Feb 25-27
Stranded in LA

This trip started out pretty rough, and was my worst flight experience ever. It reaffirmed Murphy's Law, and my 2 flying mantras "ZIP-LOCKS" and "CARRY-ON BAGGAGE". Unfortunately, my luggage was just a tad too oversized to avoid checking it in.

Rain and high winds delayed my SFO>LAX United flight departure by almost 2 hours, thus causing me to miss my connecting LAX>KL (Malaysia) flight. The next Malaysia Air flight to Kuala Lumpur wouldn't be leaving for another 48 hours. So there I was stranded in LAX around midnight, out of breath, stressed, bag missing, and homeless with only one sweaty outfit for 2 days! It seems most every key airport employee evaporates at midnight. The last remaining Malaysia Air employee rebooked my flight, but that's where the immediate and effective help ended. She told me I'd have to go to United to resolve my stranded status.

What ensued both validated my usual packing precautions, but also taught me a few new hard lessons in airline and hotel "customer service". Two United Domestic counter employees literally ditched me after I announced I'd been stranded by a misconnect and needed my bags and accommodation. I guess they also didn't want to be at the airport any longer than necessary! By chance, I caught a more professional and sympathetic employee on the way out and she printed out invalid vouchers for hotel, food, and local phone calls, using what turned out to be a hotel reservation system gone south. It took 3 hours before I landed in a hotel bed in a smokey Chinese run Howard Johnson's. It wasn't the Asian experience I'd hoped for. My checked luggage remained missing for most of the following 2 days. Fortunately, I had my truly expensive items, such as my camera and laptop computer, in my carry on purse.

I won't bore you with remaining almost comical airline misinformation, buck passing, and inefficiency, but lets just say that phone calls and detailed voicemails were useless, and physically going back to the airport and getting face to face with a key person was the only way to get something done... in fact, I had to wait for her to start her shift because she was supposedly the only person at Malaysia Air that had access to where my bag might be stored. Apparently, at some point, my bags had been left partially unzipped and out in the rain; she blamed United. Fortunately, Zip Lock plastic bags saved my scanner, art papers, and most everything else, Still, a few unwrapped things were on the verge of mildew, and it would get ugly quickly if I didn't dry things out before the 20+ hr flight and arrival in the tropics. It took a sunny hotel window ledge, and a good hour in the stuffy bathroom with the blowdryer to separate and dry out the pages of my thick soggy guide books and miscellaneous textiles.

The things that made it all tolerable, were fun companionship from a good natured Chinese business man who was also stranded, a nice evening with always enjoyable Elida and Chris (who live fairly near LAX), and a couple decent bus lines that allowed for Santa Monica strolling and shopping. Oh, and I finally had time to buy the Tiva's a friend recommended for Bali trekking,

If you ever get stranded in LAX, I recommend Santa Monica's lively, funky, and fun, Renee's Courtyard Cafe and Bar. 522 Wilshire Blvd, 310 451-9341. It's even hip enough for any local friends you can talk into braving traffic to meet you there!

Once in KL, my bags also didn't get transferred from the Airport Express bus to their connecting hotel shuttle... but, that's another story...