2928 Where's Silk?

Saturday, April 10, 2010

“The skunk does not get out of the way of any animal.
It moves along at its own speed, with its own mind.
It is self-assured and confident in itself.
Skunks are fearless, but they are also very peaceful.
They move slowly and calmly, and they only spray as a last resort.
Skunk teaches how to give respect, expect respect, and demand respect.”
~~ from Animal Speak ~~

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In case you didn't notice, the past several entries were written ahead of the post date, and scheduled for posting each day over the past week. I've been in Morocco for the past week, without internet access. In fact, this post is being written on 4/2. When this appears in the blog, with any luck, I'll be in the air somewhere over the Atlantic, heading back home.

The "with any luck" is not an idle phrase, it's a prayer. The woman who's organizing this trip is the most disorganized screwed-up woman I've ever met. She's the one who scheduled a meeting in NYC, and then canceled it via email 45 minutes after I had set out on the 2 hour 45 minute trip into the city, during rush hour. And then she didn't leave a message with the restaurant that the meeting had been canceled, so I sat there wondering what went wrong.

Then when we finally met with the tour guide and got the itinerary, I noticed the trip was two days shorter than what we had signed up and paid for. She denied there was any difference. When I got home I checked, and sent her an email detailing the difference - we are leaving 24 hours later and returning 24 hours sooner. The two "free time in Casablanca" days had been chopped off. She responded with a note to the group, saying that the trip was ONE day shorter. I could spit nails.

Well, the travel docs I have say that the flight to Casablanca leaves at 6:45 pm tomorrow (remember, today is actually Friday, 4/2). At 3:43 today I got an email from her saying that the flight time was changed to 5:01pm - an hour and 44 minutes earlier! How can they do that? What about connections wanting to make this flight? There's only one flight a day.

Then at 5:44 today, I got another email from her saying that she goofed, the actual time is changed to 8:01pm.

Note that the email was not followed up by a phone call, or a request for acknowledgment. There may be people who have internet access only at work, and 5:44 is pretty late to be sending out an emergency message. Or some may be staying in a hotel near the airport tonight and didn't pack a laptop.

I think she assumes everyone has a Blackberry or other constant connection, because she does.

She's an idiot.

I don't trust her. I wouldn't be surprised if people show up for the 8:01 flight, and discover that the plane left at 6:45, or 5:01, or who knows when. So I went to the Royal Air Maroc site and checked on the flight. 8:01pm. Ok.

Then I tried to check on my reservation, and R.A.M. can't find it. Interesting. They want the 6-digit reservation code, and the primary name on the reservation if multiple people are traveling under one reservation. I don't know what the primary name is. It isn't any of us 13, maybe it's the tour company, but I don't know.

Sigh.

Well, if you're seeing this post, that must mean I made it to Morocco, somehow. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm actually on the plane home. She might screw up again. Once the plane lands and I'm no longer dependent on the organizer, I may strangle her. So if there's no post tomorrow, I may be marooned in Morocco, or I may be in jail in New York.

Send bail money.

Morocco photos soon.
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