Monday, August 11, 2008

IKEA, part 2

So we began our IKEAttack inauspiciously, getting stuck in the front door. They were the kind they have at Portland airport, which automatically rotate and when the gap comes open, you shuffle in and try not to get run over. Well, a bunch of people were trying to cram in, and it just stopped. So we're standing there, with a 2-foot gap left behind us, and no way to go forward. Thankfully, people stopped squeezing in when they saw it was stuck, or else I could have been headed for a serious claustro-freakout. We backed out, and tried the other door, but it was stuck too. A couple minutes later, they started up and we went in. We proceeded to the starting line.


Keep in mind, the store is not yet open at this point. They let you in the lobby, but the showroom floor is still roped off. We've arrived this early because any later in the day, it's apparently a nuthouse. So at about 9:59 we get the green light and the race is on. With my little cart bag-holder thing, I feel like Richard Petty. I'm trying to cruise ahead and put some distance between me and the masses, but Sarah's like "chill out." And taking the curves too fast is bad for Desi because the cart seat is way too small for him. His body weight was being supported largely by his crotch. But he was a trooper.

Anyway, we bought most of what we needed. Plus some of what we didn't. Made it thru the maze unscathed and still civil to one another. Had to fight off several touts pushing delivery or taxis, and of course bag up all our stuff. As of June 1, stores in China were forbidden to give out plastic shopping bags for free, so we sprang a buck for 2 *HUGE* IKEA bags. We got all our stuff together, we roll outside, and I see our bus rolling away. The school had taken us there, so I tracked down a school person, and they called the driver. Meanwhile, the security guy was trying to tell me I couldn't take the cart outside, and his buddy (a relentless tout) was trying to "help" me with a cab. Once the bus finally came, I ignored them both and loaded our junk in to the bus. Then the 2 dudes helped me return the carts. Even the people hassling you are nice here. 

1 comment:

  1. Once we accidently went to the Seattle Ikea on tax-free day. Talk about a zoo! The 8% discount was apparently irresistible to about half of the Washington populace. After driving all that way for our Pupli and Crunk, we hung in there and made it through but we were sure to never make that mistake again.

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