Post Your Travelling Horror Stories Here!!!

[Pellaz]

Wait how does this sound. I had my Yukon stolen from the Fairfield with Jon Oliva's Pain Band Promo pictures in it and other band things. I will never stay there again, It took the police over 3 hours to come and file out a report. This is where it gets good the police officer couldn't find the hotel, Needless to say I was not in a good mood around people and didn't talk much sorry to everyone that I might have brushed off.

Wow, that sucks. And the hotel isn't in an especially "bad" area, either.....

 

[digitalink]

OK, here's my nightmare. First flight from CA to Phoenix on Thursday was fine, arrived there at 8:00am. From there all fights to Atlanta were cancelled with no idea of when they could get us there. Not taking any chances, I asked America West to get me to the closest city to Atlanta, which was Durham, North Carolina. So after renting the car and getting on the road it was now 8:30pm. The route from NC to Atlanta was simple enough; I-40 West to I-85 South all the way. It was the driving through a Hurricane at night part that was rough. 7 hours of driving between speeds of 1 mile an hour to 90 miles an hour gets me to the Fairfield at 3:30am. Asleep by 4:00am and up at 8:00am to meet Glen and the boys to start setting everything up for the show.

All in all, I only missed the pre-party (which I really wanted to support friends Prototype).

Getting back was minor compared to that, to say the least ...
It was worth it ... PoS, Adagio, Brainstorm, Savatage, Dreamscape ... nuff said.

 

[DRFS Rich]

This has got to be Harley's friend Rich... if so, it was good to see you again, and I think your plans for 6 are flawless!

Shaye

Guilty as charged. I may not have had much time to party on Saturday nite, but at least I made it down there, unlike some people. Look forward to seeing y'all again in a year or so!

- R

 

[lady_space]

Guilty as charged. I may not have had much time to party on Saturday nite, but at least I made it down there, unlike some people. Look forward to seeing y'all again in a year or so!

- R

Indeed! Of course, you can always come check out the greatest rock 'n' roll band on the planet, Marillion, next Saturday at Park West. tell me Harley's not gonna miss it like he did the 2 conventions!

 

[kellsco]

I got so lucky with this trip. I was due to fly to Atlanta on Wednesday, but the Saturday before, it was looking pretty certain that Ivan was going to be full force in Atlanta on Wednesday. I called the airline, America West, and checked into what it would cost me to change my flight to Tuesday. They had the Atlanta airport on a hurricane watch list for Sept. 14-16 and told me that since my fly out date fell in that date range I could change it for free. As long as I kept the return date and times the same. They waived the $100 transfer fee, as well as the difference on the then higher rates.


So off I went on Tuesday. Perfect weather. Of course, Ivan changed course and I could have flown in on Wednesday with little to no issues...but who knew. Just gave me an extra day to spend with my friend, who kindly put me up at his house to also save me the extra hotel room bill.

BUT....

On my return flight home to New Mexico on Sunday, I was delayed and didn't get home until midnight due to hurricane Javier that was sliding up the west coast and was affecting the weather in Arizona and New Mexico. Got pretty turbulent there for a while.

Figures......I leave early to avoid one hurricane only to return home in another.

 

[metalmaiden]

Wow the only problem we had when we took a red eye out of LAX on Thursday morning was a plane full of screaming kids the whole flight and the lady accross the isle from me decided she wanted to watch the sunrise while I was attemping to catch some sleep finally on my flight. My lil old problem ok lack of sleep seems like nothing compared to everyone elses.

 

[aztattooedsean]

I feel so bad for so many of you people and I am glad you all made it.


I got extemely lucky. My flight at 6am out of phoenix on Friday was only delayed 1 and a half hours. The crew got in the previous night too late and needed their minimum amount of sleep. We get to Atlanta no problem.

On the way back, I was worried about the lasting affect of the hurricane that came on the west coast of mexico but it wasn't even that bumpy


Someone was really thinking that I needed to see Pain of Salvation, Tad Morose, and Brainstorm for my birthday weekend

 

[Pellaz]

Wow the only problem we had when we took a red eye out of LAX on Thursday morning was a plane full of screaming kids the whole flight

Note to airlines: Never mind smoking or non-smoking. I'd pay extra per flight segment to have a No Crying Babies flight!


Oh, should mention that my own travel to ProgPower was frightfully mundane. Drove down from my apartment with Tony/WarmWetOs fairly early on Thursday. It's about eight miles and, if done properly, zero traffic lights door-to-door....but I forgot to take the proper exit. Duh. That was the extent of the excitement.

