So, as I am sitting in the Atlanta airport with no internet access (props to Orlando Airport for providing free wi-fi and being awesome), I am reflecting on my packing. I wish I had remembered my earplugs. I thought about them last night in bed, but was too tired to get up and set them out. Five minutes earlier I had gotten out of bed and taken out the little plastic case for my camera battery, so with the earplugs I just chanted them in my head hoping I’d remember when I woke up. I’m also remembering how I said earlier that my “dressy” outfit consisted of a sarong and black t-shirt. I should have traded an “everyday” tank top for a slightly nicer tank top. But oh well, se la vi. Most interestingly, since I left my cell phone in Florida, I will never know what time it is. I may have to buy a watch. When you wake up in the morning, it’s really important to know whether it’s 6:30 or 9:30.
I will now proceed to tell you the story of the Lonely Planet. On April 19, I went on Amazon and bought the Frommers guide, a travel adaptor, and a Lonely Planet guide. My total came to $13. $11.20 of this was shipping. Seriously. Since I’ve mailed books before, and they take no time at all to arrive at their destination, I didn’t think I needed to pay expedited shipping. So the Frommers and the adaptor both appeared on my doorstep on Saturday, the 23rd. By Wednesday, I was getting a little concerned about the Lonely Planet. This is not just any guide, it’s “Lonely Planets Guide to Europe on a Shoestring Budget.” So you can see how this appealed to me.
Wednesday night, at 5, I decided to buy another copy and pay for overnight shipping. Now, if you apply for Amazon’s preferred status (or whatever - I have no internet, I can’t look it up), overnight shipping of Amazon items is $3.99. The cheapest Amazon copy was $4.24, plus the $4 shipping.
By 2 pm the next day, the mail had arrived, but still no book (books now). I went online again - hadn’t they guaranteed overnight shipping?? The status of the package was delivered. Huh? Oh….it shipped to Wisconsin. To where I lived 2 addresses ago. Apparently Amazon has saved my address, and even though I have shipped to my Florida address more than once since then, it still thinks I live there. So, this is the reason that I have no Lonely Planet with me in Europe. That’s okay - it was a brick too, and it would have needed to be chopped into little tiny pieces to make the cut in my luggage. J
Update: I've just received word that the first Lonely Planet arrived today. Oh well.
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