Plan 'Z'...

Also Known As: The Vacation Where NOTHING Goes As Planned

The Cali Girl and I started off with high hopes for these few days here in the desert region. Our itinerary looked something like this...

Day 1-
*Shop
*Drink lots of coffee
*Pick up my return ticket from the Emirates office
*Spend an evening at the Irish Village
*Rent a car

Day 2-
*Road trip to neighboring country
*Pack a picnic...enjoy the coast...see the fjords

Day 3-
*Go to the beach on Thanksgiving Day
*Indulge in some free beverages at the Cactus Cantina
*Return to friend's house for a traditional Thanksgiving meal (prepared by 2 Canadians and 2 Dutch)

Day 4-
*Board an airplane to the States!!


Apparently, what the itinerary should have looked like was this...
Day 1-
*Go to pick up return ticket from the Emirates office, only to discover that they cannot reissue you a new ticket until you give them the old one. (Note: the old one is in stupid Expedia's possession.)

Fret. Worry. Deal with unhelpful lady at the ticketing desk. Imagine telling family I won't be home when they thought I'd be home. THEN...have brilliant man at the end of the desk suggest we blacklist my old ticket as "lost."

Fill out forms. Deal with unhelpful lady at the ticketing desk. And wait.

*Go to nearby shopping mall to clear head.
*Drink lots of coffee. Peruse the new Gap!
*Rent car. Or TRY to rent car. Discover that it's going to be too expensive to take said car out of the country.
*Debate. Debate. Debate. (Is it worth it?)
*Become exhausted from over-stimulation at the mall (too much for just coming out of CA) and disappointed that our fun adventure isn't going to happen and head home for a nap.
*Eat dinner at the house.
*Head over to the Irish Village for some live music and outdoor pleasure.
*Remember that we're on 'vacay' and everything is just fine.





Day 2- (It's a new day with new perspective.)
*Book cheaper rental car online and prepare to take our road trip after all.
*Pick up car from airport. Discover that this company will not allow you to take their cars outside of the country. BUMMER!
*Plan to pick up ticket and then just head to the beach for the day. (That's not a bad 'Plan D' we think.)
*Work with new man (just semi-unhelpful) at the Emirates office and leave, once again, empty-handed. (I'll have to return later with a resident's signature.)
*NO Beach!!!
*MUST HAVE COFFEE....Head to nearby mall.
*Eat lunch.
*Buy new book at Borders.
*Ask for a free donut at Krispy Kreme just to see the look on the employee's face. (They HATE that! ...But I say, then don't have the 'HOT LIGHT' on!)
*Head upstairs to favorite Starbucks where you can read, drink coffee, take a nap, and forget the troubles of the day.
*Return home.
*Nap.
*Do laundry.
*Return to Emirates office and FINALLY leave with a ticket in-hand!!! (At 7:15pm)
*Spend the final part of the evening with the locals on the Creek...smoking strawberry sheesha and drinking an amazing glass of fresh pomegranate juice.