You were lucky that you sent at a time without overload though there are times at a day when it does not work except you pay fees that more and more look like paypal fees.
Bullshit. The fees are not unusually high, and nowhere near the maximum that we've experienced. They're currently at: 40 satoshis/byte [1]. For a TX of 226 bytes that is 4 cents. Quite like paypal, indeed. 
I welcome segwit but it surely can't bring the huge effect as fast as needed. Well, maybe it will surprise.
It will be fine.[1] - https://bitcoinfees.21.co/