Success & failure
Unbelievable. After yesterday's fiasco at the Amtrak station when the ticket seller (?) told me that all trains were sold out until Oct. 21, I went back today and talked with Bob, who had earlier assured me that getting reservations wouldn't be a problem.
It took more than an hour, but Bob & I mapped an itinerary from Cleveland to LA, Portland, Milwaukee and several other stops, never finding a single sold-out train.
I bought a 30-day pass for $469 that will let me travel to all these places and more, as long as I board my final train by October 27th.
I've built a few days into the schedule where I might stay longer/leave earlier as things develop. I've gotten about a half dozen emails so far and have set up appointments to visit with teachers in various schools, but there are at least that many more that I still haven't finalized. Plus I may throw in a day or two of simple sightseeing en route.
OK, check "Rail pass" off the list. On to the Apple store to get an iPhone.
iPhone
Long story short: another fiasco. After an hour of frustrating conversations with the Apple clerk and the ATT representative we all agree my only choice is to go back home and make a few phone calls. Turns out that a credit protection system I accepted in the wake of a security problem caused by the Ohio state government locks up my account until I punch my secret code into my home phone. A phone that's twenty miles from the Apple store.
I drive home, make some calls, answer some calls, grumble, grumble, etc. Now supposedly everything's all set. I just need to drive back to the Apple store and "finish" things. Which is exactly where I was this morning after filling out most of the required information online at the Apple website.
I feel like I've been living in consumer hell for the past two days.
What kind of experience did you have buying your iPhone? Add your comment by clicking below.
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