Bad Day (Sunday July 29th) Madrid

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the MAGIC is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces everytime
And I don't need no carryin' on

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day

Thanks to Daniel Powter (the American Idol hit from last season) for my song of the day.

Now, can I just say, when things are going so well, something has to go wrong and this morning would be the one.

We actually got off to an early start at 7:30 a.m. and got all loaded up and made it to terminal one at the international airport to drop the car and get checked in. On the way we needed to stop and put gas in the car. However, after driving around for 40 minutes, we could not find a gas station anywhere. Now, as we got closer to the airport, we saw the gasoline sign, so got off the freeway and followed the roundabouts for two or three of them and then at the final one, the gasoline picture had a big "X" written over the gasoline picture. Okay, so forget putting gas in the car, we will just return the car and pay a premium to have them put gas in.

Off we go. Get to terminal one to the rental car lot and there is NO sign to return SIXT Rental Cars. The guy in Barcelona had told me to just drive to the returns and there would be a "Meet and Greet" to return the car. So we then drive back on the road thinking maybe we should go to terminal 2, then terminal 3, then terminal 4. Now during all this I am back on the roads and getting further and further away from terminal 1 where we should be.

So, back we go to terminal 1 (it is now 9:00 a.m. and I am getting a little nervous). We decide that I will drop Robert and Jamie off at the drop off area and then worse case scenario I will figure out what to do with the car on my own. The drop off/departure area was a disaster, to say the least, with the amount of people in the traffic congestion and the lines. My anxiety level was rising by the minute.

Finally got them dropped after the police officer came by yelling at me (along with everyone else he was yelling at) to move your cars. Where did he expect people to drop off people? It was the departure drop off point after all.

Then I drove to the short term parking area, driving around for 15 minutes until I finally found someone leaving and parked in the spot. I took the keys, the rental agreement and my carry on and headed off to find Robert and Jamie. Figured I could deal with the car AFTER we got checked in.

Well, Robert and Jamie were in the Atlanta departure line and not the JFK line. So after we got reprimanded by the Delta Agent, she took our passports to her computer and got us listed for the flight I guess. Then we had to go to the check-in line for our baggage check in. The agent proceeded to tell me that our luggage was overweight. I think it was about at that point that I had the tears running down my cheeks and asked her if I got extra luggage allowance since I was a medallion member. I told her we only had 3 bags to check total and one carry on. She then just kinda dropped in and printed our labels and then in the next breath................................

"Oh, by the way Mrs. Neeley, the flight is oversold (I about panicked thinking about our planned trip in New York to see Beauty and the Beast), so I have had to upgrade the 3 of you to Business Class on the flight, I hope that is okay." OKAY? Need she ask more? Jamie was thrilled she was getting a Business Class seat and would eat "real food" and see "real movies" and listen to "real music" all of her own choosing. I have to say, that at that point, there was a silver lining in the cloud. I was just so thankful we had started at 7:30 that morning and not an hour later.

I then asked the agent about SIXT Rental Car and explained my dilemma. She had no idea how to help us, but at that point, we were checked in and it was 9:40 a.m. and we had 40 minutes until we needed to be to our departure gate. She directed us to go downstairs where the other rental car companies were, so we left Jamie next to the check in area with our carry on and off Robert and I went.

Went downstairs and asked all the rental car companies, they knew nothing. Saw the lost and found area and figured worse case scenario that would be where the keys ended up. We walked outside to the rental lot and asked some gal and she said "they are usually inside the terminal in a black and orange business suit" but they don't have an office. So back inside we went looking for the black/orange suit person. After about 10 minutes we finally found Vanessa coming out of the elevator. After we explained our frustration, and she said "oh, you just come in and bring me the keys", we were like, and how do we do that since we can't park at the curb or anything. I proceeded to give her the keys, the short term parking ticket, and told her the row and stall number where to find the car. I am going to send an email to Delta about my frustration with the car rental company since they recommended them as a new partner.

By then it was 9:55 a.m., so we headed back (what seemed like a mile) and if I thought the terminal was bad an hour before, it was now a disaster zone. The check in lines went out the door into the street at the drop off area. I am so glad we started off early.

Went through security (pretty easy) and the customs/immigration area with no problem. They stamped our passports and it was an Adios to Madrid as we headed to our gate.

Our flight was about 30 minutes late taking off. Landed in New York on time though. It was raining. Had to wait about 40 minutes for luggage since we were first through the border patrol since we were in row 1 on the airplane.

Robert and Jamie thought we were headed for a connecting flight to Salt Lake still, it wasn't until I turned left and headed to ground transportation and Robert started yelling at me that I said "Oh, I forgot to tell you, we are staying in New York overnight. We have something special to go to."

Jamie was a little stressed as she had dance camp first thing Monday morning, I told her "no problem" I had already worked out the issue with her dance company.

We headed to the Marriott Marquis in Times Square and arrived at 3:30 p.m. Georgie and Joe arrived at 4 p.m. and Robert and Jamie were surprised to see our guests, although Robert had figured out we were probably meeting up with them.

We visited and showed our stuff from the trip. Georgie and Joe had been to the Disney Store and brought us a really cool poster and fan with Beauty and the Beast on it for closing night. I then told Robert and Jamie we were going to the "Final Bow" for Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. Yes, after 13 years, it was closing, and the next show to open there would be The Little Mermaid".

We headed across the street for the 6 p.m. show. Donny Osmond was playing Gaston. I was able to get 4 tickets for the closing (tickets were not sold to the public), and Georgie went along with us and Joe (he is such a great guy) wandered around NYC while we went to the play.

It was awesome. The cast did a tremendous job knowing it was the final bow. There were tears. As Beast sang his final song near the end, I was looking through our binoculars and he had tears streaming down his face as he sang. The audience cheered constantly throughout the whole performance and the cast was really doing an outstanding performance. Donny got loads and loads of cheers everytime he came on stage. I never thought he could pull off Gaston, put he did. It was quite an honor for him to be invited back to do the "final bow" performance considering he only played Gaston for 3 1/2 months during the 13 years it was on Broadway!

After the show, the rain had stopped and we were tired as it was 3 a.m. in the morning to us! We headed up to bed as we had a 7 a.m. flight. Georgie and Joe came up with us and then we said our goodbyes and they headed home.

Off to bed we went at 9:45 p.m. as we need to be up at 4 a.m. to leave the hotel at 5 a.m. for our 7 a.m. departure.

The start to our BAD DAY ended up on an awesome note and it was a wonderful conclusion to our vacation!