I bid farewell to my mistress with a quickie before checking out of the hotel as I’m not sure next time I’ll have the opportunity. (see the backstory here)
Sedona, AZ is a beautiful part of the world – nestled in Red Rock State Park and surrounded by amazing rocks and landscapes.
None the worse for wear on NY Day for the first time in a while, I spend the morning and early afternoon checking out the sights and do some hiking.
It’s a beautiful day and the sun certainly highlights the colours in the rock.
Eventually though I realise I have to head north – onwards to the grand canyon.
Flagstaff is the usual jumping off spot to visit the GC, and its only an hr or so away so its a leisurley trek up the road.
However sunlight soon gives to cloud, the warmth goes out of the air, and by the time I get to Flagstaff (I meander a bit) I can see that there’s snow on the road.
Not haaving done any research, I pull over to check the weather foreccast – overnight low of 13 F or MINUS 10 C.
Now call me soft, but thats just a little too cold to sleep with Charlotte. I’ve manged 225/MINUS 5 C, but 12 F is risking hypothermia!
So for the second time in as many times I’m heading for a hotel room, though this time I’m looking for budget accommodation.
I book online for the bargain (not) price of $60 bucks and cruise on over to the motel.
But I can’t check in.
Not more than 5 mins before I arrive, the internet has gone down at the motel, and modern things being what they are, the front desk can’t log onto the web based check-in system.
I get it Universe, no more cheating on Charlotte!
There’s one poor girl/duty manager on her own, and as people continue to rock up, you can see the pressure grow.
One shoulder holding a mobile to the internet company, the other hand answering incoming calls with a succinct, “Welcome to Super 8, I have to put you on hold” each time, whilst trying to explain the situation to wave upon wave of new arrivals, you can see she is feeling the pinch.
Options are to wait or find another hotel.
I give it 30 mins, going back to sit with Charlotte.
On return there is no change, and option 2 of finding another hotel is off the table – the loss of internet is to about 1800 properties in the area, including all the budget motels.
Another 30 mins pass with no change. It’s now 8 pm and I’m just eager to get into a room, rather than sit with Charlotte’s engine running trying to stay warm as its already down to 23 F/Minus 5 C.
Spotting a brief secod whilst the duty manager is between calls and customers, I approach her with a suggestion – I’m happy to leave my credit card and id with her if she will give me a key and we can sort out the actual payment once the booking system comes up. (For those of you scratching their heads, apparently the online booking company don’t actually charge for the room so no financial transaction has yet taken place!)
Se looks at me like I’m crazy – it seems leaving an id and card with the front desk is weird, although I do it at bars all the time – but in principle agrees.
However the next problem to overcome is that she has no idea which rooms are occupied and which are free.
Clearly learning from my ingenuity, she takes a bunch of keys, runs outside for 5 mins to check each until she finds a free room and then returns.
Huzzah.
Whilst everyone else sits around scratching themselves, I’m 3 mins away from the warmth of a room.
No bath, nothing fancy, but I have a heater, which I crank up to 70F to take the chill from my bones.
A quiet night to start off the New Year, but I’m glad I’m inside, snug and warm
