My daughter and my husband are once again embarking on a father/daughter cross-country trip from Virginia to Phoenix (well, Tempe), Arizona, in order to get both my daughter and her CAR back to college. They love these trips together, coordinate their music selections, pop in books on tape, and try new routes.
I, on the other hand, will be following several days later...
So, here's the deal with our choices:
Obviously, since the purpose of the trip by car on the way out to Arizona is to get the car OUT there in the first place, my husband won't be driving BACK to Virginia. Therefore, he will require a one-way airline ticket for the trip home. I, on the other hand, will need a round trip ticket. MAYBE... (Other options discussed.)
A round-trip airline ticket costs $495.00. A one-way airline ticket costs $600.00! THEREFORE, my husband will most likely buy himself a round-trip ticket, half of which he won't be using.
Problem number two: I hate to fly. No, I mean I REALLY HATE TO FLY!!! Even MORE so these days. Add to this mix, I haven't flown anywhere all by myself since my husband and I were married many, many (many, many) years ago; he and I have always been together on any flight taken since the honeymoon.
So, we decided to explore other options.
I could always drive separately. (My daughter's car will be packed with stuff being transported back to Arizona, so joining my husband and daughter in her car wouldn't make for a comfortable trip.) I'm not opposed to driving myself out there, but the longest I have ever driven on my own was for two straight days. This trip would take four days (three if I push it by driving ten or more straight hours each day), all by my little lonesome self. And, as we all know, gas costs. We figured that my separate drive, one way only, would be somewhere around $300.00. (Almost the cost of that round-trip airline ticket.)
If I were to make this drive using my OWN car, I would then -- obviously -- be forced to drive it BACK for another four days. Because my husband has already taken a lot of time off from his job (due to the spinal surgery and the trip OUT to Arizona), he really can't linger on the road for an additional four days. Practically, he will pretty much be forced to return from Arizona by plane.
THAT means that I would have to drive the four days BACK all by myself. For me, it would be a total of EIGHT days on the road, by myself, just to spend about two to three days in Arizona, helping my daughter get set up in her apartment! I don't think I'm up for that. Add the cost of the gas and the hotels for the return trip, and while it's still cheaper than the other options, the expenses are compiling while ALSO being inconvenient.
Another option would be to leave my own car in the driveway, and RENT a car for a one-way trip to Phoenix, and then return with my husband by air. This would require me to ALSO buy an unnecessary round-trip plane ticket in order to save money. UNFORTUNATELY, the major rental car companies apparently don't like one-way trips, and charge through the NOSE for such rentals. It would cost me $2,300 for a one way rental car. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) So, that option is obviously out. Just on principle ALONE, it's out!
It's nuts.
The other option is to go by train. Now, I happen to LOVE train travel. I thought that it might be nice to sit back in a compartment, with my needlepoint, magazines, and books, while gazing out the window at the American countryside. I've taken the Autotrain down to Florida, and I loved the experience.
There are two potential routes I could take: One takes me south through New Orleans, but the schedule is such that I would have to spend the night there, and then take a second train up to Phoenix. (Well, not EXACTLY to Phoenix...) The other route takes me through Chicago, and while I would still need to change trains, it would only have about a six-hour layover.
Well, the freakin' TRAIN takes FOUR DAYS to get from Virginia to Phoenix!!! And, the train through Chicago gets to the "Phoenix" station (a building 25 miles away, in the middle of nowhere, apparently) at 1:30 a.m.!!! What the **** am I supposed to do at 1:30 a.m from "outside Phoenix"??? I can just see my lonely self standing with my suitcase in hand outside the empty railroad station. ADDITIONALLY, the one-way train ticket costs $900.00, and I would still need to buy the stupid round-trip airline ticket (half of which I wouldn't be using) in order to fly back with my husband.
So, it looks as though I'll be flying out by myself, and then returning with my husband, but it's ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS that I CANNOT manage to get from here to Arizona in less than FOUR DAYS, either by car or by train. AND, that we're required to buy a useless ROUND-TRIP airline ticket because of the pricing, AND that the United States railway system is so @*&%! that I can't manage to take a darned train to Arizona!!! I mean, what happens to the families who would like to take themselves a nice train trip together across the United States? See the USA. Not only is it prohibitively expensive, but also it takes as long as the freakin' BUS...!!! And, they would STILL have to rent a car when they arrived at their destination because there isn't any similar Florida-style Autotrain for cross-country travel.
Breathes...
End of rant.
-- Edited by Moore ideas at 10:57, 2007-07-09
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
I hear ya, sweetie! I'm no fan of flying either, but I've had to swallow hard and do it anyway. I take along my rescue remedy and use it freely. But now we can't take any liquids with us on a plane! So I have no idea what to suggest other than either tranquilizers or alcohol, and neither are a very good solution.
