Happiness Challenge – Learning
Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT
What I’ve learned today – when a rental car company wants to hit you with a huge one way drop off fee, check out how much less expensive it is to do the same trip with a Uhaul. Granted you’ll have to drive a moving van to get to where you’re going, but you could make some extra cash on the adventure by moving someone’s stuff too.
Had to hit the ground running AFTER I did my yoga practice today. And I swear, I checked the ferry schedule three times – once when I made my tickets, once a couple weeks ago when I was concerned and once when I got here – yup – all said the ferry left Haines at 7 AM on Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015. Arriving in Juneau in plenty of time to make the 2:20 PM flight to Seattle. So my friend calls and asks what I’m up to today – leisurely last day in Haines. I said – “yeah I’m catching the ferry at 7 AM tomorrow to Juneau.” He says, “You sure? That is the standard time it leaves Juneau for Haines.” I say, “Yup, I know, I checked it three times.” Well he checks, nope, it’s going the opposite way. The ferry is leaving at 6:30 PM tonight to get to Juneau.
What did I learn? Well first off, thank god I woke up thinking I had a leisurely day ahead of me. It made my new morning yoga routine so luxurious and peaceful. I also learned – there is something messed up with the Alaska Marine Lines website (or how I’m using their website). And for things as important as what time is the ferry leaving – CALL THE FERRY TERMINAL.
I also learned that if you need to drive from Seattle to Portland and drop off the rental car, the cost Budget Rental car quotes on the phone to do this is $650. (Reserving it online on the Budget site yourself saves you a handy $500 – WOW). And if you rent a Uhaul, besides having to drive a 10′ box truck, you only pay $167 for the same service – whether you call them on the phone or do it yourself online. The added benefit of the Uhaul – when you arrive in Portland you get a whole day to use a 10′ Uhaul truck. And the Uhaul dealer is only a mile from my house, whereas dropping a car off at the closest drop off location airport is an hour round trip ordeal with either tying up a friend’s time or figuring out how to take public transportation or a cab home. Even though the Uhaul could stimulate all types of “Uhaul date” type jokes, I’m leaning that way. I still have a day to see if anyone wants to pay me to move anything from Seattle to Portland so I could possibly even turn a profit on this new found insight……
