A Long Way Home from Bethlehem, PA

I had a really great time with Cheryl – who I first met in Japan thirteen years ago!- as we walked around the kiosks and shops at the festival, and talked to the very friendly folks there.
However – for me, getting to and from Bethlehem was something of an adventure.

First, the day before flying out, Delta paid me a computerized phone call, saying that my flight on Friday had been cancelled, but that I’d been secured on a flight on Saturday, due to arrive at 5 p.m. Well, since the concert was Saturday evening, and since I was flying out on Sunday evening, that was not good at all. A few polite phone calls, and I was in luck. The folks at Delta came through for me and got me on a US Airways flight. While the flight from Philadelphia to Allentown (Bethlehem) was delayed by about 1.5 hours, I still got to the hotel by midnight which was not bad.

The return trip. Well, my flight was not exactly cancelled, but the leg out of Allentown was delayed by several hours, resulting in a missed connection in Detroit. So, while chatting with other unfortunate but cheerful travellers and sipping a beer at the bar, I was also making phone calls to Delta. Finally I had to get in the long line to discuss my situation with the very harried-looking guy at the Delta gate.

He confirmed what I knew – there was no way to get to Montreal on Sunday night. Now, I’d planned this trip very carefully, so as not to miss any work, since if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. Sadly, Delta could not conjure up non-existent flights, but I did get a hotel voucher and meal vouchers and a few extra air miles. THe guy did offer me a $100 travel voucher for my next Delta flight, but, I admit, I was feeling somewhat grouchy and assured him he could keep it as I would never be flying Delta again.

Finally I got to Detroit – travel weary just from pacing the small Allentown airport and watching my flight be continually delayed – and I printed my hotel and meal vouchers from the machines at the airport. WHile on my way to do that, a nice man over-heard that I was looking for my hotel voucher, and he gave me his room at the Hilton since it was paid for buy he had to fly out early. My hotel voucher from Delta was for some place called the X Red Roof Inn. Hmmm….though I’d never seen the place, I felt it was not a hard decision, and I headed instead for the Hilton, where I ordered a pizza from Cottage Pizza and watched digital tv in my large, luxurious bed!

I got back to Montreal at about 1 p.m. on Monday, and was very happy to get home. But I have to say – any irritation I felt with the flights, any air-port fatigue – is now gone and I’m already looking forward to the next time I can fly somewhere!