A recap. My wife saw a TV show- liked the scenery. Destination - Italy. I mucked around a bit (on the Internet) whilst on a bus to work from time to time and found hotels and flights and such.
Last time I promised you a taxi driver with a personality bypass. Unfair - I don't know what sort of day or rather night he had had. What became apparent early in the journey however, was that he was the least talkative taxi driver I ever came across. If it hadn't been so unusual I would of enjoyed it. I have had drivers of a broad range of beliefs and bigotry, all of which have attempted to gain one more for their following by describing these beliefs in great detail.
This lad though just drove. Well, I was almost offended. Was I not good enough to follow what ever path he sought for himself?
The part of the journey that is just before you actually leave the house is my least favourite moment. It is too late to change any plans so I should be able to relax and enjoy. However there are 2 sayings that cross my mind at this point.
A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link
What can go wrong will go wrong (dear old Murphy)
All the planning that goes into a holiday, the packing, checking passports are in date, etc etc. and it all comes to a complete stop if you don't actually do something fundamental and actually arrive at the airport. Or forget the tickets (been there)
I booked the taxi over the phone. Dead easy just gave my post code and destination and a rough guide to the price. However the confirmation text only listed the address that was at the top of the list of houses that share our post code. I briefly considered whether this would really matter? I mean the house in question was only five doors up the street so it would be quite easy to leap out of the door and flag the driver down. Good sense got the better of me. I rang the taxi firm and they apologised for the erroneous text and yes they did have the correct door number. I did just wonder how often people jump out of the "wrong" house and demand to be carried somewhere, At 4 in the morning. I just didn't fancy that conversation at that moment at that time of day.
So all good, taxi firm texted me 3 times to tell me the make and model of car, the drivers name and how long until he arrived, The last text arrived shortly after he did but he got the right door. He helped me load the suitcases (not a given quite frankly) and then took a vow of silence for the rest of the journey save for a "thank you" on payment.
It was a smooth ride to be fair, on our first date myself and my date (now my lovely wife) were nearly wiped out by a taxi driver who thought that having a loaded taxi travelling at speed through the streets of Shields was an ideal moment to see whether his brakes were in need of repair. A moment of joint jeopardy that worked my in favour as we "laughed" about it for months!
Once inside we joined a long queue of luggage, families, fractious children/couples and nearly all dressed for the beach already.
There is not much more one can say about checking in for any flight. Most of us have done it these days they are pretty much the same where ever I have been.
The same goes for security checks as we all suspend our personal space issues in the very necessary name of safety.
And so to duty free...
It has been long time, in my opinion since the term "Duty Free" actually corresponded to any kind of actual deal. Still all those "luxury" goods are thrown at you as you progress to the most important part of the journey, the bar.
So important have duty free sales become to airports these days it is now impossible to enter Newcastle passenger lounges with out running the gauntlet of aggressive Toblerone displays and itinerant perfume dispensers. My good wife sees it slightly differently I have to say. she enjoys a little wander through the exotic merchandise.
Having gained our consumer fix we arrived in the passenger lounges with bars and restaurants and coffee shops etc. This leads me to a question, and I have researched the answer far and wide (well family, friends and work!). The question is .... At what time is it OK to have an alcoholic beverage when awaiting your holiday flight?
You see it was not quite 6 in the morning and we had a good hour to kill. My research was inconclusive as regards a definitive consensus of opinion on this conundrum. A lot of people would select a favourite tipple as this was officially the start of the holiday and so it was OK. Some would extend that philosophy to any time of day or night. When awaiting your holiday flight it was "De reiguer" to enjoy an alcoholic beverage of choice. And not just one but not so many you are denied access to your flight. However some respondents found early morning drinking was not suitable for them.
I was of the of the first group as was my wife. She was not getting on the plane without one. So we had two.
Next time .....
A flight of Sardines! Rome! As well as answers to important questions such as "who gets to test the wine?"
Last time I promised you a taxi driver with a personality bypass. Unfair - I don't know what sort of day or rather night he had had. What became apparent early in the journey however, was that he was the least talkative taxi driver I ever came across. If it hadn't been so unusual I would of enjoyed it. I have had drivers of a broad range of beliefs and bigotry, all of which have attempted to gain one more for their following by describing these beliefs in great detail.
This lad though just drove. Well, I was almost offended. Was I not good enough to follow what ever path he sought for himself?
The part of the journey that is just before you actually leave the house is my least favourite moment. It is too late to change any plans so I should be able to relax and enjoy. However there are 2 sayings that cross my mind at this point.
A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link
What can go wrong will go wrong (dear old Murphy)
All the planning that goes into a holiday, the packing, checking passports are in date, etc etc. and it all comes to a complete stop if you don't actually do something fundamental and actually arrive at the airport. Or forget the tickets (been there)
I booked the taxi over the phone. Dead easy just gave my post code and destination and a rough guide to the price. However the confirmation text only listed the address that was at the top of the list of houses that share our post code. I briefly considered whether this would really matter? I mean the house in question was only five doors up the street so it would be quite easy to leap out of the door and flag the driver down. Good sense got the better of me. I rang the taxi firm and they apologised for the erroneous text and yes they did have the correct door number. I did just wonder how often people jump out of the "wrong" house and demand to be carried somewhere, At 4 in the morning. I just didn't fancy that conversation at that moment at that time of day.
So all good, taxi firm texted me 3 times to tell me the make and model of car, the drivers name and how long until he arrived, The last text arrived shortly after he did but he got the right door. He helped me load the suitcases (not a given quite frankly) and then took a vow of silence for the rest of the journey save for a "thank you" on payment.
It was a smooth ride to be fair, on our first date myself and my date (now my lovely wife) were nearly wiped out by a taxi driver who thought that having a loaded taxi travelling at speed through the streets of Shields was an ideal moment to see whether his brakes were in need of repair. A moment of joint jeopardy that worked my in favour as we "laughed" about it for months!
Once inside we joined a long queue of luggage, families, fractious children/couples and nearly all dressed for the beach already.
There is not much more one can say about checking in for any flight. Most of us have done it these days they are pretty much the same where ever I have been.
The same goes for security checks as we all suspend our personal space issues in the very necessary name of safety.
And so to duty free...
It has been long time, in my opinion since the term "Duty Free" actually corresponded to any kind of actual deal. Still all those "luxury" goods are thrown at you as you progress to the most important part of the journey, the bar.
So important have duty free sales become to airports these days it is now impossible to enter Newcastle passenger lounges with out running the gauntlet of aggressive Toblerone displays and itinerant perfume dispensers. My good wife sees it slightly differently I have to say. she enjoys a little wander through the exotic merchandise.
Having gained our consumer fix we arrived in the passenger lounges with bars and restaurants and coffee shops etc. This leads me to a question, and I have researched the answer far and wide (well family, friends and work!). The question is .... At what time is it OK to have an alcoholic beverage when awaiting your holiday flight?
I was of the of the first group as was my wife. She was not getting on the plane without one. So we had two.
Next time .....
A flight of Sardines! Rome! As well as answers to important questions such as "who gets to test the wine?"
