Blackout, Earthquake, Tsunami and now Hurricane

[KY_TOP]

I was in NYC during the Blackout a couple of years ago. Was in LA during a minor earthquake a year and a half ago. Was in Thailand during the earthquake and Tsunami. Now I'm in New Orleans and they have canceled my early flight Sunday morning. It looks like I will ride out Hurricane Katrina in my hotel room in downtown New Orleans. Is it just me or am I a traveling disaster? From now on my posts in the Traveling Hoovillian section will be "Travel Warnings" for everyone else. Since I might be stuck in my hotel room for a few days you might see a few more post from me due to pure boredom. That's if the lights and internet stay on.

[Cooper]

KYTOP: I was in Ft. Lauderdale when the "tropical storm" turned into hurricane Katrina... Even though the electricity was out at Boardwalk, they kept the place open. Candles, flashlights, good company, and dancers were all that were needed... Fortunately, the storm didn't hit West Palm as bad. At Cupids it was business as usual... Stay safe and try to cut your trip short. Keep us posted for it doesn't look good for New Orleans.

[JT Brooklyn]

KY Best to You. Things are not looking good. This is One serious storm! I hope you got a ride out of town? :+

[Barry]

KY....When I went to bed last night Katrina was a Cat 3. Now it's a Cat 5 and some are calling it a Super Hurricane. They are also talking about stranded travellers. Please take care of yourself and move above the 3rd floor of the hotel (if you aren't there already). Do everything necessary to stay safe. Since several million people lost power in So. Florida when it was a Cat 1, the odds are slim you will have power. Stay in touch as best you can and let us know you're safe when it's all over.

 

Be well, Barry

[Luv2play]

KY, I have just heard on CNN that there is a mandatory evacuation order for NO but that exemptions include hotels and their clients. That being said, if you have any way of getting out of town, I would recommend it. A Cat 5 hurricane is no laughing matter and even a modern hotel built to hurricane standards will suffer some major damage. Failing all else, stay away from the windows!!! Good luck and let us know how you fare.

[jackhammer91406]

Travel insurance

 

Oh Buddy,

If the situation weren't so dangerous, I would tell you that I always carry extra insurance whenever you let me know you are visiting L.A.

 

PLEASE, be safe and take whatever action you can to be so.

I will be waiting for you to sound the all clear.

[KY_TOP]

I'm probably in one of the safest hotels downtown. It is a fairly new Hotel that is only 5 stories tall that use to be an old warehouse. I'm on the 4th floor with a room that overlooks a courtyard covered by a skylight. Therefore I have no exterior windows that would be in contact with the weather. There are only 20 guest left in the Hotel and I think the staff has us out numbered. The Hotel restaurant has set defined hours for 3 meals a day buffet style. The hotel has a emergency generator but it will not serve all parts of the Hotel. My biggest concern right now is getting to the airport for my flight that was rescheduled to Tuesday. With flooding and cabbies also evacuated that may be a problem.

 

I'm really pissed at Delta Airlines. I contacted them early yesterday and was told I was fine with an early flight today. Then several hours later the Hotel put a note under my door saying Delta had canceled all flights. I checked on line and they had indeed canceled my flight putting me on one for Monday at 11am, which would be during the middle of the hurricane. I find out from my hotel and not Delta. I called Delta and threw such a fit, they put me through to a regional supervisor. My beef being that they hadn't contacted me, had given me misinformation, now limiting my options to leave. When they changed my flight again 2 Delta reps called with the news. If they change it during or after the storm I probably won't know it if the electricity and cell service go out. Also American and US Air have flights until 1pm today. Southwest has promised to fly as late as possible. All were full with people from later flights on their planes. Someone at the hotel said Delta canceled early because their inbound planes would be empty. So they decided to strand several hundred, maybe more, due to a financial decision. Doesn't say much for Delta if that is true. I was outside this morning when my original flight was scheduled to leave. Sunny with a very light breeze, but Delta wasn't flying.

 

I can't say enough good things about this Hotel and it's staff. They are doing everything possible to help us ride this storm out safely.

[KY_TOP]

RE: Travel insurance

 

I'll be sure and give you plenty of warning.

 

You know at least during the Blackout I had 2 sexy Escorts with me all day.

[Rick Munroe]

RE: Travel insurance

 

>You know at least during the Blackout I had 2 sexy Escorts

>with me all day.

 

And ever since that day, just like Pavlov's dog, I immediately get on all fours when I see the glowing light of a laptop computer. }(

 

Seriously, like others have said, be safe and be careful. We want you back in one piece...so you can be ready for your next natural disaster.

[+ deej]

See? This is why I asked for warning before you come to LA! :-)

 

I hope you at least have company in that hotel room. If that storm does hit NO, they're saying it'll take 6 weeks to get the people out and 6 months to pump the water out.

 

Be well, pal!

[Funseeker 22]

KY,

Are you sure that Small Town John isn`t in town too ?

