TOTAL DISASTER averted

So I think I figured out one of the big reasons behind my recent insomnia. Two nights ago I was tossing and turning at 3am and decided to try something new: counting sheep. I made myself concentrate on the images, giving personality and wardrobe to each sheep, not letting any other thoughts occupy my mind. I created moustached Groucho Marx-style sheep, pucker-lipped Geisha sheep, and boisterous surfer sheep, making each one's journey over the fence last at least 30 seconds. When I reached the 300th sheep, however, I gave up. More frustrated that before, I finally allowed myself to obsess over the remaining planning details I've been stressing over all week.

And then it occurred to me. Something BIG was wrong. Something that had the potential to undermine all of my careful planning and organizing. I DIDN'T HAVE MY PLANE TICKET TO AFRICA!!!!!

No, I didn't forget to *purchase* the ticket. Several weeks ago, on the day I started this blog, I logged onto South African Airways' web site and bought a $1600 ticked from Rio de Janeiro all the way to Maputo. A few minutes later I received a confirmation e-mail, complete with seat assignments, locator number, and credit card info, and filed it away in the travel folder of my Yahoo account. Since I'm so used to e-travel these days, the fact that I didn't have a paper ticket in my posession wasn't immediately alarming. But for travel to infrastructure-challeneged places like Mozambique, you most definitely need a paper ticket. And I didn't have mine!!!

Panic. Clammy palms and feet. More squirming and flopping around on the bed trying to fall asleep. Realization at about 6am that my efforts were futile. Decided to get up and make some coffee, then call the airline until someone answered the phone.

When the South African Airways US ticketing representative finally answered my call, I tried to clearly and calmly expain the problem. "Yes, hi, I purchased a ticket on April 5th on your site, got a reservation confirmation, but have not yet received my paper tickets. Could you please verfy the mailing address you have on file for me?" I was certain that was the problem, just a simple mistake in a data base entry. Maybe they sent them to Brasil by mistake. I gave the woman my locator and she looked up my flight information.

"Miss, I'm showing here that this reservation has been cancelled."

"WHAT????? CANCELLED???? BY WHOM? WHEN? WHY? OH-MY-GOD!!!!"

She put me on hold to check out the situation, cutting off the beginning of my hysterics. About 20 loooooong minutes later, the agent got back on the line with an explanation.

"It was cancelled by the internet." Of course. The internet. That bastard, always the guilty party when something goes wrong and you don't have the faintest idea why.

"Okay...so what do I need to do to get my reservation back?"

She put me on hold again and then, as if rebooking 8 flights was the easiest thing in the world, informed me that everything was good to go. I requested another e-mail itinerary and hung up, suspicious of the ease with which she resolved the situation.

By the end of the day I still had no e-mail itinerary, so I called the airline again. A different agent looked up my reservation and said that it was confirmed and in the system, but that the person responsible for sending the e-mails wouldn't be in until Monday. I called back this morning, still waiting for the itinerary. This time the agent told me that it was impossible for her to send me an e-mail, that I had to go on the SAA site. I started crying I was so frustrated. I went to the site and couldn't find anywhere to request an e-mail. Called back again, and now the person told me that an e-mail request was in the system and that I should have it by the end of the day.

Guess what I still don't have? Yeah. I must say that the customer service provided by South African Airways thus far has been a supreme disappointment. And I'm not going to completely relax until I have the new itinerary and the paper tickets arrive at my mom's house. Those ticketing agents are *really* going to get sick of me.

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On the brighter side, my landlord finally paid attention to my e-mails and got some guys out here today to prune the trees in the parking lot. I now have well over the 14-foot clearance necessary for the moving truck to squeeze in here tomorrow morning. Now the only problem is the tight little turn in from Lamar Blvd. Please, please, please let the truck fit in the parking lot!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I'm going to get back to packing. Anyone in Austin that is just dying to pack some boxes, give a call and we'll negotiate. Nothing like a little free labor!