Travelling + snow = stuck in Newark

[selenay]

Apparently, my family cannot travel in December without thousands of issues.

The good news is that my sister's flight left England and got to Newark.

The bad news is that the flight from Newark to Nova Scotia has been cancelled due to the weather. Continental's first available flight was on Christmas Day. Yup, living in the airport until Christmas Day.

Continental has managed to put her onto a flight tomorrow to Moncton. We have a cousin in Moncton and, if the flight goes, she can stay with him until someone can get her on she can get a train here. Thankfully, we managed to get her a hotel room for the night so she won't be sleeping on a floor in Newark. Now she just has to get her luggage somehow (she's a in a queue) and get the hotel shuttle to pick her up.

Who would have thought it would be this hard to get three people to Nova Scotia?

There's nothing more we can do and at least we know that she'll be OK tonight, unlike a lot of passengers who probably didn't have family sorting out alternate flights and hotel bookings. Plan is that we're all off to bed now and we'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.

It's possible that I might be working from home because my parents are *not* taking their rental car to New Brunswick with its all-season tyres. If it's possible to travel (oh, god, the Cobequid Pass again) at all then they'll drive my car with its winter tyres and load them down with snacks, blankets, candles, matches, hot drinks and anything else that I can think of.

Please, lots of prayers for my sister's safe arrival here would be very much appreciated right now.

Comments

[evil_plotbunny]

Had I known sooner, I could have got to Newark and let her sleep on my sofa, but they're predicting ice for tonight and it's at least an hour's drive in good conditions.

*hugs and good luck*

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

For the provisions, include:
can opener
spoons
soup in cans (the candles can heat the soup - seriously!
beans if your folks like them
cheez whiz & crackers
water &/or bottled sports drink
deck of cards, book(s), board game/scrabble/crib board/whatever
batteries for portable radio/mp3 w/ fm
cell phone & charger :) list of important numbers esp 511 = road conditions/help

and put everything in the body of the car, so they don't have to trek to the trunk to get things!

also, potty paper and a big blanket so they can make a 'loo' of the two passenger doors

and spare clothing, extra winter gear, pillows and sleeping bags, toques, mitts, scarves, etc :)

bb
lifer in the maritimes, more than once on the cob or the old road in winter :) NEVER had to use the kit, but it is because when you are double prepared, you don't need it! :)

[feather-autant.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, the adventure of winter travel.

I hope everyone can be together for the holiday. :)

[selenay]

Thank you for the thought :-) The airline put her up in a hotel in the end, so we cancelled our reservation and took the chance of free accommodation for her. It was a bit of a relief! Now we just have to get her to Nova Scotia somehow...

[selenay]

Thank you for the list - there are a few things on there that I would have forgotten. As you may have guessed, even if my sister gets to Moncton we're not going anywhere today but I'll make sure they are well supplied if they go tomorrow.

[selenay]

Heh, yeah, it's rather unexpected. This is not seasonal! This weather doesn't normally start until January!

Mum suggested that Christmas Day may, in fact, be Friday or Saturday if things keep going this way :-) I'm just praying that we get my sister here eventually.

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I figured *looks out window*
I'm *in* Moncton, and well, it is a good thing I'm on med leave and hubby has 2 weeks off, cuz there's a LARGE drift just outside the back door (1m/3'+) and the front of the car has a good one of similar height. The snowplow left a nasty mess at the end of our driveway, but at least this storm our across-the-street neighbours got the worst of it (we usually get nailed b/c we're on the curve).
It's still blowing, the snow has stopped for a bit, but the radar shows more is heading our way. City buses are moving, but the airport is reporting delays (D'UH). I wonder if it might not be safer for her to take the bus to Hfx from here? Or even the train (the two stations are less than 1km from each other in downtown Moncton) when she does get into Moncton?

bb
VERY glad she's going *nowhere* today! oy!

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

Also, flame proof container for the candles, and a set of bbq tongs to hold a can if you are heating the contents, otherwise fingers get a bit singed!
garbage bags (for litter) AND also for taping over the windy side of the vehicle's windows (leaving a crack open on the leeside for air/ventilation) - so tape is good too (or tacks/whatever to adhere the tape to the car's interior)
and, put something REALLY HONKING BRIGHT on the top of the car's antenna, so if they're stuck in a bank/drift, the snowplow SEES there's something there!!!!!
2 shovels, 2 ice scrapers, kitty litter (for traction)...

I hope you have a large car, with all this stuff there might not be room FOR sister (tho her luggage will have ample space in the trunk b/c all this will be in the car - tho much can go into 2 knapsacks for safety).

bb
remembering other things i've used in 'stuck' moments :) usuallu b/c i got too freaked to be driving, and pulled off the side of the road for a bit while things calmed - not always snow either!

[selenay]

The flight is still on schedule and, as that means that it should have left 20 minutes ago, I'm still hopeful that my sister is going to Moncton. We have a cousin there that she can stay with. Unfortunately the train leaves at the same time as the flight gets in (d'oh!) but if she can get to Moncton, then we'll put her on the train tomorrow. Right now, I don't want my parents going anywhere.

The winds here are terrifying, I have to admit.

[evil_plotbunny]

I'd suggest Amtrak, but we just had a rainstorm that turned to a crust of ice over the snow, and I don't know how they're running (plus it would be over 24 hours.

It's clear this morning, so hopefully the planes are flying.

[selenay]

The flight is now delayed, but they're still intending to fly today so we're still hopeful. It all depends on the weather in Moncton and the weather is not behaving :-(

[evil_plotbunny]

*crosses fingers and hopes*

I wondered about that. While it is sunny, it's cold and it's probably very icy in the area. They're probably having to de-ice both the plane and the runway.

[selenay]

*crossed all digits*

Flight is delayed, but there is a plane there and they are still determined to get it to Moncton today. Hopefully the weather in Moncton will clear soon so that the plane can get there!

Why did we have to get a winter storm right at the worst possible time?

[evil_plotbunny]

Good luck.

I'm not really sure. They seem to be dithering about whether the storm we're getting tomorrow night will be rain or snow.

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

Road conditions look ABYSMAL
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/index.php?product=hwycond&pagecontent=maritimes
b/w you and me, pretty much every road has a red thingy for visibility, and if you zoom in, the road at the isthmus of chignecto (at tantramar marshes, joining nb & ns) it is closed! so vehicular traffic is a no go there, and possibly the train too!
Hey, she's gonna get an epic winter - really REALLY good snow fun conditions :) have her make snow angels, snow people, etc :) maybe take her cross-country skiing, downhill too :)

[riverfox.livejournal.com]

*hugs and prayers*