After the fiasco in the morning, we were told to get to the boarding gate early, as we didn't have a boarding pass, only a seat reservation. By getting to the gate early, we could be allocated 4 seats together. So we arrive and explain to the lady what this issue is. She informs us that she is aware of the situation and has been "working on it all day". Good, we think. They open the gate for boarding and board the first class passengers first. Then the business class. Then the priority seating. We were standing up the front, expecting to be handed our boarding passes, but after being told to move out of the way, we were getting rather agitated.
The lady then opens up boarding for zone 1. So we move ahead, only to be told, no, you can't board yet, this is zone 1. What the hell is zone 1 and how are we supposed to know, because you haven't given us boarding passes yet!!?! After the ENTIRE plane has boarded, we are then, and only then, given our seats. 3 in the last row of the plane, and Bernie in row 29. So we had to suffer the indignity of being the last people on. After Delta screwed up our original flight and sent our luggage on ahead, they turn around and treat us like this? We checked in at 12pm, and was told all we had to do was get our boarding passes. Surely between 12 and 10:30pm, they could figure out where to seat us???
In the end, who cared. We were on our way out of LA, bound for a stop over in Atlanta Georgia for 3 hours, before a quick one hour flight to Columbia, South Carolina. We arrived in Atlanta at 6am. Atlanta airport is massive. We got the boarding passes for our next flight, which took all of 2 minutes, surprising considering the shit fight at LAX. And yes, we were fully expecting issues! After grabbing breakfast (our 3rd meal in a row of airport food!) we waited for our flight. Pretty soon we were off. It took all of half a page for me to go to sleep, I barely slept on the previous flight and it was getting on for 24 hours without sleep. But before long we were descending, over forests and lots of leafy green.
When we landed, we fell in love with the place. The airport is small but soooo pretty! And we exited to be met by one of the reasons we came in the first place - my step nephew Andrew. I did say I'd cry when I saw him, but I was too exhausted!! Seconds later I was hugging my step sister, a woman I have never met in the 20 odd years our respective parents have been married.
We arrived at our home for the next 3 weeks, an extended stay hotel called Value Place. Essentially a hotel with a kitchen in the room. Doc & Andrew had been in earlier in the week to stock us with supplies, so we had milk, cereal etc. All of us were buggered, so a shower and sleep were first on the agenda. We agreed to be picked at later in the afternoon, about 4, but it was 6.30 when we were awake again and ready to go.
Doc had promised a Mexican feast, so we were looking forward to our first home cooked meal in a week! After meeting the rest of the family and a couple of friends, we had dinner and it was excellent! Special mention to the banana pudding!!
We sat round talking for the rest of the night, and amazed by the inconsistencies of the story my mother had given. No wonder they have been so worried about how long we were spending here - the lies unravelled very quickly!!!!
Tomorrow Bernie is off to play Airsoft. A war game with BB guns that look like real guns. We had a shoot of one tonight - they look and feel like actual weapons! The girls and I will attend to a weeks worth of laundry before heading out to do some shopping.
A touching thing that happened today. One of the other flights boarding had a US soldier flying. As they made the announcement that the flight was boarding, the person announced the following;
"On this flight is a current serving US soldier. Can you all please give him a round of applause to acknowledge your thanks and appreciation of our armed services".
And yes, I clapped.
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