h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

These things do come on threes, don't they?

Travel Trouble Number 1:

Booking a flight for my 12 year old son. Because he's over 12, he pays an adult fare (nashin fashin...but thems the rules) However, since he is not the credit card holder, I can't book it online. Nor can I ring an 0841/ 0845 whatever number from here in foreignland. I have to book it through a travel agent.
You'd think they'd welcome a real live customer with open arms these days, wouldn't you? Not a bit of it - unhelpful, unknowledgable, completely missing the point of what I wanted and needed - and I had to pay them 15 euros for their so-callled service. Finally got what I wanted (after ringing British Airways myself...)

Travel Trouble Number 2:

Having succesfully arranged to get rid of my dear son (only joking Pilot 747) for the weekend, proceeded to book my own flight to Amsterdam for that same weekend (the Dutch researchers meet-up in September). Used Lastminute dot com. At the very end of the transaction (is that why they're called that?) they informed me that delivery would cost £30. I hmmmed a bit before pressing the "Ok get on with it then" button. THEN they told me that would be by special delivery and I'd have to be there to sign for it

Travel Trouble Number 3:

Kids are back to school soon, so that means only one thought; when's the next lot of school holidays? Ah - Hallowe'en. I'll be celebrating my 42th birthday in October, so it seemed like a good excuse to push the boat out and head for Disney Paris. Now there's a website full of niggling problems. It asks me what country I'm in - when I say Luxembourg it assumes I want the form in French, and if I lie and click UK, it automatically adds UK to the end of my address. But the worstest bit is the dates of travel section, set out "Day - Month - Year". Today's date is already defaulted in there. I typed in 27 to the date box. It instantly told me I couldnt have that date, as August was still the default month and that was yesterday. So I was all grumbly and distracted when I chose the month. And of course it wasnt till I got to the "Final/no going back now/ no please stop pressing the back button/ seriously the back button won't work!" screen telling me I'd paid for a holiday in SEPTEMBER that I relaised what I'd done. At least Disney's email and telephone reservation staff are extremely pleasant and helpful, and even waived the cancellation fee as I'd informed them so soon.


So, anyone want to join me in Disneyland Paris 27-29 October? We could have a mini-meet and celebrate my "meaning" birthday in style

oooh, duno about that, you'd need a passport and everything.

-- DoctorMO --

Well, a passport's probably a good idea anyway

You not got one????

Look I'm poor, poor people never go abroad, ever, there isn't a need for a passport until you not poor anyway.

so No I don't. (slighly miffed that people expect him to have a passport like a birth cetificate)

-- DoctorMO --

You havent got a birf cerfickatick? How do you know you exist

I know I exist, are you serious you don't have a BIRTH CERTIFACATE(my mum can't spell certificate)

Neither can you mate

No I got one, requested it special.

-- DoctorMo --