Excuse me- does anyone know the way to Cali??

Everything went as planned until I tried to leave the state of PA on Thursday. I worked until 3am Thursday morning, went home to pack, went out to breakfast with a friend, and then cleaned until Lori picked me up at 3:30pm (yes I was exhausted but thought I had a 5 hour plan ride to Vegas to catch up on sleep).

I arrived at Harrisburg in time for an early check in. During my check in I was told the my flight from Harrisburg to Philly was canceled. In order to make my Philly flight i would have to head to Philly by way of car. The airline gave 2 gentlemen and I a taxi vouture and sent us on our way. After two hours on the road (lots of traffic) we ended up at the departing flight deck at Philly, only to find DisneyLand size lines and a slew of canceled flights. Luckily, mine wasn't canceled, only delayed- 6hours. After standing in line, the young guy in front of me and I decided this couldn't possibly be the line for us. We developed a strategy- I was going to be our place holder, while he scouted out what exactly we were in line for and where we needed to be. Our plan worked. Since neither of our flights were canceled, he just needed to check in and I already checked in just needed to check my baggage, standing in a line that doubled over on itself 4times for get re-booked made no sense. So we high-tailed it to the other end of the terminal and began biding our time in another line. When I got to the counter, I explained to the already frazzled girl what had happened, she said she could get me to vegas, but not out of Vegas until the morning. I asked if I could be re-routed and she said "you need to go and get in the long line back at the other end of the terminal to be re-booked." AHHHHH- the line I had just fled! I walked back now having more time then before to kill and got back in the end of the line. About half way through a representative from the airline came over asked what I needed. I explained yet again the situation (with slightly more irritation). After reviewing the flight schedule he said my best option was to take the delayed vegas flight and then get rebooked when I get to to Vegas. Absolutely sick of standing in line (if only I knew what the future held) I went out to the sky cap and checked my bag, hit the girls room, found my gate and headed to a little Bistro and wine bar and had a large plate of pasta and two glasses of white wine.

Fast forward 4 hours. Waiting to board the the plane in Philly, there was almost a riot. It was wall to wall people. people trying to fly stand by arguing with people who had seats, airline workers threatening to call security of people don't stop crowding the desk and me going on 35 hours with out sleep. When the seat/boarding debacle finally ends I find myself in an isle seat beside a young business man. Determined to sleep, I ask the flight attendant for a blanket before the plane ever leaves the gate, I am freezing, and have goose bumps everywhere. The answer "we don't have any blankets." So I try to get comfortable and think about laying on the beach and the hot sand. but to no avail. I was not meant to sleep. I asked a second flight attendant thinking maybe the first had it out for blonds- nope still no blankets.

The business man beside me and I start chatting about our flying experience today. He is coming from Shanghai going to San Fran where he lives. He gave me the dirt on the airline we are flying. It seems there isn't enough pilots so flights are always canceled or delayed, people are always assured they will get a standby seat, rerouting, re check in, and a lot of waiting..... it is then I begin to get worried about my luggage.

I didn't sleep much from Philly to Vegas nor did I actually have a flight booked from Vegas to to LA. Luckily, the man, whose name I don't know, was kind enough to talk most of the way. Upon arriving in Vegas, before getting off the plane, the flight attendant made an announcement that all those who had missed their connecting flights would need to go back out through security down to the check in on the first floor to get re-ticketed. Now, call me crazy or lazy, but I am now almost 40hours without sleep. Wouldn't it have been better costumer service to meet us at the gate? Those of you who have ever been to Vegas know that the airport is huge and it was a hike to get back out front. Thankfully the line wasn't quite as long this time.

I had been re booked on a flight leaving Vegas at 7am. I inquired about my luggage, being told that it would meet me in LA.... I began to worry more. I also asked if there was any way under heaven I could get a blanket, unfortunately they don't carry blankets at check in I would have to get to my gate (which wouldn't be posted for an hour) and find the man handing them out. I wondered around noticing the the airport here looked more like a homeless shelter with people sleeping on benches, on the floor and against walls.... at least they had blankets:-). I finally found my gate and the man with the blankets and slept for two 2hours on a bench with about 500 of my fellow travelers.

7am came around slowly. People began filtering in around 530 and it was hard to sleep. I headed to Starbucks for a decaf coffee and scone. Ahhhh, I thought, the end is insight. The flight from Vegas to LA is only an hour and I think I slept most of it. When I stepped off the plane all I could think of were pajamas and a bed. April was circling the airport waiting for me. I would be home in bed by 10am California time (that's 1pm PA time- Almost 48hours without solid sleep- if your counting).

Baggage claim was a mess. There were miscellaneous bags everywhere, some in rows with numbers on them some just scattered. My heart sank even further when I was the only one from my flight left standing by an almost empty carousel- no suitcase, no pajamas, no sleep..... on the verge of a breakdown. The baggage claim lady was quite confident that my luggage was on the next flight arriving in a half an hour, however if I left it would take them at least a day to deliver my suitcase to me. April parked the car and we waited.... but no luggage. I cried. I filed a claim and was told again, it would be on the next flight.... my mental health was more important to me then my clothes (not much more :-). We left, with the understanding they would call me when it arrived.

I settled into be at my parents house around 11am. At 5pm I woke up to no call. I called the number they gave me and didn't get an answer. I tried and retried and retried. When someone did finally answer, she said it hadn't been found but there were at least 500 bags they hadn't logged yet (I saw them, I would say there were at least 1000). She ran to look and called me back. Thank the Lord it was there! Instead of having them deliver (I like knowing where my things are, so please US Air, keep your hands off it) which could take a few days April and I headed back into LA at 11pm. Finally at 1AM this morning, I fell asleep in my pajamas and am ready for my vacation to begin.

I have great pict of the piles of luggage but forgot my camera cord.... I'm hoping to run to ciruit city to pick on up today- so check back for pictures!!