Craig and I decided to try to move our camping reservation to another weekend. The major problem we had with that was that, sadly, we don’t really have another weekend where one of the six of us doesn’t have to do something or be somewhere until the weekend of July 3. I know. That’s sad.
Even more sad, though, is that when I checked the website it said cancellations have to be made two days in advance. We were only one day in advance. I called and begged for mercy. “It’s going to rain, you know.” They knew. They didn’t care. I asked if we could just transfer to another weekend. The gal said, you can for a $5.25 fee. Okay! I jumped on that quickly, but then she asked me when we wanted to move it. That’s where this story goes bad.
I looked at the calendar and couldn’t figure it out in the 20 seconds I had to give her a slot. I asked if I could call back and she said that would be fine.
Three hours and about 15 email exchanges with Craig later and we figured out when we could go. I called back. This time the quoted change fee was $16.50. I made my case again for the rain and that I’d been quoted $5.25 earlier by another gal whose name I could unfortunately not remember. A supervisor had to be brought in. The supervisor was not there. He would call me back.
I gave my coveted cell phone number to them (coveted because I have a pre-paid phone and pay for every minute the phone uses – only three people have the number and they all know I don’t really want them to use it). I took the girls to the orthodontist. I kept the phone in my hand for two hours and no calls. I called again from the Walgreens parking lot where I was told the supervisor had just come in and was working his way down the list and he would get to me when it was my turn.
Was she implying that I was impatient? Ahem.
I held the phone in my hand for another hour. I then set it down in the car for 10 minutes by accident and walked away. Guess when the supervisor called?
He left a message in which he explained the policy and told me my fee to change would actually be one night’s worth of this reservation ($11.50) plus the $5.25 change fee plus the $8.50 reservation fee: $25.25. I would get a total of $5.25 back after paying $30.50. I would then have to rebook the other weekend making this camping reservation a whopping $55.75.
He didn’t even bother to mention the rain.
All that to say this: We’re going camping this weekend.
We’re sure to have some kind of story to tell. If you think of it, pray the weather would be nice, or that we would be. Sometimes we aren’t so nice to each other when we’re cold and wet. Okay, sometimes I’m not so nice. This time I want to be.
Half-Pint House 
Camping is nothing if not a story generator! And the stories are nothing if they don’t involve some form of extreme wetness. Our last camping experience involved severe thunderstorms, two dogs, one very scared daughter, and a case of food poisoning. But, man! The stories!
Enjoy!! 🙂
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I adore you.
Hope it is wonderful. TAKE PICTURES!!!
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Verdict in this morning: Craig says it’s a no go. We’re going to set the tent up in the attic tonight.
Overall, a better scenario. I’m just mad I donated $30.50 to Missouri State Parks.
I will get over it.
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When I was in college I went backpacking in California with 2 girlfriends. It rained, our tent leaked, and raccoons slashed into our tent and stole most of our food (causing our tent to leak even more the next night). We had a lot of fun! But I’m sure you all will have a good time in the attic, too 🙂
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I actually think the attic suggestion was a conspiracy on Craig’s part to finally get me to finish dealing with the leftover moving cr*p that just got tossed in there last July.
It worked.
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Busted.
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Attic camping sounds awesome! Then if it rains you get to listen to it on the roof, which is one of my all-time favorite sounds.
You’re actually SAVING money by not wasting gas and propane, etc. You’ve already gotten the 30 bucks back in a roundabout way.
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We’ve lived in Missouri since 1996, after moving here from California. Every camping trip we have done has involved major rain-major rain, flooding rain, flooded tents. We have spent camping trips camping in cars, escaping floods and going to motels. We finally learned that Spring isn’t the time to camp in MO-fall is! Cooler weather, less people, little rain.
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Forget my rain comment on the next post, enjoy the attic! Sounds like a scheme my hubby would do, let’s paint the office (i.e. please remove these cobwebs!). 🙂
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