Puerto Vallarta travels... part 1

I say part 1, because it is hard for me to believe that this is over, or will somehow turn out to be easy.

Funny, how I really considered catching up and writing some stuff earlier and last week... But since I'm hanging out in an airport (and have been for the last 7+ hours) I may as well do it now.

So yes! Monika and Eric are getting married. My stance on marriage, well... it's cool if you want to, but I'll keep the car running just in case ;) However, this marriage is happening in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This means that besides participating in this joyous occasion, I also get to take a vacation.

My flight is scheduled out at 6am Thursday morning. This gets me into Denver around 7:45, and then I take an 8:40am flight out of Denver and get to Puerto Vallarta at 2pm. Perfect timing!!! Except for the 6am departure. What are you supposed to do in this case? Likely just stay up through the night.

Fortunately United Airlines and Mother Nature saved me that torture (I think). I get a call at about 4pm from United, telling me that my flight from ORD to DIA has been cancelled. OK, what now? Well, I can apparently get a refund and not take the trip... ARE YOU FREAKINING KIDDING ME?!?!?

After further discussion I will be on a 7:50pm flight out of Chicago (mind you it is about 4:10pm by this point) and I will spend the night in Denver. So I get to shower and pack in an hour. I am still not sure if I got everything, but I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I get to the airport, fortunately am able to get a 1st class upgrade... and who do I see? SQZ and his Mrs. Funny coincidence, but I guess he was a bit nervous about his trip home the next day.. And he decided to pull out the night before as well.

Anyway, my flight is fairly uneventful, except for the guy sitting next to me talking on and on about something or other... and complaining about the service. The way I figure, I only had to flag them down for another drink once... and his was full the entire time.

At the airport I try and call any hotel (again) that I can... still no rooms. So I pulled together a few chairs, and made my bed. Denver is a damned loud airport... not only do they announce every 15 minutes that the airport is closed, they take damned good care of their floors. Every hour or so, a big floor waxer / zamboni looking thing drove by.... and of course since I’m probably the only person in the airport, the thing has those beeper things going.

Around 5:30am the airport started filling up. Mostly people swearing about their flights being cancelled. I would say about 3/4 of the flights are cancelled. Mine however is still on time. I am very hopeful at this. I go get a coffee and some BK Breakfast food. What's the big idea of not having the "Heart Attack Super Special" or as BK calls it the breakfast stacker or whatever. Anyway, I settled for a couple of crassandwiches... which apparently are not settling too well with me right now.

Anyway, I look like I am straight out of last month's issue of Taliban Home and Garden... haven't shaved in a few days, and slept in the damned chair. I should expect some fun times heading through security. I guess it's about time for me to go get another coffee, and see how all of this turns out.

I'm somehow thinking there will be more to come.