Friday, March 23, 2007
03/23/2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
in Shanghai
After one day delay, I arrived in Shanghai finally, but with a damaged luggage bag. Stupid Northwest broke the wheel of my new luggage bag and one glass bottle in my bag was broken too. Sigh...
I'm still suffering from jet lag. I got up at 7am on the first morning in Shanghai, and was very happy about my ability of overcoming jet lags. However, this morning, I got up at 5am.
Didn't do much so far. Basically, I stayed at home surfing the net, watching TV, talking to my parents and eating stuffs. Not fantastic but not bad either.
I'm still suffering from jet lag. I got up at 7am on the first morning in Shanghai, and was very happy about my ability of overcoming jet lags. However, this morning, I got up at 5am.
Didn't do much so far. Basically, I stayed at home surfing the net, watching TV, talking to my parents and eating stuffs. Not fantastic but not bad either.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
stuck in Detroit
It is March 7th. Yes, March 7th. The day I leave for Shanghai. My ex-roommate sent me to the airport early in the morning for my 8:15am flight. When I checked in, I was told that the flight from Austin to Detroit had been delayed for 2 hours and there was no way I could connect to the next flight to Shanghai. The bad Northwest representitive George Howell asked me to come at the same time the next day and said that was my only reasonable choice. He also told me that I could get no compensations. I called my parents to inform them of my one day late arrival and called my ex-roommate if he could drive me back.
However, after 2 minutes thinking, I decided to fly to Detroit on the delayed flight anyway, because I will again have the risk of delayed flight the next day. I told that George that I decided to go. He warned me that I had to pay my own hotel. I was determined. He then re-booked me on today's flight to Detroit and tomorrow's flight to Shanghai. He emphasized that I had to exit the terminal to collect my checked-in luggages and re-check in tomorrow because that is no longer a connection but two seperate flights. It is very inconvenient, but I have made up my mind. I called my ex-roommate who had already driven back close to airport again. I do appreciate him.
When I was waiting for the flight at the gate, I saw the plane at the gate. Then I asked a lady why the plane didn't fly. She said that the crew was not ready. They arrived late last night and the regulations require them rest 8 hours before they fly again. Well, I kinda figured out that it was Northwest's problem instead of my assumed bad weather in northeast. Then I talked to her for my hotel. She said I should be taken care of when I get to Detroit.
I landed in Detroit at 1:55pm. While the plane was taxing, I called Northwest and knew that the Shanghai flight was delayed till 2pm. Wow, I had a slice of chance and I ran. I arrived at the gate in another terminal panting, but only to watch the plane taxing away from the gate. I then talked to the gate agent, who asked me speak Chinese:D, and I got my voucher for hotel. That is why I can write this now.
I then had to pick up all my luggages and took a shuttle to Clarion Hotel nearby. I will get back to catch my Shanghai flight tomorrow.
However, after 2 minutes thinking, I decided to fly to Detroit on the delayed flight anyway, because I will again have the risk of delayed flight the next day. I told that George that I decided to go. He warned me that I had to pay my own hotel. I was determined. He then re-booked me on today's flight to Detroit and tomorrow's flight to Shanghai. He emphasized that I had to exit the terminal to collect my checked-in luggages and re-check in tomorrow because that is no longer a connection but two seperate flights. It is very inconvenient, but I have made up my mind. I called my ex-roommate who had already driven back close to airport again. I do appreciate him.
When I was waiting for the flight at the gate, I saw the plane at the gate. Then I asked a lady why the plane didn't fly. She said that the crew was not ready. They arrived late last night and the regulations require them rest 8 hours before they fly again. Well, I kinda figured out that it was Northwest's problem instead of my assumed bad weather in northeast. Then I talked to her for my hotel. She said I should be taken care of when I get to Detroit.
I landed in Detroit at 1:55pm. While the plane was taxing, I called Northwest and knew that the Shanghai flight was delayed till 2pm. Wow, I had a slice of chance and I ran. I arrived at the gate in another terminal panting, but only to watch the plane taxing away from the gate. I then talked to the gate agent, who asked me speak Chinese:D, and I got my voucher for hotel. That is why I can write this now.
I then had to pick up all my luggages and took a shuttle to Clarion Hotel nearby. I will get back to catch my Shanghai flight tomorrow.
