I don’t know what it is about hotels, why are they so hot, or is it just in Europe. Too hot again and the doona arrangement does not allow for regulating by layering. All in all another poor night’s sleep.
Nevertheless, surprisingly I survive in time to get breakfast and the shuttle to the airport.
The former was easy, the latter not without its excitement.
The shuttle was a large tourist bus with baggage stored underneath. As we were negotiating a roundabout exit there was the noise of baggage moving about, then someone noticed that the luggage door had strung open and the bus was spewing bags all over the grass verge. Luckily, for me at least, it was the bay with all the aircrew’s baggage. Surprisingly, once the baggage was retrieved, they thought it a great joke with giggles all round.
Even though I was characteristically, hours early, they were accepting check-ins, and after some hesitation about my carry-on (too heavy) I was given my pass, my passport examined, re-examined and finally stamped I passed border control.
I think you get tunnel vision when you travel, as I found myself with a cup of coffee with the Starbucks logo on it, without realising that’s where I had ended up. I had eschewed another vendor, saw a cinnamon spiral, thought that’s for me, and there I was with a Starbucks coffee and a cinnamon spiral. The latter OK, the former up to the usual Starbucks standard (hot).
The flight seems to board early, though we wait in the plane some time. It fills slowly and turns out is only about half full. I am by myself and I can see at least 4 rows of 4 seats empty, and that’s just my section.
Room to stretch, pity I don’t want to sleep yet.
We land at Abu Dhabi, most modern airport, yet have to catch the bus to the terminal there is no sky bridge. It is suddenly VERY hot, 35C.
The airport is like any other, lots of people, lots of Duty Free, lots of announcements, lots of people running late for flights, and lots of Final calls.
Our flight is never called, or if it is I don’t hear it, and suddenly there is a rush to the gate.
Luckily, I have been invited up the front again, so I have a little private realm, well sort of, to my own.
“Champagne sir, or another sort of drink. Here’s the menu sir. All very nice.”
I break my rule of no alcohol on flights and have a good Australian Shiraz, bliss!
What I hope to be nice, is the flat bed for sleeping over much of the 14 hour flight.
I am sorely down, I really can’t sleep. Once again it’s either too hot or too cold, or my ankle aches, or something digs in, and so it goes on. Then the lady over my shoulder starts to snore.
In reality, I think I did sleep, though not as well as I had hoped.
I have breakfast, as we fly over the outback somewhere at about 2.30PM Sydney time and we land in time for tea tonight.
All very odd really, but that’s time zones for you
Finally, we head into Sydney, start the landing procedure, then at the last minute power on and around we go for another try. The Captain comes on and says something about weather conditions, though a passenger I spoke to later said we were too close to the water.
Either way we finally landed, bit the usual checks and here I am waiting for my plane to Adelaide.
Almost home
Nevertheless, surprisingly I survive in time to get breakfast and the shuttle to the airport.
The former was easy, the latter not without its excitement.
The shuttle was a large tourist bus with baggage stored underneath. As we were negotiating a roundabout exit there was the noise of baggage moving about, then someone noticed that the luggage door had strung open and the bus was spewing bags all over the grass verge. Luckily, for me at least, it was the bay with all the aircrew’s baggage. Surprisingly, once the baggage was retrieved, they thought it a great joke with giggles all round.
Even though I was characteristically, hours early, they were accepting check-ins, and after some hesitation about my carry-on (too heavy) I was given my pass, my passport examined, re-examined and finally stamped I passed border control.
I think you get tunnel vision when you travel, as I found myself with a cup of coffee with the Starbucks logo on it, without realising that’s where I had ended up. I had eschewed another vendor, saw a cinnamon spiral, thought that’s for me, and there I was with a Starbucks coffee and a cinnamon spiral. The latter OK, the former up to the usual Starbucks standard (hot).
The flight seems to board early, though we wait in the plane some time. It fills slowly and turns out is only about half full. I am by myself and I can see at least 4 rows of 4 seats empty, and that’s just my section.
Room to stretch, pity I don’t want to sleep yet.
We land at Abu Dhabi, most modern airport, yet have to catch the bus to the terminal there is no sky bridge. It is suddenly VERY hot, 35C.
The airport is like any other, lots of people, lots of Duty Free, lots of announcements, lots of people running late for flights, and lots of Final calls.
Our flight is never called, or if it is I don’t hear it, and suddenly there is a rush to the gate.
Luckily, I have been invited up the front again, so I have a little private realm, well sort of, to my own.
“Champagne sir, or another sort of drink. Here’s the menu sir. All very nice.”
I break my rule of no alcohol on flights and have a good Australian Shiraz, bliss!
What I hope to be nice, is the flat bed for sleeping over much of the 14 hour flight.
I am sorely down, I really can’t sleep. Once again it’s either too hot or too cold, or my ankle aches, or something digs in, and so it goes on. Then the lady over my shoulder starts to snore.
In reality, I think I did sleep, though not as well as I had hoped.
I have breakfast, as we fly over the outback somewhere at about 2.30PM Sydney time and we land in time for tea tonight.
All very odd really, but that’s time zones for you
Finally, we head into Sydney, start the landing procedure, then at the last minute power on and around we go for another try. The Captain comes on and says something about weather conditions, though a passenger I spoke to later said we were too close to the water.
Either way we finally landed, bit the usual checks and here I am waiting for my plane to Adelaide.
Almost home
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