It's 7am, and although we were up at 4am yesterday and didn't get to sleep until 11pm, I'm awake and watchng the ducks conducting their daily business on the golf course next to our patio. I guess that qualifies as jet lag, but by tonight my inner clock should be back to something like normal. Or maybe not: with all this relaxation and easy living maybe I won't crash and fall asleep at 9 or 10pm like I do at home!
The trip was really pretty smooth. With all the traveling we do, we have remarkably good travel karma. We've never had a serious problem (canceled flight, lost luggage, serious delays, etc) although I may have just jinxed that by saying so. United is a seriously horrible airline, although I really had no choice: they own the Boston-LA route, and the other connection choices were just no good. The planes they fly on this route are too small (757 with a 3-aisle-3 configuration and too cramped (I'm 5'1", for heaven's sake and I felt squished!). But I always get us each aisle seats across from each other, so it wasn't terrible and I slept a bit anyway. I sat next to an older couple from what sounded like Russia or someplace. They were driving the flight attendants (and me) crazy the entire time; she kept changing her mind about what she wanted to drink, asking for something every five minutes, etc. They also talked really loud all the time. And then there was the exciting adventure when both of them wanted to get out to go to the bathroom. All I could think about was the Marx Brothers stuffing everybody into that tiny little stateroom on the ship--in reverse. When we got to LA I knew we'd have a long walk to our next gate. Even though we were staying on United, the bigger planes arrive at one end and the smaller planes depart from another. There wasn't a single shuttle cart to be found, so we started walking. We got to the gate without running into anybody driving one of those carts. Philip was out of breath, but wanted to just keep going. The planes they fly from LA to Palm Springs are really almost commuter jets (other airlines fly the bigger planes into Palm Springs, but United uses United Express). One row of single seats down one side, and one row of double seats down the other. No real room in the overhead bins, so if you have anything bigger than a small duffle or something like that you just give your stuff to the guy at the bottom of the stairs (you have to walk up a little staircase that attaches to the plane door, just like when we were kids!) and they hand it back to you when you get off the plane in Palm Springs. It's only a 30 minute flight.
Before we left Boston, we realized we accidentally left our cell phone on the back seat of the limo that took us to the airport. Oy. We called the limo company, and they are going to FedEx it to us and we should have it today or Monday. Oh well, not the worst thing. I like to have it because it's the most reliable way for my mother to reach us when we're away, but she assured me last night that she wouldn't need us. She said she promised not to telll us if she broke another bone--I told her not to do that, to stop breaking bones.
When we arrive in Palm Springs it's always an ahhh feeling. You get off the plane, walk across the tarmac to the airport, and the air is warm and there are flowers everywhere. Nice. The airport here is small and efficient and easy to deal with. We changed our rental car company this time, and it proved to be a good choice. Enterprise takes a different approach than the others. They have their facility a short distance (maybe a block or two) away instead of at the airport. When we checked in at the airport desk the guy was friendly, quick, and told us to just step outside and he'd call their shuttle to pick us up. In about one minute the shuttle pulled up and the driver handled our luggage. When we got to the rental facillity the agent greeted us at the shuttle, took us out to the lot and showed us the car (and also said if we wanted an upgrade we could choose one). He was dressed in a suit and tie (although he had his jacket off) and was professional and friendly (and, it turns out, he's from Andover MA!). I think Enterprise aims toward a business clientele and just does things differently. Certainly they train their people better, and it shows. And their rates are very competitive. I think I'm going to change my reservation for Omaha in July.
So off we went. No muss, no fuss. We got a tiny car (Kia Spectra) because gas prices here are sky high (around $3.50). But the car is brand new, has all the requisite bells and whistles and is comfortable. Beyond that, who cares?
Small snafu when we checked in. We were a bit early, because check in time is 4:00 and we got there around 3. No problem, we said we'd go get something to eat and come back. At 4 we came back and the villa still wasn't ready. I was not happy, but we said we'd do our grocery shopping now, come back, and then we wouldn't have to go out again. When we got back at around 5:20 it still wasn't ready and I began to have a meltdown. Finally they got in touch with housekeeping and were told they were just finishing up and we could come put our stuff away, etc. The staff couldn't have been nicer, but at that point I was tired and aggravated--not a good combination for me. Turns out the previous people in our villa had really done a number on the place, and housekeeping wanted to make sure everything was perfect. From the looks of all the garbage bags out front filled with beer cans and cardboard beer cases, I'd say someone had a hell of a bash in this place. Anyway, the place is gorgeous and bigger than our condo at home. The bed is heavenly and the pillows and comforter are those really cushy ones (which are available to guests for a 10% discount!). And I love that they give us SIX pillows on the bed!!!
By the time we got settled, fired up the laptop, took showers, nebulized (Philip, not me), it was almost 8pm. We watched WWF Smackdown, Law & Order, and finally crashed.
I'll try to post every day, or close to it. Tonight: Palm Springs Film Noir Festival.
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