Warning: long entry ahead!
Remember when I said the non-crazy entries would resume immediately? Well, I lied. I am in crisis mode a.k.a. exam time, and I haven’t had time for much else. Here’s to two more days of classes, hooray!
Anyway, about a week after my trip to Newark, I started having an unshakable feeling that waiting a whole month until my next trip was too much and that I had to get to a game right away. The Coyotes were in the middle of their only remaining homestand for the 2008-09 season. They were playing the Anaheim Ducks at home that night, the team that I was going to see them compete against for my last game of the season.
Coincidentally, as California, specifically Anaheim, was part of one of the predictions, Phoenix was to play them again Sunday night in Orange County. I knew how much flights to Phoenix were, as I had looked this up over a week ago when I planned my April 10th trip. So, I figured attempting to make the Vancouver game on Saturday night was out of the question.
I just couldn’t shake this feeling so I decided to feed my curiosity and check and see what a flight to California was going to run me. I figured it would be a lot since I was searching for flights less than 24 hours before takeoff, but to my surprise the flights came up in the $400C range (that’s return and taxes in!) So, now I was starting to think that I’m crazy for even considering this, even though it would be nice to kind of rule out California or find my lover/destiny if he/it was there.
I called one of my more practical friends and told her my fears and this strong feeling to go to California. She’s the kind of friend that won’t hesitate to tell me that I’m crazy and to be more practical and grounded and sensible. That is why I called her. I wanted her to tell me not to go, not to even think about going, to talk me out of my developing addiction. Unfortunately, she told me the opposite. “You know what? I think you should go. Live. Just go and live, live your life!” ENABLER! It was decided that I would go despite my undeniable fear that my sanity was deteriorating at a rapid pace. That is when all the weird things started happening.
First of all, none of the seven departures would book through Expedia. I even called them, and their travel agents couldn’t get it to work either. According to them, the problematic item was the departure from Buffalo, not the return. So it was strange that changing the departure from Buffalo wouldn’t remedy the situation. They told me that my best bet was to just try again later. So, given everything else, I started to think that I wasn’t meant to go on this trip. I decided to try to book one more time and then I was going to give up on the whole idea.
Once again, the flight wouldn’t book. So, as I was about to give up, something popped up on the site, “Are your dates flexible? Fly back a day later for $300C.” I was originally planning to fly back the day after the game, as I usually do, but since this flight was way cheaper, I decided I’d give it one last try and see if it would book – and it did. The weird thing, the supposed problematic item (the departure from Buffalo) was the exact same as my initial travel plan. Something seemed fishy. Was I meant to stay an extra day? And for what reasons?
Then the same thing happened when I tried to purchase tickets to the game. I went on Ticket Exchange and the order wouldn’t process. I called them, the agents couldn’t get it to work either. They deduced that my Canadian address was the problem, but this was not it as I have used the Exchange in other American cities before! So then I called Ticketmaster because the seats I had originally liked on there weren’t coming up anymore. I had literally found the tickets like 15 minutes before. The tickets were gone, and they no longer had anything closer that Row P – noooo THANK you! I went to StubHub next, only to find that the tickets I had previously scouted were also gone. I had to act fast. I grabbed the best seat I could get, but it was in a section that wasn’t where I normally like to sit. As SOON as I completed the purchase, the tickets I had originally wanted magically reappeared! Something strange was definitely going on! And I was starting to freak out!
The next morning I had to be up early to get to the Buffalo airport. I was seriously terrified. I didn’t know what kind of horrors were waiting for me at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge. All the signs seemed to be negative, and I started to stress that I had ruined my precious prophecy, but as my friend said, “If it’s really fate then you can’t change it.” I hit traffic most of the way, and I knew that if I got stopped at the border, I was definitely missing my flight! The border was backed up too! I was going to lose my shit on someone! Luckily, when I got to customs, the guy didn’t ask me anything. Not even if I had anything to declare! He just thought it was cool that I had been to so many arenas and that I was doing research! Guess he’s a Sabres fan!
I made it to the airport just in time. There were no lines either, luckily! So after all was said and done, I had about 15 minutes to spare before boarding! Like an idiot, I left my sunglasses at home…I mean, why would I need sunglasses in sunny California, right? They actually sold NICE sunglasses at the Buffalo airport, so I spent my spare moments shopping for a new pair. Sunglasses look the worst on me, so I successfully managed to annoy the sales people with “I don’t know…I think they look bad….I don’t know!” I finally found a winning pair! Which the woman at the cash register proceeded to judge me on.
