My Saturn Becomes a Ferrari... For Ten Minutes

These pieces of paper caused a lot of sweat

Thursday I finally got my tickets for my stay in Vienna this summer, thanks to my mom, who managed to get me nonstop transatlantic flights using my frequent flier miles. She called me in the morning saying I'd have to pick up the tickets from the Syracuse airport by 7 p.m. I drove out at around four, right through rush hour traffic, and received an itinerary-looking thing printed on a ticket. I doubled-checked because I thought I actually had to get real tickets, which is where the fun began.

The ticket counter employee called a number, which was picked up by a passenger! She dialed another number, which was picked up by a flight attendant! She finally reached a person that she could ask, who told her what she had given me was fine.

I then drove back, which was hampered by the fact that I had misplaced my parking ticket. The lady at the window let me go for the cheapest fare, however, so I was lucky. I found the ticket several seconds after I left the parking facility.

I left my mom a message on her voice mail, and decided to chill out and watch some TV with my apartment-mates. Around 6:30 my mom called me up and franticly told me that I have to get to the airport by seven, or my reservation would be canceled, as she had double-checked with United Reservations, who had said what I had gotten wasn't good enough.

I ran into my car and drove Ferrari-style to the airport, and was luckily assisted by the fact that most of the traffic was gone by now, and that the highway to the airport has eight lanes. I got to the airport in record time and was at the United ticket counter around 6:48, where, I told my story completely out of breath, as I had run from the parking garage to the counter.

The woman who was working at the counter this time was much better trained, and processed the reservation and printed out the tickets for me. At this time I also found out that, while I was driving Ferarri-style, my mom had gotten United to extend the reservation until May 8. Oh well, I was just glad to have my tickets.

I wish reward travel always used e-tickets. There is an option on United's website to find reward tickets, but that never turns up results.

Oh, and on the way back I almost hit a turkey that was sitting on the I-81 onramp.

Anyway, I'm going to be in Vienna from May 17 until August 2.