Two vacations in one-Trip 2

Trip #2-Minneapolis

Our flight from Kansas City to Minneapolis to Richmond got a little...jumbled. We were delayed in KC for a couple of hours. Once we finally boarded, we were sitting on the tarmac and Andrew got a call from Northwest telling us that our flight from Minneapolis was cancelled due to "air traffic constraints". We were rebooked on a flight that landed in Richmond 23 hours later than our original flight. After two and a half days away from Sam, I was less than thrilled with this interference in my plans. Thankfully, Andrew was there to talk calmly with the ticket agents, who rerouted us through two other airlines to get us home only 16 hours later.

This meant that we were stuck in Minneapolis overnight without our bag. (Although the little freebie "sorry we messed up your plans" toiletry bag was a pleasant surprise. If your luggage ever gets lost, I recommend asking for one. Might cheer you up a bit.) Andrew was so excited about this new "adventure" that I had to let go of my frustration and agree to enjoy our free "extra" trip.

The airline gave us food vouchers for the airport, as well as a voucher for food at the Ramada Inn and a discount for a room at the hotel. By the time this was all finished, it was about 9:15pm. We had just enough time to take the shuttle to the hotel, run (literally) to the Mall of America, run (again, literally) back to the hotel to be seated in the restaurant 10 minutes before it closed. (I know all of the former waiters are cringing, but we hadn't eaten a real meal since...I don't even know. And it was going to be free!)

After the most delicious salad I have ever eaten, we debated getting a room--$90 with the discount for less than 6 hours-- or sleeping in the airport. We decided to complete the experience by taking the shuttle back to the airport and sleeping by the other stranded passengers on a bench.

Trip #2.5-Chicago O'Hare

Our rerouted flight took us through Chicago, where we enjoyed breakfast at the Macaroni Grill courtesy of the airline. (We also enjoyed walking all the way from terminal K, where we landed, to terminal F, where our flight would leave from, back to terminal K, where the restaurant was, and back to terminal F for our flight.)

I think most of the passengers on our flights that day had been delayed/stranded, some more than once and for more than one day. When the plane landed in Richmond (where we were stuck on the tarmac for another 45 minutes because there were no gates available) people actually clapped...or was that just me?

Of course, our bag did not follow us to Richmond, but the baggage fairy dropped it on our doorstep the next morning (after we spent an hour standing in line talking to agents, then another hour on the phone).

We did some exploring while we were waiting in Kansas City.

No place like home, no place like home, no place like home...still in Kansas. Darn.

Running through a parking lot to get to the Mall of America.

Check this off the "Life's To-Do list"

I told you I ended up enjoying it.

We found Herbie's kid brother.