26 October 2009

Travel Agent ... part II


Things aren't going well on the New Zealand Front (yes, this is war ...). If I had to live my life as a travel agent ... I would seriously kill myself.

Ah, and yes, I know - this is the part where the reader is thinking "She's such a spoiled bitch. Here she is getting to travel and see all parts of the world and she just whines, and whines and whines about it"

So my disclaimer: "I KNOW VERY WELL I AM A SPOILED BITCH (note the potty mouth comes out when I am uber-frustrated) BUT THIS IS MY BLOG AND I FEEL A RANT COMING ON ... y'all don't have to read it! (And I feel like crap - had to cancel a lunch with ... friends!!! because I have been throwing up ... maybe it is all nerves?)

So, todays goal: figure out how long it takes to get from point A to point B and plan where we will be sleeping each night. I'm thinking - easy enough, I already have the last day figured out since our flight is at 6:15am - we will be staying in Christchurch near the airport - I high five Charlie - one down only 6 more to go:

It's not working out, so I decide to do the second thing I have to do today - rent the SUV. I call the company where Gary has an uber-elite status.

It makes me go through the menu for outside the US and Canada and that I want to make a new reservation:

"...Car Rental how may I help you?"

"I need to make a reservation for a SUV on Nov 24th at the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand"

"Let me get you to the international desk, dear"

"OK, thanks"

"...Car Rental how may I help you?"

"I need to make a reservation for a SUV on Nov 24th at the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand"

"Let me get you to the international desk"

"Um, I thought I was there, OK"

"...Car Rental how may I help you?"

"I need to make a reservation for a SUV on Nov 24th at the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand"

"Let me get you to the international desk"

"Do you really think you can, because your the third person to tell me..." (click)

(Indian accent) "... Car Rental how may I help you?" (this is a good sign - I believe I have been transferred to India and am now on the phone with 'slumdogs buddy')

"I need to make a reservation for a SUV on Nov 24th at the airport in Christchurch, New Zealand"

"No problem, when will you be returning?"

"Same location, 5:00am on Dec 1st"

"I'm sorry, but that location does not open until 7:00am"

"But our flight is at 6:15am"

"I'm sorry, but that location does not open until 7:00am"

"Don't they have a key drop or something like that?"

"No, Ma'am, they are open from 7 to 7 on that day, you will need to drop it off at 7:00pm the night before"

...

This is not a good sign folks. Things are not going even remotely well. At this point I totally expect us to all die from exposure somewhere along the way because I miscalculated how long it took to get from point C to point D and we run out of gas, stranded in the New Zealand wilderness ...
The up side to all this? We will be taking some KICK ASS beautiful photos as we are dying ....

3 comments:

Alisha said...

Take me with you & I'll fight ALL of your battles with stupid people. I promise.

Court said...

Don't get me started on customer service. It's all sorts of crazy these days. And ditto what Alisha said...I'm happy to help schlep bags or fight with customer service agents. I think my height could be intimidating...something to think about at least??? :)

Jennifer said...

As long as you get a shot of your dead toes, I'm good.