Whay about renting a U-Haul trailer for your daughter's car and piling all her paraphenalia in it so there'd be a space for mom inside the car?
ugh that is frustrating. I grew up in Phoenix and cant even tell you where the train station is. I mean there are plenty of trains that go through Arizona but i never see any that carry people. Did you look into taking a bus, I know its not as comfortable but I have hear that Greyhound has gotten better. I wish I could fly with you. I am flying from Norfolk, VA to Phoenix on the 31st of the month, and your right about the one way. Though 2 one way tickets for me and my daughter were less then 400. We got the tickets a little while ago though.
Too bad you cant upgrade to first class, at least then you could have a good flight.
Just had another thought, Moore. How about shipping your daughter's stuff to Phoenix? That way you'd all fit inside the car.
Or sell the car and replace it with a minivan. You could probably find a used one that would fit the bill. I know kids don't like driving around in one, but it might work.
When my eldest moved to Boston after he graduated from college, he took our 6 year old minivan with him. He groaned, but the price was right (as in free). When he got to Boston, his car was the vehicle of choice for all the outings as it seated 7, and kids move a lot, and there was Tony with his ever-popular van! He drove it for a couple of years, then donated it to some charity for a tax write-off.
I'll probably drug myself up, and hang onto the arm of whatever unfortunate passenger sits next to me on the plane.
If I'm assigned anything other than an aisle seat, you'll probably see on the news that the FBI has arrested me for causing a "disturbance" during a flight out of Washington, DC!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
Well Moore, it really sounds like you have quite the trip coming up..... I really do not enjoy flying either, although my biggest complaint is that I swear that I always end-up sandwiched next to someone who needs at least two seats, and on the other side, someone who has never heard of personal hygene.
I swear that there is a form of restless leg syndrome that exists just on planes, I go nuts with tingles and cramps, and can not sit still for that long when being forced to. It's the whole reverse psychology thing, if I could get up, roam and recline, then I would be fine sitting there, but basically force me to sit in a small area for an extended period of time and I am miserable!
Most of my flights are to Ireland, which are around 8 hours long.....
Oh, Tess, I would have a very difficult time with that kind of flight!
I have been so stressed out today because it has come to the point when I need to make a definitive decision. I am SO torn at this point between taking the darned flight, or taking the train.
If I leave on August 13th, I can be in Tucson on the evening of the 16th. That's about the time when my husband and daughter would arrive in Phoenix/Tempe. I could stay at the Marriott, a few blocks away from the train station, then rent a car the next morning (right there at the Marriott, as a matter of fact) for the 1-1/2 hour drive up to Phoenix. That way, I would have had a good night's sleep, and could make the drive up there first thing in the morning.
I also wouldn't be charged the stupid cross-country fee by the car rental people!
But, I'm so exhausted from thinking about it all, and am feeling SO guilty about making this more complicated than it probably needs to be.
On the other hand, a cross-country train trip seems like it might be nice. It's also more expensive, though.
AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I don't know what to DO.....!!!!!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
sometimes the price of your comfort is worth the extra money. And a train does sound nice, and certainly more comfortable.
This August I will be flying with Jolene, and for the first time shes not free anymore. Which is nice in that it eliminates the problem Tess talked about, for at least one side of my seat anyways. Though I have a lay over in Dallas and if the airline makes me take her car seat then I will be stuck lugging that and her through the airport....not what I look forward to I assure you
Here's a link to a site that might possibly be of some help. I've had good results with these remedies for various phobias and physical symtoms. It's worth a look at least.
Just check off the appropriate boxes, then enter. A suggested remedy will pop up. Mine is Gelsimium, but everyone is different.
Phosphorus?? That surprises me, because it's a remedy usually most suitable to dreamers who aren't really anchored in reality. Phosphorous types are impulsive, often retreat into an imaginary world as an escape from being highly (overly) sensitve to their environment. But they usually are elegant dressers, which I imagine you are. But the other stuff doesn't sound anything like you at all!
I would have guessed Lachesis (snake venom from the bushmaster) or Argentum nitricum (silver nitrate) might have been a match. I've used both and arg nit is great for me when I get a case of nerves.
Well, now. That is actually QUITE fascinating, KaeEll.
While I am very anchored in reality, I also have been a huge daydreamer all of my life. I can't say that it's so extreme that I retreat into an imaginary world, but I do daydream quite a bit... It's just part of my God-given active imagination, and mental creativity!
I am also actually sensitive to my environment in that I connect almost immediately with people on an emotional level, and can sometimes overly empathize with them. In that way, I suppose that I can be too sensitive. In other areas, my physical environment doesn't bother me one bit because I can go for weeks on end ignoring those many weeds in the garden that ought to be pulled, or (as we've discussed before) all of those closets and keepsakes that ought to be culled through!
Elegant dresser? Depends! I can definitely dress myself up, complete with "hair and makeup", along with some favorite jewelry, but my preference is being barefoot!
I guess that I'm just a walking contradiction, but then I'm also a Scorpio!
__________________
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
(Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
