I'm going to Maine...I think

[nlbarber]

I have a work trip scheduled to Maine next week--it's the annual face-to-face meeting of a committee I'm on, and this year we decided to go to Augusta. That's the home office of one of the committee members, plus a recent retiree that we all know lives nearby and invited us all to visit, plus we try to have the meeting in a different office each time so we can publicize who we are and what we do.

The recommendation was to fly into Portland, as cheaper than Augusta--still not inexpensive, but better. And like a good girl, I went on the Web site for the current travel vendor for my agency, picked my flights, and got it set up. Did this back in June, in fact, and I have the confirmation email. Good thing, too.

Today I discovered a friend of mine will be visiting her parents in Maine that same week, so if I can come in a little early, I can hook up with her and her husband and do a little sightseeing, or just hang around the lake at her parents' place, or whatever. It'd be nicer than flying in, attending the meeting in Yet Another Government Office, and leaving, which was the previous plan--especially as this will be my first time in Maine.

So I went back to the Web site to see if I could change my flight, and it says "You have no upcoming trips". And "You have no cancelled trips". "Past Trips" shows my trip to Denver in June, which is the only travel I've had since this vendor took over in April.

On further investigation, the Delta Airlines site does know about the reservation, but I can't change the flights there because the ticket doesn't get paid for until right before the trip. I finally dug out the vendor's number and called their Help Desk, and they can see the reservation in their system--it just doesn't show up for me. The Help Desk had me send them a screen shot, and they say they'll get back to me.

Comments

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Well, *that* is a sucky situation! I hope you can get it all straightened out to your satisfaction, not theirs!

[filkferengi]

I hope you manage to get it worked out. If you do, be sure to talk to kd5mdk for recommendations for fun things to do & good places to eat, etc. Iirc, he's been in Maine many times. You could also talk to adamek.

Have a fun trip! [don't forget your longjohns, in case it gets cold at night.]

[allyra.livejournal.com]

Ugh. Have a great trip, though! Don't forget to pack lots of bug spray...those Maine mosquitoes that come out in August are big enough to carry away a large cat.

Also, please have someone start work on inventing the transporter. Then none of us would have to deal with these stupid airline snafus.

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

Portland to Augusta is not a short walk. Have you arrangements for the in-between?

Also, Augusta is -- forgive me -- among the most boring of towns in the state. Belfast is interesting, and Portland itself, and ...what can I say?

Augusta's premier Italian restuarant is an out of state chain... many sighs. I can't think that I've gone to visit Augusta itself for anything other than business (my printer is within a stone's throw of the courthouse)or to buy something from one of the box-stores since I left my state-grant job some years back... We *have* gone to a couple train shows and a cat show there -- also years ago.

Friends are good though. If you like bread, there's always Panera in the strange shopping district where they cut down a forest and pushed rocks into random islands of stores.

[nlbarber]

Several possibilities for the in-between. My friend can come to Portand and get me, then take me on the scenic drive along the coast, a stop at LL Bean, and then cut back to Augusta to drop me at my hotel for night. Or if I get on the flight that comes in at 12:30p on Sunday, there will be someone else from my office on that flight (headed ultimately to the same meeting)--he'll be driving through Augusta on his way to visit a friend in, um...Smithfield? I'm without my notes. Someplace on the other side of Augusta from Portland. :)

Someday maybe I'll plan a trip to Maine to see Maine, as opposed to seeing Yet Another USGS Office, which will look like most other govmint offices in other parts of the country. From your comments I gather there will be no need to include Augusta on the itinerary for that trip. The lack of good dining choices for the upcoming week is disappointing as well--Panera is fine, but there's one 5 minutes from me here in Atlanta.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Smithfield is very nice; lovely lake, nicely wooded.

I used to work in Augusta, and -- for a city its size, and the state capital besides -- it's very thin on good places to eat and fun things to do. Up in the weird shopping ...thing... kinzel discusses there's also a Longhorn Steakhouse, and the Olive Garden. There's a Ground Round out near the gummint offices I think you'll be visiting and a ...98? 99? across the street from that. Dennys down the road; Captain Somebody's Seafood; Dunkin Donuts; the coffee shop in the Barnes and Noble... Further out, there's Jonathan's, but it's just changed hands and I have no idea what it's like.

Downtown to do for fun, you've got the Maine State Library/Maine Museum, which actually is pretty interesting; the State House; Capital Park and, um -- that's about it.

A ride down Route 1, with side trips to Freeport, Rockland, or wherever, may be a little crowded -- this being High Summer and all -- but it'll sure be a heckuva lot more interesting.