So for those of you who don't know, I am a tech nerd. Last week I went to the Web 2.o conference this week where people get excited about better code, new apps, and data portability . . . and I loved it.
Getting home from the conference was another story.
A little background on me as a traveler . . . I’m not savvy. I’ve been a lot of places in the world, but let’s face it folks – I have no sense of direction. I rely on my fellow tavelers for expertise.
I had a few friends who were headed to the airport the same time as me. They were taking BART. At first I opted out because I didn’t want to drag my luggage through the streets to meet them (I’m not only an inept traveler, but I’m lazy too). So I was going to pay the big bucks for my own taxi to the airport. But then I got a grouchy taxi driver who didn't want to take me to the airport during rush hour, so I opted to meet my BART traveling friends.
A summary of my trip to the airport:
- Tried to take a taxi to the airport but got an grumpy taxi driver who didn’t want to take me there, so I got dropped off at my friends hotel to take BART to the airport: $20
- BART tickets for me and my friend who carried my bag and some additional credit on my BART ticket since you have to accept less than $5 in change and all I had was a $20: $16
- Word that came out of my mouth when we arrived at the airport and I realized that I had not coordinated with my friends well and that I had gone to the wrong airport: S#!*
- Cost to flag a taxi illegally to get me back to the Oakland Airport: $82.75 (I had $84 left in my purse)
- Tip for the ninja taxi driver who risked both our lives to get me to the airport: $25 (via check)
- Total investment in my stupidity: $143.75
- Price for my plane ticket to get to San Francisco in the first place: $170
Summary: I almost spent more just trying to get to the airport to catch my flight than I spent on my flight all together.
Parting Thought: Always remember there are 3 airports you can fly through the Bay Area with – San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. Friends ask each other what airport they are flying through. A note for all my friends – I usually fly through Oakland. Please remind me of that if we ever travel together.
Oh my! I have gotten stuck/lost on the BART lots of times, but I have never gone to the wrong airport. That was an expensive trip!
The dumbest thing I did in SF was take the BART and hoof it to a conference at the Moscone Center. The thing was, I was 8 months pregnant. When I got there I realized all of my co-workers (not pregnant) had just taken taxis from the airport and charged it to the company.
Posted by: Allison | April 30, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Your travel story totally kicks my travel story.
Posted by: Anna | May 02, 2008 at 01:33 PM
So glad I found your blog. And even more glad to know that I am not the only one who whould end up at the wrong airport. I have zero sense of direction as well.
Posted by: Jess | May 06, 2008 at 11:26 PM