We were scheduled to depart on our annual Almeas family getaway on Friday, 19th December for a 2 week trip to Malaysia and Cambodia. We had planned on cancelling but dad encouraged us to go on as planned. We're so pleased that his friends and our family are taking good care of dad & Samantha while we get a much needed break. Of course, we weren't packed or ready the week or even day before this trip - we're pros, we wait until a few hours before to pack.
I get an email around 1:30pm on Thursday, 18th December from Continental Airlines that simply states "you're flight tomorrow to Los Angeles has been cancelled". No further instructions. Now we knew that it was going to snow on Friday, but it was a sunny winter day and it just seemed strange that a flight would be cancelled the day before. More important - we needed to arrive in Los Angeles no later than Friday afternoon - we had an evening flight on China Southern Airlines that only operated a few days per week - we couldn't miss this important connection. I called Continentals Elite Desk and after an 1.5 hour call, I was able to negotiate 4 seats on a 6:10pm flight that day to Los Angeles, all flights were cancelled for Friday in anticipation of this winter storm in Newark. So at 3:30pm I called Roberta and told her I was leaving the office and needed to be packed and car loaded in 30 minutes if we were going on this planned trip. Jacob was still on the school bus, Roberta had a manicure appointment and we weren't even packed! The resourceful Almeas family worked as a team - Steven packed for Jacob, Roberta and I opened our drawers and tossed together 2 weeks worth of resort wear and toiletries in record time. We knew we would forget something - was this going to be a scene from "Home Alone"? The highway to the airport was congested with rush hour commuters - OK, I drove on the shoulder and a bit to fast. The car loaded with 7 very large suitcases at the same time I was working with my air travel manager to book 2 rooms at a hotel near the LAX Airport for that evening. As luck had it - our 6:10pm flight was delayed and we eventually made it in one piece (and in coach) to Los Angeles by 3:30am (est). We were lucky - schools were closed and the snow shut down the airports in the New York area.
We enjoyed a leisurely morning and decided to spend the day in Santa Monica - walking on the pier, shopping along the outdoor promenade. Roberta got her manicure - thankfully for all of us :-) and we had a memorable lunch at The Ivy at the Shore - no celeb sightings, but a wonderful seaside lunch. We took a city bus ($2.50 for the family each way) and it was easy & fun people watching. The hotel was gracious and gave us a 5pm check-out too! We then relaxed in the hotel's lounge and decided to take a taxi to drive us through the nearby In & Out Burger for take out dinner. No West coast Almeas trip is complete without our pilgrimage to the only fast food we crave. The taxi was more expensive than the meal. Oh, did I mention that I left my Blackberry in the taxi? I realized my phone was missing 20 minutes after our hotel drop off. Thankfully, the driver picked up my call and drove back to our hotel with my very important link back home for the next 2 weeks. What a start........
We're here!! Well, really not here - I'll explain. Our China Southern Airline flight connects in Guangzhou, China en route to Kuala Lumpor, Malaysia. We booked last February and the flight scheduled changed numerous times - we now have an 11 hour layover in China. The problem is that we would need a Chinese Visa to leave the international terminal, even if we wanted to book a day room in the airport's hotel. The flight was 15 hours from LAX to China non-stop. Roberta & Jacob slept a solid 8 hours. Steven and I enjoyed dinner and lots of laughs - the flight crew did not speak English and we had no idea what they were saying. There were what seemed like a crew of 2 dozen or more attendants aboard - very courteous, but not a lick of English. Steven
and I woke up midway through the flight and asked for breakfast. We were told we could have a Chinese meal - we agreed and had an unusual assortment of congee rice, noodles with meat and grilled vegetables, pickled veggies, fruit and an unusual hard boiled egg (not sure of the bird) on a half shell. A few hours later, when breakfast was served, we were told that we couldn't eat again because we already ate our meal. Lost in translation, again, we were served after all others had their breakfast. Our family took a walk back through the different cabins for a stretch during the flight. No joke - it looked like the scene from the movie, Titanic, in the rear-section of the plane. Masses of immigrants standing, crying, lines of passengers with Ramen noodle cups in hand at the galley for their hot water. When we made it back to the front of the plane - passengers were sleeping on their flat bed extra-wide seats - enjoying their journey in comfort and quiet. What a paradox!
So, where are we now as I type this blog? It's Sunday morning in China and we're in the VIP lounge. We totally passed by Saturday, December 20th. Poof, we're one day ahead. We are unable to leave the airport but made the lounge our home. I really don't feel like Tom Hanks in the movie Terminal but I would like to step outdoors for a bit of outdoor air. I did read that Guangzhou is the most polluted city in the world - so maybe this is a blessing.
So we're here but not there and we're on our way to our first stop on this journey - the resort island of Langkowi, Malaysia. We arrive on Monday, December 22nd. OK, 5 days to get to your initial destination is a bit crazy - a 3 hour flight to Miami might have been more logical. I do know for certain that when you give our family lemons we do make lemonade. I promise to produce a full pitcher of wonderful stories as we begin our journey....
