how can your system show the luggage as being checked when I have it ALL, expect the booster seat, in my possession.”

 

He honestly looked confused. The best he could come up with is, “Don’t worry, it’ll work itself out. Just check with the desk down in Florida if you have problems.”

 

Before leaving I ask, “Are you sure I don’t need to fill out a form or anything?”

 

HE responds with a smile, “Nope…and have a nice evening.”

 

AARGH!

 

(NOTE—I must add here that the day after we came through Kennedy is when that luggage fiasco occurred. You know, the one that was on the news and shows thousands of suitcases in the terminal because the computerized system had broken. I’m sure that Inept Agent’s thinking that our luggage was still checked was just the start of that systems’ decline into the huge problem.)

 

We step outside to find two taxis waiting. The kids and I board one, and an argument ensues outside. Our taxi driver insists that a 4th passenger (my brother) ride in the backseat of our tax, since the front seat was being used to carry luggage. First of all, that is way too crowded. Second of all, that would mean the kids couldn’t wear seatbelts (and I was already stressed that DD had no booster seat) and third of all we had 3 taxi vouchers. My Mom (of course) was demanding they call a third taxi or she would march right inside and tell the airlines how the taxi people were treating us. That made me laugh because the airlines people were really not in a good mood today.

 

Our taxi driver gets in the car, and drives off with myself and the kids in the backseat, and I wonder if we would ever see our family again. Either he was taking us to a dark and foreboding alley and we would never be seen again, or the other driver was going to take my Mom to that dark and foreboding alley.

 

During our trip to the hotel, he made lots of calls to the dispatcher, speaking in another language that I did not recognize. AAAAA! For once, I actually wished that my brother was here to protect me!

 

We arrived, safe and sound at the hotel, and with in 15 minutes, the other two taxis arrived as well. Phew!

 

E all check into the hotel, the kids and I immediately head off to bed, and everyone else heads to the restaurant for dinner.

 

I wonder, before I turn in for the night, if we would EVER get home….?

[Cary T]

And.........................???