Preparations for a move across continents can be daunting, but they are mostly just tedious.
We were doing fine on the packing front, our hotspot were the pets. Yes, we were fully intent on schlepping cats across the ocean. Not just any cats, mind you. Priceless, pure bred show cats worthy of repeated television appearance on the Animal Channel -- none of that describes our cats.
Ours were feral ghetto cats.
Turns out, the Internet travel websites like Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline, are not a good place to get tickets if you travel with a bunch of critters. So, one fine morning, I went to the airport's busy international terminal. I awaited my turn and was rewarded with a greeting. "Good morning, how can I help you", asked the friendly lady.
"I would like to travel with several cats and have some questions about this."
Her smile froze faster than you can shock-freeze a pea and then gave way to the international standard blank face of someone who is bracing for an onslaught of something really bad, like a category five hurricane hurtling towards you, or a very grumpy waiter about to lose it.
"Oh, not in the cabin", I reassured her.
I swear, that smile was back before I had finished the word "cabin". From then on, I was dealing with the friendliest airline person I have ever met, helpful, volunteering details I would not have though of by myself.
On the way back home, I realized I had just discovered a simple way of winning over airline personnel.
Walk up to them, say that you need to travel with pets, the plural pets is important. Then wait for some 20 seconds until the picture of horror has formed in their mind. Then take away the anticipated problems by telling them "not in the cabin".
You do not really need to travel with pets for this to work.
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