Arrived alive ...
I am in San Diego. I hesitate to say I'm at ComicCon because I haven't even picked up my badge yet — I am only just in the vicinity, and not even in the right hotel yet.
I really shouldn't have asked about travel disasters. Let's just say: 63 hours in transit, three canceled flights (including a 4 hour tour of the taxiways at JFK on a 767 that never took off), a diversion via Dallas, two fucked-up hotel reservations, and a rainy night in Brooklyn. On the upside, I got bumped to business class by Air Lingus and first class by American — a twofer on one trip that probably tells you my luck is wandering aimlessly through the twilight zone.
More later. Right now, I'm about to go into vampire emulation mode for about twelve hours before trying to reconstruct the smoking wreckage of my schedule.
PS: the Luggage followed me. It is currently lurking in the shadows of this echoing shadowy conference suite that they've parked me in, gaping ominously ...
Comments
Yow! That tops my return from Mexico! Take care of yourself!
Posted by: Randolph | July 25, 2008 7:51 AM
Glad you arrived with the Luggage; though probably nowhere near as much as you.
Posted by: Harry Payne | July 25, 2008 7:54 AM
It's good to know the disaster has been limited in scope.
Posted by: Dave Bell | July 25, 2008 8:54 AM
I blame 9/11 for all this air travel crapness. Or to be more specific all the unnecessary bullshit that followed in the interests of national security. Air travel now resembles some kind of Monty Python sketch. I can't wait for personal jetpacks and/or star trek type transporters. Oh what fun, it won't just be your bags that get re-routed to Schipol instead of Scottsdale.
Anyway, enough whining, hope you have a great time on your trip, Charlie. Forget the schedule, have a Morgans, dress up like a pirate for the rest of your trip and have some fun.
Posted by: shm | July 25, 2008 9:56 AM
Oh, yes, I just can't wait until a transporter screwup can leave your liver in Cairo and your lights in Caracas. "That's me, all over!"
Charlie, get as much rest as you need, and don't worry too much about your schedule; it's dead anyway.
Posted by: Bruce Cohen (SpeakerToManagers) | July 25, 2008 11:21 AM
Ouch. I've never had it that bad, and I used to fly through Chicago.
Good luck.
The luggage will keep you safe, I'm sure.
Posted by: JimR | July 25, 2008 1:09 PM
At least you weren't flying Quantas! Hope the rest of the trip goes better...
Posted by: Rich | July 25, 2008 3:21 PM
Hmm.. So you got bumped up to offset the chaos. According to the law of preservation of unpleasant travel, this means you still have outstanding bad travel karma to cope with. According to the law of Travel Nastinesses Usury, you've very little chance of working these upgrades off.
Memo to self: avoid travel that overlaps with Mr Stross for the next few years.
Posted by: Kevin Murray | July 25, 2008 3:51 PM
63 hours? Oh, man, that seriously sucks.
Posted by: GregLondon | July 25, 2008 4:16 PM
shm@4: Can you imagine what homeland security would do to transporter terminals? I,m opting for Niven's stepping discs.
Posted by: jcs | July 25, 2008 4:56 PM
That is some serious delay for a "simple" flight to the US. Air travel is going backwards rather than forwards.
OTOH, it must be giving you some useful material for a future book. I can't help but think that there is parallel here between your experiences and those of Roman citizen's at the end of the empire.
Posted by: Alex Tolley | July 25, 2008 5:19 PM
Infrastructure: creaky?
Posted by: Adrian Midgley | July 25, 2008 10:11 PM
Out of morbid curiosity, what is Aer Lingus Business Class like?
The only good thing I can say about American Domestic First is the Ice Cream Sundaes are pretty good.
Posted by: Dave O'Neill | July 25, 2008 10:52 PM
Ouch! Get some rest soon!
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | July 25, 2008 11:42 PM
Dave: Air Lingus business class is actually quite good. The seats aren't fully recumbent beds (as on, say, Air France or Qantas or BA) but they're your older recliner type; still, good leg room and bum width, as you'd expect. The food -- wouldn't be good for a vegan or vegetarian without pre-booking, but I'm not, and the steak was great. Flowing wine, more food than you can shake a stick at, and all the trimmings you'd expect of a full-service intercontinental airline. Can't speak for the video-on-demand (I didn't bother with it) but it looked okay, with folding ten-inch screens per seat. And seatback power, of course.
Air Lingus economy is a bit spartan, but their biz class still shows their heritage as a flag carrier.
Posted by: Charlie Stross | July 26, 2008 3:42 AM
Who's a good luggage? Who's a good wittew wuggage? You are! Oh yes you are!
Posted by: insect_hooves | July 27, 2008 11:40 PM
Sorry to hear about your trip. That's why I don't fly in these United States.
I am halfway done with Glasshouse and so far, you get big props (again.) That is a darn good book.
Posted by: theDAWG | July 28, 2008 12:58 AM
Welcome to San Diego, sorry the weather is a bit humid & the sun isn't out much.
Never made it to Comic con despite having moved here 6 years ago from England - for some reason I'm allergic to it, not really being much of a media fan.
If I'd known you were coming I'd have made an effort though.
Hope the rest of the flights aren't too bad - AA suck the big one, about the only thing you can say about them is that they are better than United.
Chris
Posted by: Chris | July 28, 2008 1:55 AM
Actually? AA weren't that bad; the problem was the belt of thunderstorms that hit NYC on Wednesday -- everyone caught it in the neck. Individually, though, the AA staff I dealt with were cheerful and went out of their way to be helpful.
Posted by: Charlie Stross | July 28, 2008 2:29 AM
you missed a southern CA earthquake by hours. Epicenter was only 10 miles from your reading last night (which was very enjoyable). That's something every tourist should get to experience.
Posted by: Ryan W | July 29, 2008 8:41 PM
#20
More like 25 miles. Was still an interestng ride, while it lasted. I work in downtown LA, in a highrise (but not high up in it).
Posted by: P J Evans | July 30, 2008 7:57 PM
Didja see American had another luggage disaster at JFK today?
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | July 30, 2008 11:36 PM
Sorry about the flight, thanks for making the effort - the panel was interesting though I could have done without the extended intros (I'd rather hear you all talk for that 10 minutes), and I hope Robert Sawyer isn't as arrogant in person as he came across.
And thanks for the signed stuff. I kept hoping I'd run into some of the authors in a hotel bar so I could bribe them with a drink or two--apparently I need to stay in a nicer hotel. Or a possibly a crappier one.
My first trip to comic-con... totally insane. Took me a few days to find my crowd-zen.
Posted by: JGS | July 30, 2008 11:59 PM
Not that anyone's still reading this thread, but I have a novel reason for luggage (or in this case moving van with almost all worldy possessions) not reaching the destination: Russian invasion. I'm in Tbilisi in a big and mostly empty house. What is to be done?
Posted by: Doug | August 23, 2008 8:27 PM
That's pretty innovative, Doug!
Alas, you have reminded me to close the comments on this thread (before the spammers move in), but I'd love to see the insurance claim on that one ...
Posted by: Charlie Stross | August 23, 2008 8:32 PM