I had a connection in Philadelphia and I was SO EXCITED! All day I was thinking about the cheesesteak I was going to consume as soon as I got there! It was so goooooooooood! I hadn’t had an authentic Philly cheesesteak in a MONTH – they are like crack! Sure, it wasn’t as good as Campo’s, but it did the job!
The flight from Philly to LA was heinous. It was six LONG hours. US Airways didn’t bother to turn the TVs on AT ALL! We had nothing to do! I’ve realized long flights are a negative thing for a highly impulsive person such as I am. I had way too much time to sit and ponder what exactly I was doing. Moments of extended calmness would be interrupted by sudden bursts of terror, “OMG, I’m on a flight to California. What am I doing? What am I doing?”
Maybe I was scared about what I would find? Or who I would find? I was being torn between two destinations: California and Arizona. I just wanted to find out which was the right way to go. A meteor shower of Arizona signs began to rain down on me. During my brief stint in Buffalo, the only flight announced was a flight to Phoenix. In my boredom on the flight to LA with no TV, I turned to the airline magazine for some momentary relief. The page I opened to was an ad to “Visit Arizona!” The little old ladies sitting in front of me were actually on their way to the Grand Canyon. And the only time the pilot said ANYTHING to us was to announce that we were over Arizona. And it didn’t stop there. The signs kept coming, even while I was in Cali. It seemed like every time I saw someone with a drink they were drinking “Arizona Tea.”
The signs seemed pretty clear that Arizona was still part of this journey to discovery and enlightenment. I’m thankful for the signs, as an unpleasant aspect of the psychic’s prediction manifested while I was there. I cannot be sure what the purpose of my trip to California was; it is still unclear. Right now I can only assume that it was meant to derail the unpleasant moment from Phoenix to Anaheim. We shall see this weekend! I am slightly terrified to embark on this final mission.
As for the game, the Honda Center was a nice facility, but it was not what I expected at all. My friend at the Hockey Hall of Fame told me that he thought the nicest arena next to the Air Canada Centre was Anaheim’s barn – and he’s been everywhere! I’d have to disagree! I think Prudential Center is second best. The guy sitting next to me was possibly my immobile, American twin! He has LOWER BOWL season tickets to both the Ducks and the Kings. That’s like having seasons for Toronto AND Buffalo! That’s an 82 game season! The very idea of that gets me a little hot and bothered!
The most interesting thing I saw while I was at the game was the “female fans!” These women were physically textbook puck bunnies, but they were “bunnies” with a twist. These women, typical Orange County eating disordered, skin cancered, spent no less than ALL DAY on their bleach blonde hair, would just sit there chatting throughout the whole game. I’d be shocked if they actually noticed the game at all. The strange thing was, they didn’t seem preoccupied with attracting the players so much as attracting the male fans. “Tee hee, men like sports, so let’s pretend like we do too!” It was kind of sad that these women were so preoccupied with pleasing men – from their physical appearance to how they spent their free time. But what do I know, it’s not like I have a boyfriend either!
Anyway, the Coyotes had their asses handed to them – again! I am 1-4-1 with this team this season. The strange thing was I really loved California. Well, maybe that’s not strange – it’s California, after all! But normally on my travels, once the game is over, I just want to get the hell out of town. I actually had a blast driving all around Cali for a couple days, and discovering foreign fastfood; In-N-Out Burger – Sweet Jesus! It was an adventure! Those GPS systems are the devil!
I flew out of LA late Tuesday night. My only souvenirs were two sets of Mickey ears for my cousins from Downtown Disney! (Yes, I went there! They were selling a shirt at the ESPN store that said, “Yes, I am a woman… Yes, I know the game…” I thought I should buy it to wear when I cross the border, but I didn’t). You’ll be glad to know that they did play a movie on that flight! But I didn’t watch it. I decided to sleep on the way to DC to avoid jet lag again! I was disturbed when I woke up, as the two people sitting next to me – two complete strangers – were cuddling in their sleep! OMG! Seriously, are you that starved for affection that you can’t sleep by yourself on a plane for four hours? Puke. I had discovered on this trip that I am a cold-hearted, affectionless bitch. Oh well. Too many hockey games has frozen my heart I supposed.
On my last flight, I was sitting with a “fighter” who told me about all kinds of Junior Hockey Bible-esque filth he and his fellow weight class chums had engaged in while down south (literally). It kept me awake at least – or perhaps that was the energy drink! I was flying back into Buffalo to meet up with my friend. We were roadtripping to Pittsburgh for the Flames game that night. A game that would forever go down in the history books as one of the craziest nights of my life; most notably due to my very first, and, hopefully, LAST drunken train-wreck moment! Chooo choooooo!
