Sunday, December 18, 2016

Travel Blogging XX

"Becalmed" in Ft.Lauderdale: The cruise ended this morning, the Prinsendam is now taking on pax for its next cruise. We headed for the airport and discovered that there was "a problem" with our airline reservations.

The terminal was a zoo, lines everywhere, and the AC seriously underperforming. The causes of the mess were, essentially, twofold. First, it is the Christmas season and many people travel. Second and more important is the giant cold snap dominating the middle of the country, the so-called "Arctic express."

With OHare, Denver and other northern airports closed or nearly so, many travelers were perforce flying a southern route through Houston or Dallas. Our bottom line: Our flight leaving Ft. Lauderdale was running late enough we probably would not make our connection in Houston for SF. And, there were no seats available on later flights today for the Houston-SF leg, all full.

The result: we overnight in Ft. Lauderdale and fly out tomorrow before dawn on a nonstop to SF. So we are doing a Holiday Inn, and have notified Budget that we'll need the car tomorrow, not today. Honestly, I'm not sorry. It gives me another day to recuperate from my cold.

----------o--0--o----------

On the cruise just ended we had six table mates at our dinner seating: a couple from Canada, two sisters from Louisiana and two friends (guys) who live in different states but meet up to travel. It was a remarkably cheerful and congenial group. We ended up doing some extra activities together which went beyond a shared meal.

The two ladies from LA were booked on our original flight this afternoon but had the same problem we had - no flight beyond Houston. Travel can be a mixed blessing.