If you've ever tried to balance ten+ hotels, a rental car, a flight, and so many days worth of vacation planning, you know what I mean.
Within the past week, I have made two timing mistakes.
1. I also have a hotel stay coming up in DC. When re-researching rates, I discovered a lower rate. As I was headed out the door, I clicked on it, booked it, and then noticed it was nonrefundable. Immediately I got on the phone with the hotel, a Hilton chain hotel. Over the next half hour, I was sent from Hilton customer service to the Advanced Purchase desk, to the actual hotel's customer service, and finally told I would need to speak with a manager. Then, when I finally got in touch with the manager I was told I needed to speak with the Advanced Purchase desk again. She gave me her name, said she would cancel the stay but couldn't guarantee a refund unless I spoke with Advanced Purchase again, and put a note on my reservation. When I called Advanced Purchase, they attached a file to my confirmation. *sigh* It was a mess. Just as I was starting to get aggravated, the hotel manager canceled my reservation and told me to let her know if I got charged.
In the end, it wouldn't have been a big deal if we hadn't been able to cancel since we needed a room for this particular night anyway. I was just frustrated that I had booked a nonrefundable room.
2. Then, as if that wasn't enough of a scare, I decided to book a tour of Catalina Island. I believe the tour could be canceled within 48 hours of your trip, but I booked it for the next day. On a weekend. When the company's office was closed. At 9AM, right at the opening time following the weekend. Can you feel my pain? I don't even know how I made that mistake! I immediately called the emergency number (they run a taxi service too), but the dispatcher was unable to help me. I have emailed. I facebook messaged. At the time of the writing of this post, all there is left to do is cry. I now have to wait until lunchtime, my time (9am theirs), to call and, hopefully, change my reservation.*
So, let that be a lesson to you all: check dates. And then re-check them. Confirm and re-confirm times. This stress is NOT worth it.
Other ways timing is everything:
1. I recently found out a museum (The BROAD) I want to see is smack dab next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall where my husband and I will be attending a concert. Went to reserve the free tickets and … they were "sold out". 😞 If I had realized The BROAD was a close as it is to the concert hall before today, maybe it wouldn't have been sold out.
2. Timing has also worked in my favor. Apparently, a food truck park thing called Smorgasbord only happens on Sundays, and I will be in LA on a Sunday! Sooo woot!
In other news, I've been breaking down my schedule, researching sunrise and sunset times, seeing which beaches look worth a visit and which will have to wait until next time, cutting out anything I deem to be "excess". One more mission? Or wait to see another further down PCH when I have more time?
And then there is luggage.
I'm currently in the process of emptying out all of my camera memory cards, and I just ordered a new camera bag yesterday. a Lowepro Flipside 400 AW II. My old Costco camera bag was breaking and hella uncomfortable. Hopefully, the new bag will fit my needs better.
As for other details:
• I've started looking at restaurants and made OpenTable reservations at a few.
• I have not gotten through the last book and two magazines yet that I bought for PCH research purposes.
• My husband has notified his friend we would be in town during this trip.
• All of our hotels have been booked and I have found lower prices since on a few of them! Yay!
Now to get ready for April A-Z.
Oh, and also I'm only on day three of breaking down my trip by cost and time. So I have another seven days of intricate research to do. Anyone want to make a few decisions for me? Five weekends of research and I thought for sure I would be finished by now!
How did you spend your weekend? Is the weather nice where you are? Or are you dealing with the bomb cyclone in the north? (And for those of you that did deal with the bomb cyclone this weekend, I pray that your community did not suffer much if at all. Those storms seem absolutely terrifying.)
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* About three hours after I put this post together, Journey Catalina called regarding my messed up reservation. Without hesitating, they fixed it for me, sent me the correct receipt (with the correct date), and reassured me that a simple mistake like that was nothing to get upset over. I was so entirely grateful that they were able to fix my issue over the weekend when their office is closed! It means that I have one less thing to worry about when I close my eyes tonight. 🙂
