A twist in the beginning of the tale… errr.. holiday

So after months of meticulous planning, multiple calls and messages, discussions, disagreements and conciliation's,  lunch outs to finalise stuff and finally some random group shopping, Bali trip was finalised.  Our WhatsApp group name which changed from “ Babes to Bangkok”  to “ Babes are back”, now changed to "Babes to Bali".

If adventure and fun was the theme for Bangkok,  this time it was culture, architecture and pampering ourselves. ( for the new readers of the blog, 4 of us friends had done a Bangkok trip last year and you can read about  it here, here, here, and here). 

We were sure we had ticked all the things-to-do lists multiple times, cross checked with each other and this trip is going to be a smooth sail like our Bangkok trip.

It looks like our families are happy without us, and in fact, the youngest kid amongst our families, Sudha’s son was also waving us off in animated excitement at the airport. We bid the husbands and sons a pretentious sad farewell and waited for them to leave.  Then  we did a loud Yahooo and punched the air and gave each other the wickedest of our smiles.  The realisation that we are  mothers, corporate women and most importantly not left home turf yet, dawned on us and we quickly  regained our poise and balance.

Luggage’s in one trolley all set to go to the counter, we pinched ourselves yet again, to make sure this was real.  The four girlfriends ( One of the girls would join us from Australia)  were making it yet again for another holiday to Bali and it really sounded preposterous.  Twice as nice.

I signalled Jay and Sudha to stay on, and I went on to check at the counter.  We had time at hand and we were not in a hurry.  The counter space of our airlines was eerily empty and I thought to myself that we have reached much ahead of our time.   I still thought I will check in the next active counter that was buzzing with activity and the staff at that counter when enquired casually said, oh the flight to Bali?  That stands cancelled.  

This guy does not know a thing, I think to myself, and ask him if he was sure.  He says yes.  I think to myself again, we got a confirmation to web check in 4 hours before we left home and how can this be?

Jay and Sudha, who are standing a bit far away, smile at me slyly and I know they are pulling my legs.   I am sure they are saying, Vincy is flirting with the staff at the counter.  I see them giggle.  Now I am sure that’s what they said.   I smile back at them and show them signs to hold on.  I don’t want them to know there is some issue at the counter and want it sorted.  I still think, the staff is giving wrong information.

I insist that he checks again.  He sees a persevering woman and so pulls out a phone and calls the airline staff and confirms that our flights are cancelled. And the best part was, the flights were cancelled two months ago and our agent didn’t let us know.  Not just that, there was also a confirmation about our fight timings 4 hours back.

My face turns ashen, and  I couldn’t smile anymore.  I signal the  girls to come and tell them our flight is cancelled.  Sudha is furious and Jay is speechless.  I am lost.   Sudha stepped into action, partly because she was the one who booked the tickets and felt terrible about this mix up though it was not her fault.  

We called  the MakemyTrip team  and fired them left, right and centre.  Luckily for us we had all the documentation including the request for web check in details. MMT disagrees with us initially and then they finally accept their blunder on phone.  They asked us to take the next days’ flight which was not acceptable to us.  Our entire planning would go for a toss. 

Multiple escalations and arguments later MMT agrees to repay us the costs new ticket we would purchase right then at the airport.  We record the entire conversation for documentation purposes.

Indigo had a flight that starts almost at the same time of our flight that we were supposed to take, but with a  layover at Philippines and I run to the counter to pick the tickets.  A man is waiting before me and I tell the lady there that I need 3 tickets to Bali.  The man has an ashen face too, that would beat mine and he says he has to go Philippines to pick up his brother-in-laws body and I just fall silent.  The omens weren’t good.  He gets the ticket and I walk to the counter and the lady starts working on our ticket. Just then, She gets a phone call and says I am sorry Ma’am.  The airline’s itinerary has gone to the airport authorities and they have asked us to stop issuing the tickets. Second blow.  This was our chance to put it all back together.

I come back and tell this to the girls.  We all are fizzled out completely.

By now the airline staff at the counters who had seen all the drama unfold have started feeling sorry for us and they did the searching and told us there are tickets available in an airline but the flight would  start 8 hours later.  The ticket prices are exorbitantly high.   I look at the girls and make a decision - we are going for this.  Bali it is.

After some more drama of getting out of the airport, purchasing tickets  and some more drama to get back in, finally we three dance together looking at our Bali tickets.  The airport staff join us in the merry making.  They seemed more happy than us.

Nothing, absolutely nothing could bring down our spirits ( yeah except for a few minutes).  Not even the scare of not having tickets for our holidays.

After an excruciating 7 hour wait at the airport ticketing area,  Batik Airlines takes off with the three resilient women.   

Joyous laughter and chatter fill the otherwise dull early morning flight, in the knowledge that the worst is over.

Postscript :

As we had predicted we had a wonderful time in Bali.  I will try posting about the places we visited in Bali.

We fought our way through with MakeMyTrip guys and got back every penny that we paid for the new tickets. Thanks to the persistence and regular follow up of Sudha.  MMT budged, but they did put up a good fight with us.