Vacation is over....no doubt about it

My vacation was great. My daughter completed her first 3000 mile non-rev experience perfectly. Didn't cry for more than 7 seconds TOTAL. Just sat back and took it all in. She was born to fly!

I am currently sitting in a room...a hotel room...although that's giving it a lot of credit. Hands down the worst hotel I've ever stayed in.

I arrived from my vacation last night at 9PM. Getting from the airport to my house is normally a 30 minute affair for my wife and I. Now that we are 3...took longer.....twice as long.

After getting my daughter squared away I had to repack my suitcase. Yadda, yadda, yadda I was in bed at 11PM. Fell asleep around 11:30PM.

My sleep was stopped at 4:15AM. For reasons that made no sense, scheduling put me on the first flight out this morning knowing full well I would not be used for any additional flying. I left home at 4:30AM, parked my car at 4:55AM, and boarded my deadhead at 5:30AM.

Once I arrived at my temporary base the crap started. I had been previously sent an email stating I would be staying 1 night at the on airport hotel and the remaining nights at a much nicer hotel. Fine.

I called scheduling before I left this morning and was told something different, I would be staying at the nicer hotel the entire time.

After arriving in the new base at 10AM local , I called the nicer hotel and was told they couldn't accommodate me until tomorrow. Ugh. Over the next HOUR I called the airport hotel and scheduling trying to figure out where I was staying. Once I arrived at the airport hotel they had no reservation for me. Turns out the scheduler put all the rooms in HIS name ?!??!?!!? It was now 11:45AM. Another First Officer from my base walked in. He was on a later flight and arrived as I had figured everything out. Off to lunch.

The other First Officer I only knew by his last name and his face every now and then. We ate lunch (after walking for a mile as there is no reasonably priced food any closer) then headed back.

As luck would have it I am more senior here overall, but at the bottom of the list due to the TDY rules. Since it was my choice to bid a TDY I am the bottom guy after everyone else. Oh well. I work the next two days then am off for two days. Should be able to go home for at least one night, maybe two.

Vacation is over. It was great spending time with my wife, daughter and in laws.