He always appears to be visiting the same City as you whenever disaster hits. :+ :-)

You will no doubt tuff it out and be ready for a relaxing recovery sojourn in SoCal altho your last visit sounded like less than relaxing.

;-)

[+ Lucky]

Catching up on the news, it does look pretty serious down there. Good luck to you, KY Top.

[+ glutes]

Hurricane Katrina looks like is rivalling Andrew from back in the mid-90's. My thoughts and hope are going out to all down at the Big Easy.

[KY_TOP]

Things are changing very fast here. They decided to consolidate some of the Hotels so they could close more buildings. Since I was in a smaller hotel I was moved to a larger one. I left as 3 New Orleans Police officers moved in to secure and protect the hotel from possible looters. I'm now on the 15th floor of a 19 story hotel with 3 BIG windows that go to the ceiling. Great view of the Mississippi River, not what I was wanting at this point. The manager of the hotel actually drove me over in his car. He said I will be moved to a second floor ball room once the storm hits. My original hotel's ballroom was on the first floor and he said they are sure the first floor will flood. We may be there for several hours. He was real quick to mention they have stock piled food and water fore "several days". I told him this was not much fun anymore... he agreed. I would have rather stayed where I was at but I undertstand their decision.

[Barry]

Well it sounds like there is some coordinated plan and that is good news. Just be safe and when your windows start rattling, move out of that room.

 

If you'd like to spend you time in the ballroom channeling your emotions, let me suggest anger at Delta. After they cancelled their flights out of NO, they rescheduled larger aircraft into Gulfport, MS so they could be of assistance evacuating more people. That was reported at 1pm Central before they closed the Gulfport airport.

 

Add that to the letter I'm sure you are already composing in your head.

 

Be well, Barry

[KY_TOP]

Was watching the storm reports on TV and they asked some guy why he was still here and doing whatever he was doing. He said "none of your fucking business". Don't you just love live TV, great cajun answer. I'm sure it gave many a good laugh.

 

They have now moved the curfew from dusk to 6pm with no announced end to the curfew. I guess no fresh air for awhile.

 

They are putting so many people in the superdome, it will be a real disaster if that place doesn't hold up.

[KY_TOP]

RE: Travel insurance

 

Well I do have my laptop with me at least but no sexy guy to bask in it's glow.

My laptop is now mandatory emergency travel equipment for me.

[LovesYng]

KY, stay safe, keep us posted if you can. Eyes off of any candy eye you see

 

When in doubt I whip it out :+

[+ deej]

My heart is with you.

 

I rode out hurricane Erin in Tampa many years ago in the top floor of a Sheraton with those floor-to-ceiling windows. But that storm was basically an overgrown thunderstorm.

 

When you go down to the ballromm, find the cutest guy and sit next to him so you at least have someone interesting to grab and hug when the place shakes.

 

And get through this safely, pal. You mean a lot to us.

[seaboy4hire]

I aint no weatherman just a homely #### but my understanding with hurricanes is that they can change course with almost a blink of an eye and can't be predicted that well although better then say 10 yrs ago. So that might be why Delta cancelled their flights. KY you be safe and ya please let me know when you are in LA since I go down there often to visit family. I don't want to face a major earthquake or rain type storm. Keep safe guy!

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com

[Txpaytoplay]

Be careful KY....don't want to see that you've been washed out to see once those levees break. Take care of yourself.

 

Lee

[OneFinger]

KY_Top,

 

What an unpleasant surprise to read of your latest travel experience. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and the other Hoovillians in the area.

 

Thanks for your posts and the personal updates. I just hope that all the predictions are wrong for the severity of the hurricane. Very glad your accomodations aren't in the Dome. I'm not big on crowds and I'd go nuts riding out the storm in a facility like that. At least you've got a room.

 

Good luck.

 

-------------

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain -- and most fools do." Dale Carnegie

[KY_TOP]

The thing is that Delta canceled their flights almost 24 hours before the other airlines. Most everyone in my hotel was still there due to Delta according to the hotel manager. Barry's comment about what Delta did in Gulfport compared to New Orleans makes things even worse.

[FourAces]

KY just to add to evryone's concern I too would like to know next time you're headed to Las Vegas, it will probably seem like a good time to go visit BGP in LA Oh I mean I hope you will be safe.

 

RT

[KY_TOP]

I appreciate everyones thoughts. The rain and wind are just starting to hit. Being on the 15th floor the water in the toilet is sloshing in the bowl so the building has to be swaying abit. I understand that is a good thing. The flag on the building a block from here has now wrapped around the pole so it is hard for me to now gauge the wind. I can see down a major street, I'm one block off canal street, and everything has been deserted except for the police patrols for several hours. I've never watched so much TV in I don't know when. Hope the electricity stays on so at least there is something to do. My family and some friends have had trouble getting through to me on my cell but I've been able to call them ok. This is probably my last hurricane report. I expect we will lose power before morning but the hotel seems well prepared and ready to get us through this. Several Management staff moved from table to table at dinner just to chat and answer anyones question.