Troubles with the Amtrak and I haven't even boarded the train...
Here is the skinny. I called Amtrak on Tuesday for the Chicago ticket. The woman I talke to told me if I wanted my triple A discount it would cost me $12 to have it shipped to my house, since Lapeer doesn't have a ticket booth. I said well that doesn't make since because it would end up being more expensive than the $42 ticket without the discount. I will take that one. She than told me I couldn't, because I couldn't buy that ticket until later in the week. So I said, ok i will call back. Now never having taken Amtrak, I was unaware that the price would go up, I know that sounds silly, but the lady made me feel like it was just something that made since. So I try to buy my ticket today and now the price is $60. I talk to the ticket agent and she says, sorry lady you are an idoit (not in so many words) but I can't do anything for you, then she transfers me to a customer service agent, to whom she had already told my story, who told me sorry lady there is nothing we can do. I was like look here, I would have bought this on Tuesday, but the lady told me I couldn't. She never mentioned to me that I could have gone somewhere to buy the ticket. I told them I understand if you can't give me the $42 price but you can at least meet me somewhere in the middle, perhaps by giving me my triple A discount. I was told that they were sorry, but all they could do was sell me the $60 ticket, I said no thanks.
Then I have Bruce, the smooth talker, call. And of course he gets them to change their tune and they agreed to give me the $42 dollar ticket. Its frustrating, but at least I got my way. But if this is any indication about how this trip is going to go, I am in for big trouble. stay tuned.