During the day on Thursday we kept watching for signs of the approaching tropical storm, and naturally, the worst of it hit while we were out at that close-by Kroger supermarket picking up 'supplies' for the room. It got pretty intense, by Atlanta standards, as those present can attest.

Speaking of which, did anyone get a pic of the sandbags around the Fairfield's front door? The entrance began to flood late Thursday afternoon and I kept meaning to get a pic of the sandbags, but forgot.

 

[DAVETHEMETALGUY]

Greyhound from Tuscaloosa, AL to Atlanta a day early. sat next to some guy who kept asking me where we were. i kept saying 'look out the window and read a sign' but to no avail. then he kept asking me if the bus goes to Marietta. i said 'man, if you dont know where you are, why do you care if the bus goes to marietta. people are just fucking stupid. needless to say we took the Amtrak back to Tuscaloosa and everything was smooth

 

[savascream]

I haven't posted mine because sooo many people had it worse off than me but I am enjoying all the stories so here goes.

I drove to the airport with Alina (Squeak) and both our flights were delayed 1 hour. Mine was 7:00 delayed to 8:00. I waited with her at her terminal until about 7:40 and found out the had already boarded?!?! Ooops almost missed my flight.

The flight itself was fine we took right off and the guy sitting next to me left to another seat so I had both seats to myself. The flight was pretty uneventful until we were approaching Atlanta. We were landing at I believe 3:00-3:30. We went in for a landing just as the storm was hitting. Tons of turbulence and I actually felt a bit queasy. At the last minute the pilot pulled up and we had to circle around for a second attempt. We were told another plane didn't take off in time and was still on the runway. The second attempt to land was fine but very turbulent. I found out that as soon as we landed they shut down the airport. I wouldn't be surprised if my plane was the last one allowed to land.

Headed to baggage claims Eric from Timeline saw me (We played a show together once) so we went to get my rental car and I offered him a ride. He was going to wait for his buddy coming from Jersey, good thing he didn't or he would've been there a loooooong time. I got the rental car and just running two rows out to get into the vehical everything I had with me was instantly soaked.

We hopped on the freeway and headed to the Fairfield. It took 3 hours!!!! Seriously!! I think we actually saw the beginnings of a tornado off the side of the freeway. Spooky Shit!! I arrived at the Fairfield with just enough time to change and go pick up the crew who were drinking at the Grenada. Made it to the preparty during the 1st band. So all in all I don't have much to complain about.

Next year I am goin out a day early and leaving late!!

 

[DRFS Rich]

Indeed! Of course, you can always come check out the greatest rock 'n' roll band on the planet, Marillion, next Saturday at Park West. tell me Harley's not gonna miss it like he did the 2 conventions!

Hmm, I'd imagine he's going, not sure if I have plans or not yet. Who all from here/RMAQ is going? drop me a line @ drfs_rich@yahoo.com

- R

 

[MetalRose]

Mine's beans compared to what happened to everyone else... but kind of wierd anyway.

So I get to the airport WAY early and decide to see if I can take an earlier flight home. So the ticket agent arranges it, and asks if I have any check in baggage. I tell her that I might, but if I could carry it on I would prefer to. She looked at me strange and I told her I had a chain maille piece in my bag that I would rather carry on then check. As I am pulling out the bag it is in, a small pocket knife comes tubling out. I totally forgot it was in there.

So the ticket agent takes the chain maille piece and walks over to one of the security guards and I hear them talking a little bit. She comes back, hands me my chains and says I can bring it on as long as I am not wearing it through the metal detectors. WTF? Really? So I put it in my bag and surrender my $1 pocket knife.

I start to head to my gate and the security woman grabs me. She asks me where I am going. I tell her I was heading to my gate. She says, "Well you can't bring that on there with you." (My bag is already zipped up so she can't see what's inside.) And I look at her, sigh and then say explain that I would prefer to take it on with me, and that the ticketing agent said I would be fine as long as I didn't wear it. The guard looks at me really wierd. So I start heading back to the counter to check my bag.

Then it dawns on her, she was talking about the pocket knife I had given to the agent, and I was talking about my halter top. LOL.

Yeah stupid I know.

-MetalRose

 

[Pellaz]

Greyhound from Tuscaloosa, AL to Atlanta a day early. ....... needless to say we took the Amtrak back to Tuscaloosa and everything was smooth

Glad to hear it. I love taking Amtrak -- when I have the time.

