Checked flight to check in and it left YESTERDAY at 22:20pm. AARRGGHHH. So go in touch with George again at flight centre and he spoke to BA and eventually got me on another flight but at 19:10 tonight. Luckily it was raining all day so I didn’t exactly miss out on a beach day with all the messing out or I would not of been happy.
Once I had my new itinerary through I caught up with Brosi who hadn’t had lunch so we went to a restaurant that he knew about down the street. It’s where the local eat and you just grab a plate and then there is a hot and cold buffet that you help yourself to. Once you have got what you want you take it to the counter and the plate is put on a set of scales. You then pay for the weight you have and they give you a bill to take to your table. If you want drinks the waitress brings them you and adds it to the bill. I tried various different things, including the local rice with balck beans, that seems to be popular over here. The waitress also comes around with a small pot of jelly for free for after you meal. Mine came to 10 dib bads which is about 3 quid and I had a plate with chicken breast and loads of stuff.
By the time we had eaten it was time for me to head back and get a shower and get ready to be picked up. My flight was with Iberia which I wasn’t too happy about when I had booked BA. Anyway the taxi came for me at 4pm and I got to the airport about an hour later. On the way we travelled on a double decker motorway. Obviously they had wanted to increase the number of lanes at some point but there was no room so instead they just built another on top and made the bottom have all its lanes in one direction and the top on in the other. All along the motorways on the side of the road and weaving in and out of traffic are guys selling anything from bags of peanuts to cans of coke. They just move to the lanes that are going slow and flog their wears. People do buy them though cos my taxi driver bought stuff off a couple of them and kept handing me one of whatever he’d bought. I’d had a three course meal by the time we got to the airport lol.
I bought a bottle of duty free at Rio airport to pass the time. I can’t remember the name of it but I’ve had it at the hostel with squashed limes, crushed ice and powder sugar…vile ! hahahaha. It’s okay but just a bit sickly. The flight departed on time to MADRID and then I would have to get a flight to Heathrow and then another to Manchester, talk about faff about. I purposely asked for an aisle seat as I hate being ona long flight near the window and then having to get people to move when you need the loo. At least this way I can just get up when I need to go and not have to disturb anyone. Not that Ive got the bladder of a twelve year old or owt but you never know when you might wanna go.
Go to my seat and I was in the middle 4 on the isle, with 3 brazilian woman at the side of me who I quickly found out spoke no English at all. Part way through the flight I noticed that the French kid on one of the two seats next to me had a really annoying sniffle. He obviously had a runny nose and kept sniffling that sounded like a pigs grunt. But it was every few minutes and soon started to irritate. I tried headphones on load and then resorted to huffing and puffing and looking over shaking my head e very time he did it lol (you know the way British people complain, rather than say something). If that wasn’t bad enough there was a bratty toddler on the row in front who seemed quite cute at the start of the flight when he was playing hide n seek over the chair. Not so cute when he cried constantly through the flight later on while everyone was trying to sleep. But not real crying just that constant wailing without tears. His parents seemed to be oblivious to the fact that he was making a sound. I wondered if they would be oblivious if I rammed in in-flight magazine in his gob sideways to shut him up? But instead resorted to more huffing and puffing and turning up the volume on the headphones trying to drown out Damien the Omen 1 & 2 around me.
The seats on Iberia were okay I guess but there was no personal TV screen of choice of films etc it was like being back in time with the big flip down screens and one film fits all, spoilt? Me? No ! LOL. At least it goes fast when you are watching stuff and entertained. I think I caught half of one film and then tried to sleep but with no luck as I can never get comfy in airline seats. Maybe one day I will get to travel first or business class and have one of them horizontal bed things…watch this space lol.
Go to Madrid feeling decidedly groggy and knackered and when to go through to the gates for my next flight. I didn’t need to go to the baggage claim area as I’d already asked at Rio and my bags would go to Manchester without me collecting them each time. Had to get on a transit shuttle train thing and then up loads of escalator following the signs for Gates H. When I went through the security bit the one asked if I had a bottle in the bag. I said “yes duty free”, I got the jist she was saying it has to be checked in your hold baggage. I said “and how do I do that when I won’t see it now until Manchester”? She waffled on in Spanish too fast for my to understand but then I heard something about go upstairs and check in your bag. Well after the Hoo haa with my bags not making it to Moscow after going via somewhere I didn’t quite fancy the chances of seeing my clothes again with the changes of flight. So there was no way I was gonna check my rucksack in too with my laptop and everything need in it as it doesn’t lock. In the end I though I’d rather give up the bottle of cheap booze than do that so I went to the bit metal bin marked glass and made sure I gave it a extra push through the hole so it would hopefully shatter (I thought they aint havin it). I don’t think it smashed though – gutted.
Called at McDonald for some food just as a group in front started their order for about 30 French kids on a trip. Eventually got served and after having my food sat around for a while typing up this while I waited for my flight at 13:15.
Flight was on time and soon as I got myself a seat I was out for the count. Which is good since the only food or drink you were gonna be offered anyway you had to bloody pay for, so I was happy to skip that. Landed at Heathrow just under three hours later and then jumped on the shuttle bus over to Terminal 5. It seems like a really nice airport now that all the teething problems have been sorted out. When I was having my eyes scanned or photo taken not sure which, she knew already that I’d come from Brazil and said thank you in Portuguese and smiled, which I thought was a nice touch. Text my mother to let her know the penultimate flight had been completed successfully and there was just one more to go.
Flight from Heathrow left on time but I couldn’t get my text to send to tell my mum I was boarding so she could sort out the taxi so I just text her the minute I landed so she could get them sent while I waited for my bag. Surprisingly not only did it turn up but it was also there as soon as I got through to the baggage arrivals place. I was just relieved it had arrived after 3 flights I wasn’t very hopeful.
As we came in to land I suddenly realised that I usually get flights into T3 when I am working but that’s not the case now and it kinda dawned on me that I really am unemployed and haven’t just been on a long holiday.
I’m sure thing will work out though I have a good feeling, I tend to land on my feet.
Well this is the end of my journey, I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed trying to think of something to write lol.
I will probably do one last entry for tomorrow which will be a kind of “lessons learnt” with hint and tips I’ve picked up along the way. You may/may not find them of use but its mainly so I can have a read of it before I plan my next trip so I don’t make the same mistakes (always the project manager lol).
So that was my trip and now I’m back home in Manchester waiting for the taxi to Oldham and my old reality, all be it a little changed. Hope you have enjoyed the ride, until next time.
Be good and don’t wish your life saying “I really wanna……” get yourself a book and write in all the things you “really wanna” every time you think of one. Then the next time the opportunity arises to do one of those things one way or another DO IT !!!
Don’t be a spectator, life’s for living and passes by so quickly. Enjoy !
X
Neil
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