Once Upon A Time - Stranded in Los Angeles

I just don't believe it. Ani and me got stranded.

Yes, we got stranded at LA, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to be exact.

It was around May 2000. We were on our way to visit Aida at Purdue University. Aida had just enrolled in January 2000 at the university.

We just flew into LAX from Kuala Lumpur and after gathering the immigaration, gathered our luggage and cleared the customes we went to the domestic terminal where Southwest Airlines is located. I went in to airlines counter.

Then only it got to me that I did not have the ticket. We booked the ticket but I did not collect in KL. Nevertheless, I thought it can be bought over the counter since we already book it.

Yes, our names are in, said the lady manning the counter. Booked. Great.

"But, where's your ticket sir", she asked.

Then it became a problem. I tried to buy over the counter. The price is trile than the price in KL. Exhorbitant.

I got out from the que. Tried to figure the next course of action.

I went to another counter. Mid-America Airways. Yes the price is reasonable. But the flight is scheduled on tomorrow 5.00 pm. We decided to book it anyway. The difference in price is more than enough to pay for the hotel and expenses of overnight in LA.

Since I am no stranger in LA, I booked a car, drove to one of Best Westerns and booked ourself a room. Tomorrown morning we spent sometime driving to USC and aorund Santa Monica.

It was an interetsting "stranded" anyway. By the way we did phone Aida of our wayward journey.