Difficulties in Detroit

TRAVEL THERE: LOST LUGGAGE, COMPROMISED CREDIT CARDS AND OTHER DISCOURAGEMENTS

Disappointment at Dollar

OK, so after we left the Lost Luggage Office we had to find the bus to the Remote Rental Facility. At Detroit, that involved going up and down on a series of escalators, walking across a pedestrian bridge and reading a whole lot of signs to figure out that Dollar Rental customers were supposed to take the Hertz bus.

At the Hertz office we were informed that we must stay on the bus so they could take us around to the Dollar entrance. Talk about much ado about nothing. We obediently rode the bus to the other side of the building and discovered it was merely another entrance to the same space as the Hertz office. We were not amused. The counter help was merely adequate. Nothing to brag on, but we’ve certainly run into worse. Our rep told us to choose any car sitting in the 5B area.

We headed out to the lot and to section 5B. There were several black SUV’s lined up in the 5B area and Bill had a couple he wanted, but before we could make our move to enter the cars, other folks had beat it us to it. We ended up with a Chey Trax. It wasn’t the car of my dreams, but I wasn’t too concerned. Bill was devastated and he spent the rest of our vacation complaining about it.

But What About the Lost Luggage

To my great joy, Ms. Number Three had called me as we rode to the Remote Rental facility. The young man who had picked up my bag by mistake was on his way back to the airport to make the switch. I was thrilled. $3500 is a lot of money, but I just wanted my stuff. I didn’t have time to mess with shopping for replacements.

From the Remote Rental facility, we made our way back to the terminal and I went to the Lost Luggage counter. Mr. Switcheroo had not made it back yet, so Ms. Number Three was outlining my options.

• Option One – I could wait, but they had no idea when the guy would show up and they would not compensate me for parking. Bill would not have liked that option.
• Option Two – I could go on to my hotel and if the guy returned the bag that evening, the airline would deliver it to me sometime the next day. Well, I was checking out of the hotel the next morning, so that wasn’t a particularly good plan either.
• Option Three – They could call me when it arrived and I could decide then what to do, including having someone else pick up my bag.

I was discussing Option Three with Ms. Number Three, because I had nephews & grand nephews arriving later that night. I thought they could pick up my bag and it would be easier to connect with them than with the airline. I might be a little inconvenienced, but it would do. I was texting my claim ticket to my niece to send on to her son or brother, when a very humble young man came in carrying my bag.

It was the first time he had traveled alone and he hadn’t even packed his own bag. He understood what he’d put me through and he apologized numerous times. About that time Ms. Everything’s-All-Right came by and looked at me as if to say, “I told you so.” I wanted to tell her just how NOT ALL RIGHT it had been, but turned her over to God instead.

I turned with my rolling bag and ran to where I had left Bill, hoping he was somewhere near by. He was, but of course, I was just looking for a black SUV. It seemed as if every car in the pick-up area was a black SUV, and I really hadn’t paid close enough attention to know what car it was that Bill already hated so much. We eventually connected and headed to the Marriott at Renaissance Center, which had been arranged for us by our niece, a Marriott employee.

The Egyptian Part

I adore my husband and many of the reasons I do can be traced back to his Egyptian heritage, however when worlds collide things can get lost in translation. In the Egyptian culture, hospitality is job one and nothing shows that more than their eagerness to receive visitors with pomp and circumstance. I have gone to Egypt twice and each time I have been received at the airport with much ceremony and courtesy. When I visit those Egyptian relatives that now live here, they are also very anxious to make us feel welcome – especially in those first few moments of arriving.

So, our niece who works for Marriott wanted very much for us to stay our first night at the famous Marriott at Renaissance Center. She also wanted to be there waiting for us in the lobby when we arrived, in spite of the fact that she actually lives and works about 45 minutes away.

I really just wanted to stay somewhere close to the airport and regroup after our flight, but she would have none of that. This was her uncle and his first night in her state had to be at what she considered the best place and she wanted to be there to great him.

In the same manner, I am a very practical person. I know travel is always a hassle and nothing ever happens as you want it to. I was having none of her driving 45 minutes into Detroit, just to say hello and then turn around and drive another 45 and report to work, when chances are we wouldn’t make it in time for her to do that. Nope, I wasn’t putting up with that, but if she insisted, I could stay at the Renaissance.

So, that was the deal. We’d stay where she wanted us to and she wouldn’t drive down to Detroit to see us for 5 minutes. Good thing, too. With the lost luggage, she would have driven an hour and a half for nothing.

GPS Woes

As if we had not endured enough that day, getting to the hotel was almost an impossibility. The GPS knew nothing about all the construction going on in the Waterfront area and even less about all the streets which were closed due to the preparation for a Grand Prix which would be the next weekend.

Now, the Renaissance Center is highly visible for miles around the Waterfront area. We could see it. We just couldn’t get there. I will save you the details, but when we did finally pull into the reception area of the Marriott we felt like refugees from some disaster. I stayed in the car and Bill went to check us in.

Parking Preferences

Then we had to find someplace to park. The Marriott lot was $29.00 for anything over 3 hours, so Bill wanted very much to find an alternative. He left our luggage with the reception desk and we zoomed off to find cheaper parking.

About a mile away in a sort of remote area with very confusing signage, Bill thought he’d found some free parking. The construction had the street partially blocked off and there were signs saying everything from “Do Not Block Drive” to “No Parking” at certain times to “No Standing” at others. We actually looked up the difference between parking and standing as we discussed whether we could leave the car there or not.

Bill had just about convinced me to leave it there and we were actually walking away when I saw a less confusing sign which said “Towing Enforced No Parking or Standing 10PM to 6AM.” Bill still thought it might be OK, because perhaps the sign partially closing the street for construction might override everything else, but I put down my elegantly shod foot. After the day we’d had, chances were not something we should take.

Grabbing a Bite

We paid our $29.00 to the parking gods, picked up our luggage at the desk and went to find our room. It was elegant as hotel rooms go, with a nice bathroom, but a little tight. However, the view made it worth all our niece’s trouble. It really was remarkable as you can see above.

The rest of our problems solved, dinner was next. We’d seen a restaurant/bar downstairs and decided it would have to do. However, as we neared it, the noise reverberated inside our heads. We asked at the desk if that was the only restaurant and the careful answer was, “It’s the only one in the hotel.” That meant there were others, but we’d have to go on an adventure and adventures weren’t very appealing at this point.

There was one other choice, a kind of snack bar/convenience store. We ordered a turkey croissant sandwich and a half bottle of wine to share. Don’t you just love to pay $38 for fast food?

And I’ll leave it at that. Our first full day in Detroit was just a sleep away. Come back next week and see how we spent it.