The Best Stranded-By-The-Airlines Experience Ever

Because of a delay out of Boston, we missed our connecting flight to Los Angeles out of Houston. As if that weren’t enough fun and games, the delay was so long we got to hang out with the rambunctious YTP child for almost four hours in the Boston Logan airport. Not exactly a nap-inducing environment. Skippy good fun.

And then we found out that there were no other seats available on the many flights that travel from Houston to Los Angeles. For two days. As in, 48 hours later than our original flight to Los Angeles. Our luggage could go on to LA, but not us.

At first, this seemed like bad news: the YTP Spouse and I stuck with no luggage for two days with the 19-month old YTP child.

Fortunately, the YTP Parents live in Houston, and the Houston stores are running some crazy sales. In the end, we had the best time. Mexican food, steak dinners, REI sales, free babysitting. It was a blast. It split up the eight hours of flying from Boston to Los Angeles into more manageable four-hour chunks. It gave us a chance to rest and run errands. In short, it was well worth having to wash and wear the same clothes each day and make a few phone calls to rearrange appointments.

But that’s not really my point. My point is that we learned a valuable lesson in embracing the bad news and going with the flow. Also? Breaking up long travel is a much more pleasant way to roll, especially if you only have carry on bags.

And if you break up that travel in the discretionary spending capital of the United States.

During all their new year sales.

So thank you, Continental Airlines, for my new laptop sleeve, laptop case, and pullover sweater. I so much prefer them to that sketchy in-flight sandwich and the flimsy earphones. Thank you.

Tagged as: Continental, Houston, los angeles, luggage, REI, Stranded, sweater, Travel, United States