Greetings! This week we travel from Scotland to Scottsdale � beam me up, Scotty! We left off last week in Edinburgh after completing a Da Vinci Code movie tour (here's the link to our archives). Getting back home via Newark was an adventure, but I made it in time to attend a star-studded Hollywood party and take a quick golf outing to Arizona.

SCOTLAND BLIZZARD
Of course, the one time Edinburgh has a blizzard is the day I'm flying out. Continental's flight to Newark was oversold, and because I was one of the first passengers to check in, they offered me a chance to volunteer my seat for compensation. Like a fool I didn't take the $500 Continental voucher, free night in a downtown hotel, round-trip taxi, meal voucher and a possible upgrade to first class the next day. One part of my brain said "do it!", but I had secured the best coach seat on the plane (an exit row aisle that reclines), and was already mentally home. But looking back after more than six hours of delays (including evacuating the terminal for 30 minutes into the freezing cold because some idiot was smoking in the bathroom), I realized I made a mistake. I should've taken the money. One of my friends did -- and she not only left the next morning on time, but in First Class. Ugh!

A LONG TRIP� LONGER
Actually my trip to Newark wasn't that bad, especially if you compare it to Continental's poor inbound Edinburgh passengers who were trapped on their plane for an additional five hours. (It was their plane I was waiting for, but I'd much rather be in an airport than on a plane.) Because snow closed the Edinburgh airport while they were en route, they circled for an hour, then had to divert to Belfast to refuel. After finally landing in Edinburgh they sat on the runway for 30 minutes, waiting for a gate to open. If that wasn't bad enough, when they arrived at the gate the jet way broke. They waited another 30 minutes before the door was opened. Talk about making a long trip longer!

NEWARK TO LAX
With the six-hour delay I missed my 1:30 p.m. connection to LAX (as well as the 3 and 5 p.m. flights that followed). There was only one flight left that day. After clearing customs in Newark, I ran to the Continental counter. The agent there said with a little bit of attitude that I didn't have a seat on that flight, and she thought it was sold out. When delays like this happen the airlines are supposed to automatically roll your name over and "protect" you. She checked and said, "Miraculously there are two seats left." Of course, both were in the middle. Like I really wanted to fly in a middle seat for 6 hours, after just getting off of a 7 1/2-hour flight! I hate middle seats so much I said, "I'd rather go out tomorrow to get a better seat." (I could have taken the train into the city to see friends). After that she stepped her attitude into high gear and said, "Then you'll just have to purchase a whole other ticket."

Why didn't I volunteer my seat?!

Instead of requesting a supervisor and making a big deal, I sucked it up and took the middle seat. It's almost criminal how little leg room Continental gives coach passengers. I'm not especially tall � 6 feet -- but my knees were jammed into my chest. About five minutes before the airplane door closed, a woman suddenly asked me if I would mind switching rows so she could sit next to her family. If she had the toilet as an assigned seat I would've taken it, but when I glanced at her seat number (23D) I felt like she was Bob Barker telling me I'd just won the Showcase showdown. Maybe my not being a jerk back to the agent caused karma to be on my side. On top of that, her seat ended up being next to the only empty one on the entire plane! How about them apples?