The Defeated Traveler

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What an interesting day I had.

I am supposed to be in southwest China in Xichang, Sichuan Province right now, but instead I’m sitting in our house in Shanghai. I’m going there to visit the schools and children supported by the charity I volunteer for (http://www.CharlesFoundation.org). The plan was to fly to Chengdu and then on to Xichang, but instead I was grounded in Shanghai, on the plane, for about half of the day due to “flog” ( as the flight attendant insisted it was called) in Chengdu. A very kind flight attendant with decent English was kind enough to offer her help. Unfortunately there wasn’t much she could do, but at least I felt I had an ally in the chaos that resulted from the multiple delays.

After realizing I would never make my connection, and learning that I wouldn’t make the last flight out of Chengdu either, I finally abandoned the plane and drove back to the terminal in the back seat of a rather beaten-up old pick up truck with another defeated passenger. I did my best to understand where he was going and when.

What made the whole day palatable was the great entertainment value it provided. (As Anika said, “Free entertainment!”) I thought I was the only foreigner on the flight until a South African couple sat down in front of me. Coincidence that we were seated together? The entertainment began after we were told, for the first of many times, that there would be a delay. There was a loud moaning from the man seated behind me. The moaning quickly escalated into all-out yelling. At one point there were three flight attendants gather around trying to calm him, while about a third of the passengers were on their feet trying to get a better view. I wondered if I should prepare to run…would it come to blows?

Fortunately it didn’t, but I couldn’t hear my iPod because the yelling was so loud. Lots of other disgruntled passengers joined in. I actually laughed out load (and I was alone) several times. Eventually, when I decided to get off the plane, the yeller was snoring away, like a toddler after a temper tantrum!

Then the run-around in the airport began, as I attempted to change my flights, which were on two different airlines. I ran counter to counter to change the first flight and then was told I’d have to go to another terminal to change the connecting flight on the other carrier. Just when I was realizing that this wasn’t going to end well, my travel agent called me back and saved the day. I found out I couldn’t fly out the next day (Sunday), but could get flights on Monday. So now that is the plan. Good thing I didn’t stay on the plane or I would have been stuck in Chengdu for two nights waiting for an available connecting flight. I’ve been told this is not a good airport to get stranded in.

I returned home only about six hours after I’d left the house, but was so worn out that I took a nap! Sometimes the smallest things can lead to fascinating experiences. You just never know when they might pop up.

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Photos

We're going no where
Even my suitcase and shoes look defeated!

Comments

[Sherry]

I love Anika's attitude. Without the experience in the grounded plane, you could not have provided us with the entertainment either! LOL