G2004 Con Report, part one... kind of.

[mandolin]

Okay, here's my attempt at a G2004 con diary draft. Oy.


Thursday, August 5 - aka the Day Mandi Went Crazy

I should probably preface this by noting that this year, I had NO downtime before or after the con to get my act together. The weekend before, I'd been the hotel for Otakon 2004, and was still trying to get my apartment back in shape. At the same time, I was desperately trying to scrabble to get all the paperwork done to petition my employer to pay for my first class of grad school (since I could make a case for it being relevant to my job duties). I also had my niece's 2nd birthday party to worry about the next week since I was responsible for transporting one group to the party and then taking another person home to Ocean City on my way out to the Delaware shore.

I am wholly indebted to Mom for helping me get the Banshee costume together in the midst of the insanity; if not for her, I would never have gotten it done. In fact, I was still de-tangling the wig when I had to leave for the airport - I'd used it as a gag for Otakon (I wore the wig and a sign that said "Generic Anime Extra" for laughs) and had gotten it matted and tangled beyond belief.

So... it was a damn good thing I took the entire day off on Thursday. Between packing, working on the wig, lunch for a co-worker's birthday, and a doctor's appointment that I got the wrong day for anyway, I was barely ready to go when Mom showed up at 4 to drive me to the airport.

Got almost everything packed, but yet again, I forgot my Gargoyles sweatshirt and the pin, which I left on my dresser. I intentionally did NOT take the action figures; they wouldn't fit in my carry-on, and since I had a connecting flight there was no WAY I was checking luggage in unless I could be sure it was getting on the same plane I was. Didn't have much trouble at BWI, and had an hour of free time before the plane left, so I spent the time working on the wig. Got a lot of odd looks from other passengers. BWI to Philly was brief and unremarkable, although the trip from Philadelphia to Montreal was a bit annoying, courtesy of the teenagers behind me. I did get them to stop kicking my chair, but they wouldn't shut up. I don't know French, but judging from the volume and the tone it sounded like I was sitting in front of a couple of Beavis and Butthead impersonators.

Now although I had no problems, it felt like I spent more time in the airport than I did on the plane. Montreal International Airport made BWI look like a cake walk, which is saying something. :) After the long trek across the airport to customs (I was so glad I brought my rolling suitcase) I stood in line for about half an hour straight. It was about 10:40 by the time I got through customs and out to the waiting area, where I spotted Kathy and Carter (Alex Garg) almost immediately. I had my stuff and was ready to go, but Denis still hadn't showed up. Carter didn't have a contact # for him and couldn't get in touch with him, and the prevailing rumor was that British Airways passengers were STILL being held up because of customs and luggage foul-ups. We waited there to no avail - although we did get to see a highly amusing birthday greeting with most of the group dressed as clowns - and when Carter's cell phone battery started to die, we finally left the airport at midnight. No word from Denis, and we were all worried.

But when we got to the hotel, we found out that Denis had simply hopped a shuttle around 9:30 and hadn't let Carter know. That pretty much killed the last energy reserves I had, so after saying half-coherent "hellos" to people, Kathy and I went up to the room. I don't remember much else after that. :)

(So if anyone wants to know why I was SO incredibly out of it Thursday night... now you know.)

Comments

[kevenn.livejournal.com]

So was this con in another country?

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in Montreal. I personally would have preferred to join in on the mass car trip with the others from the mid-Eastern seaboard had I been enough with the program to plan something like that properly.

But if I go to Vegas next year, I'm definitely flying out there. The longest car trip I'll take is 12 hours; beyond that, I'll take a plane. :)

[marielogan.livejournal.com]

I don't know French, but judging from the volume and the tone it sounded like I was sitting in front of a couple of Beavis and Butthead impersonators.

*giggles* at them. Though, don't think I would have been too pleased to have had to have put up with it the whole flight, not to mention the kicking of the back seat. Hope they weren't rude when you asked them to stop.

Can only imagine the pain of customs. I haven't flown internationally for about... 6 years?

[weirdweb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they weren't rude about it, mainly because their Dad (I believe) was sitting with them.

Customs wasn't too bad - I didn't get searched, they just checked my passport and it was all good - but the lines took FOREVER. I suspect it has a lot to do with the fact that they're still working on renovations for a new customs area.

[marielogan.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I hope you don't mind me asking, but, I hope you post pictures :)

[lefthandsnake.livejournal.com]

It was good to see you there, by the way. Didn't get as much of a chance to talk as we did last year, but it was still a real pleasure to see you again.