An oft-overlooked fact for those who happen to live northeast or southwest of Atlanta is the fact that Atlanta's Amtrak station just happens to be a fairly short walk from the Fairfield (slightly longer to the Grenada), right across from that new Border's Bookstore. These days it's a much more civilized way to travel than by air (or bus!), you're not bound to your seat, but you can wander up to the lounge or the dining car. Much more room in each seat, too.

You just have to time it right since there is only one train per day in each direction.

--Paul
(always the railfan)

 

[Pellaz]

Then it dawns on her, she was talking about the pocket knife I had given to the agent, and I was talking about my halter top. LOL.

"Okay, I've got this terrifying halter top, and I'm taking this plane to Cuba!"

 

[Echo]

Wow! Do I feel EXTREMELY lucky after reading these stories! I was just sure all flights would be cancelled on Thursday and I wouldn't get to Atlanta. My flight was delayed about 1 1/2 hours out of Los Angeles, and we ended up arriving only 1 hour later than originally scheduled. The worst part of it all was trying to get a cab from the train station to the hotel. We normally walk, but it was raining way too hard. Finally did get a cab and the rest of the weekend was great!

 

[eboles]

I haven't posted mine because sooo many people had it worse off than me but I am enjoying all the stories so here goes.

I drove to the airport with Alina (Squeak) and both our flights were delayed 1 hour. Mine was 7:00 delayed to 8:00. I waited with her at her terminal until about 7:40 and found out the had already boarded?!?! Ooops almost missed my flight.

The flight itself was fine we took right off and the guy sitting next to me left to another seat so I had both seats to myself. The flight was pretty uneventful until we were approaching Atlanta. We were landing at I believe 3:00-3:30. We went in for a landing just as the storm was hitting. Tons of turbulence and I actually felt a bit queasy. At the last minute the pilot pulled up and we had to circle around for a second attempt. We were told another plane didn't take off in time and was still on the runway. The second attempt to land was fine but very turbulent. I found out that as soon as we landed they shut down the airport. I wouldn't be surprised if my plane was the last one allowed to land.

Headed to baggage claims Eric from Timeline saw me (We played a show together once) so we went to get my rental car and I offered him a ride. He was going to wait for his buddy coming from Jersey, good thing he didn't or he would've been there a loooooong time. I got the rental car and just running two rows out to get into the vehical everything I had with me was instantly soaked.

We hopped on the freeway and headed to the Fairfield. It took 3 hours!!!! Seriously!! I think we actually saw the beginnings of a tornado off the side of the freeway. Spooky Shit!! I arrived at the Fairfield with just enough time to change and go pick up the crew who were drinking at the Grenada. Made it to the preparty during the 1st band. So all in all I don't have much to complain about.

Next year I am goin out a day early and leaving late!!

That was an interesting afternoon wasn't it.
I don't think I have ever gotten that wet in 30 seconds walking 100 feet to a rental car. Sh....@$#^)&*$..t!!!
Hey man, next time your in the city let's grab a brew.
I think it would be great if we try to put together a Prog Metal fest for the Bay Area in the very near future. I'm pretty sure Troy & Jasun from Zero Hour would be interested as well.
E-mail me at
eric.boles@timelinemusic.net

Cheers!!

 

[savascream]

That was an interesting afternoon wasn't it.
I don't think I have ever gotten that wet in 30 seconds walking 100 feet to a rental car. Sh....@$#^)&*$..t!!!
Hey man, next time your in the city let's grab a brew.
I think it would be great if we try to put together a Prog Metal fest for the Bay Area in the very near future. I'm pretty sure Troy & Jasun from Zero Hour would be interested as well.
E-mail me at
eric.boles@timelinemusic.net

Cheers!!

Definitely dude! I still have your card.

 

[scooterSST]

Copied from my LiveJournal:

Firstly, I attempted to change my travel plans on Tuesday, hoping to move my Thursday flight up a day so I'd leave on Wednesday & get there before Hurricane Ivan arrived..however, calls to both Priceline (who said they couldn't change anything without a waiver from United themselves) and United (who said they couldn't change anything, as they had no documentation that Ivan posed a threat to Atlanta, a fact which remained even on Thursday) were futile. So I resigned myself to flying on Thursday, hoping we'd beat the worst of the storm there.

