Christmas in Colorado

So lovely having a hot chocolate in front of the fireplace in this hotel.
Met a mexican family who so admired my christmas beanie that they wanted me in their family photos!

Up at dawn to leave by 6.30am. Managed to make us hot chocolates with marshmallows for the road trip.
Its a lovely drive and it was good seeing the mountains at that time of the morning.

Dropped off the oxygen at Breckenridge and at that time of the morning the town is quiet and the lights are still on so we drove down main street at a leisurely pace.

The drive took longer than expected so mad rush to go back to Aspen accommodation to pick up our left objects, unload all the bags, get mum a wheelchair and return the rented car.

Bags had to be checked in 45 minutes prior to scheduled takeoff so only just made it. Then massive TSA line for security check which would have meant missing the flight but luckily with the wheelchair we went to the front of the queue. Then a very thorough bag check and pat down.

Then the chaos started. The airport is so small that after you leave the security check area there are masses of people standing around as each gate area has hardly any waiting room for flights. Total madness. So as you are trying to collect your xrayed hand luggage and put your shoes back on you are constantly getting knocked.

Then massive confusion with all of the flights as they are either cancelled or running late.
Of course the boards don't reflect the true story and even online there is no up to date information.

Tempers are running thin and there is alot of swearing from frustrated passengers. Then a major bust up with one passenger yelling that another passenger threatened violence and that he feared for his safely and that the passenger should be excluded from the flight. So both are pulled aside, more yelling with an airport employee threatening to call the sheriff.

So alot of waiting in a tiny cramped area with not much information. Then I get abused by a passenger for standing in an area that I was told to by airport staff. I have a person in a wheelchair!

Then I have all the hand luggage plus I need to make sure mum doesn't slip on the ice as she gets out of the wheel chair and goes up the ramp into the plane.

Next a nice young man offers to help with one of the bags only to be warned off by his mother as its not his luggage! Lady we have been through security and its only help with carrying one bag up a ramp!

Then we get to our seats and as I let a man go by he carelessly nearly knocks me in the face with his huge backpack. Luckily I saw it coming and pushed it back. As I tell him he nearly knocked me out he replies with 'well it didn't so what does it matter'. I then say you wouldn't have cared if it did to which he replies no I wouldn't. Welcome to aspen attitude from people who fly business on short domestic flights.

So Aspen airport is woeful. Allow hours to check in for a domestic flight and expect it to be delayed or cancelled. The airport can't cope with the amount of flights hence the chaos. My initial thought is why schedule the flights to the point where this happens! Apparently the private jets also add to the mayhem. My thought there is commercial should take precedence over private jets!

Next there is pretty much no chance of making our connection but of course that flight is also delayed.
Then a flight to Orlando with screaming kids all headed to Disneyworld.

Exhausted and tomorrow is my one day to check out the magic kingdom. I want to stay in bed and watch tv but the disney hotel is so expensive I have to follow through with the plan!

Finally goodbye to my winter head and neck wear!Lue lisää