Wishing all our family & friends a happy holiday and perhaps some quality time with their family during this season.
I get an email around 1:30pm on Thursday, 18th December from Continental Airlines that simply states "you're flight tomorrow to Los Angeles has been cancelled". No further instructions. Now we knew that it was going to snow on Friday, but it was a sunny winter day and it just seemed strange that a flight would be cancelled the day before. More important - we needed to arrive in Los Angeles no later than Friday afternoon - we had an evening flight on China Southern Airlines that only operated a few days per week - we couldn't miss this important connection. I called Continentals Elite Desk and after an 1.5 hour call, I was able to negotiate 4 seats on a 6:10pm flight that day to Los Angeles, all flights were cancelled for Friday in anticipation of this winter storm in Newark. So at 3:30pm I called Roberta and told her I was leaving the office and needed to be packed and car loaded in 30 minutes if we were going on this planned trip. Jacob was still on the school bus, Roberta had a manicure appointment and we weren't even packed! The resourceful Almeas family worked as a team - Steven packed for Jacob, Roberta and I opened our drawers and tossed together 2 weeks worth of resort wear and toiletries in record time. We knew we would forget something - was this going to be a scene from "Home Alone"? The highway to the airport was congested with rush hour commuters - OK, I drove on the shoulder and a bit to fast. The car loaded with 7 very large suitcases at the same time I was working with my air travel manager to book 2 rooms at a hotel near the LAX Airport for that evening. As luck had it - our 6:10pm flight was delayed and we eventually made it in one piece (and in coach) to Los Angeles by 3:30am (est). We were lucky - schools were closed and the snow shut down the airports in the New York area.
We enjoyed a leisurely morning and decided to spend the day in Santa Monica - walking on the pier, shopping along the outdoor promenade. Roberta got her manicure - thankfully for all of us :-) and we had a memorable lunch at The Ivy at the Shore - no celeb sightings, but a wonderful seaside lunch. We took a city bus ($2.50 for the family each way) and it was easy & fun people watching. The hotel was gracious and gave us a 5pm check-out too! We then relaxed in the hotel's lounge and decided to take a taxi to drive us through the nearby In & Out Burger for take out dinner. No West coast Almeas trip is complete without our pilgrimage to the only fast food we crave. The taxi was more expensive than the meal. Oh, did I mention that I left my Blackberry in the taxi? I realized my phone was missing 20 minutes after our hotel drop off. Thankfully, the driver picked up my call and drove back to our hotel with my very important link back home for the next 2 weeks. What a start........
We're here!! Well, really not here - I'll explain. Our China Southern Airline flight connects in Guangzhou, China en route to Kuala Lumpor, Malaysia. We booked last February and the flight scheduled changed numerous times - we now have an 11 hour layover in China. The problem is that we would need a Chinese Visa to leave the international terminal, even if we wanted to book a day room in the airport's hotel. The flight was 15 hours from LAX to China non-stop. Roberta & Jacob slept a solid 8 hours. Steven and I enjoyed dinner and lots of laughs - the flight crew did not speak English and we had no idea what they were saying. There were what seemed like a crew of 2 dozen or more attendants aboard - very courteous, but not a lick of English. Steven
and I woke up midway through the flight and asked for breakfast. We were told we could have a Chinese meal - we agreed and had an unusual assortment of congee rice, noodles with meat and grilled vegetables, pickled veggies, fruit and an unusual hard boiled egg (not sure of the bird) on a half shell. A few hours later, when breakfast was served, we were told that we couldn't eat again because we already ate our meal. Lost in translation, again, we were served after all others had their breakfast. Our family took a walk back through the different cabins for a stretch during the flight. No joke - it looked like the scene from the movie, Titanic, in the rear-section of the plane. Masses of immigrants standing, crying, lines of passengers with Ramen noodle cups in hand at the galley for their hot water. When we made it back to the front of the plane - passengers were sleeping on their flat bed extra-wide seats - enjoying their journey in comfort and quiet. What a paradox!So, where are we now as I type this blog? It's Sunday morning in China and we're in the VIP lounge. We totally passed by Saturday, December 20th. Poof, we're one day ahead. We are unable to leave the airport but made the lounge our home. I really don't feel like Tom Hanks in the movie Terminal but I would like to step outdoors for a bit of outdoor air. I did read that Guangzhou is the most polluted city in the world - so maybe this is a blessing.
So we're here but not there and we're on our way to our first stop on this journey - the resort island of Langkowi, Malaysia. We arrive on Monday, December 22nd. OK, 5 days to get to your initial destination is a bit crazy - a 3 hour flight to Miami might have been more logical. I do know for certain that when you give our family lemons we do make lemonade. I promise to produce a full pitcher of wonderful stories as we begin our journey....
Wishing all our family & friends a happy holiday and perhaps some quality time with their family during this season.