I was scheduled to leave Washington DC for Atlanta at around 12:30pm on Thursday. I arrived at Dulles at 10:30, & was at the gate by about 11:15..better to be early than late, IMO. Boarding time was to be at about 12:10, but at 12:08, a "Delayed until 1:39" sign appeared at the gate next to the flight number. ARGH! Turns out the FAA had placed an Air Traffic Control delay on the flight (so it was a Federal decision, not one made by the airline itself). At around 1pm, they said we'd be leaving around 2:30. However, we were on the plane & departing at 2:15..I was definitely happy to finally be on our way. After a bit of a bumpy flight, we approached Atlanta, & the plane began to resemble an epileptic frog in a blender, shuddering & shaking..and making a dozen or so people (including myself) puke their guts out. I haven't gotten motion sick much since my teens (I do fine as long as I don't read in a car..that'll make me sick in no time), but boy was I heaving on that plane. First off it felt like a hot flash, which I experience on a regular basis these days..then the salivating & queasiness..I tried everything. Tried looking out the window (your inner ear gets messed up when it feels motion but your eyes don't register it in the unmoving interior of a vehicle, so watching the outdoors go by sometimes helps with that), but it was solid clouds..no visible motion there. Then I tried watching the rain streaming along the window itself..only slight help with that. Closing my eyes made it worse, & turning the air vent on my face full blast only helped a bit as well. I was wishing I could go ralph in the restroom, but there was no way I'd have made it down the aisle, the plane was lurching about so much..I'd have ended up puking on someone. So I settled for the handy ol barf bag they so generously provide for you. Such fun.

Our attempted landing is something I will never forget. I was so queasy, & just wishing we'd land already..watching the ground draw closer outside my window, so thankful it was almost over..and as we were over the runway, our plane started doing this teeter totter thing, seesawing to the left and the right. We were maybe 100 feet off the ground when the pilot pulled up, accelerated, & back up in the air we went. Turns out it'd been wind shear causing trouble, & looking back now at what the plane was doing, we'd have snapped off a wing & crashed if we'd continued to try landing in that condition. I should've been scared to death, but I was sick as hell & just wishing they'd let me off the fucking plane. So back up we went..one more attempt at an approach (and two more rounds of heaving up my guts)..and..

they closed the airport.

FUCK.

So we were diverted to Charlotte, NC, which was a useless lil airport, the United rep there was an idiot. Considering that there were 2 jumbo jets (300 passengers on each) that were diverted at the same time, there would've been huge competition for hotel rooms & rental cars..so I went with the 'just go back to DC & try again on another flight' option. Thing is, the people who stayed there in Charlotte were totally on their own..because it was weather related, United accepted no responsibility, & as such, would not put people up in a hotel or anything.

Arriving in DC, I got calls from people in Atlanta who said it wasn't even raining there anymore..ARGH!! Sadly, all the people stuck in DC when the airport in Atlanta closed were the first to get on the later flights to Atlanta, so there were no more seats open on any flights that night by the time we got back. Happily, they automatically reschedule you when you're in a situation like this, & they had me on a 9am flight Friday morning. Strange thing was that some people got on Friday flights & others had to wait until Saturday..I was glad they got me on the flight that they did, because if they hadn't, I'd have had to drive to Atlanta, & I just wasn't feeling up to that sort of road trip at that point. So I got a hotel in Manassas (a city in VA near Dulles), & was up & at 'em early on Friday to try again.

If they had let us take off when we were scheduled to leave, we'd have been fine..as it was, they had us fly right into the worst of the storm. Real fucking bright, FAA type people. *eyeroll & a grumble*

"Gee, Ma'am, why would you want to change your plans..we have no documentation that Ivan will pose any problems for Atlanta.." GRRRRRRR..yup, you can bet your sweet ass that both United and Priceline got nastygrams from me. If there's a major hurricane coming & your customers want to avoid it, just fucking humor them & let them change their plans, would ya? It's not like it's just a whim, for chrissakes. And the big airlines wonder why they can barely stay in business..sheesh.

So no preparty for me, I spent Thursday night in a hotel trying to get some sleep cuz I had to be up early again the next day.

We were the last filght into Atlanta before they closed the airport, I've never come close to getting airsick until this flight, at one point we dropped probably 500 feet in one shot, Mandy had a barf bag at arms reach 'cause she didn't think I was gonna make it.

We landed in one piece and I foudn a nice bit of floor to lay on until I got my legs back underneath me...... and then got hammered at the pre show