WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menoflapping; getting flown

I said my farewells to Emm and Enn in the morning as they left for work that Wednesday morning. Remus kept me company as I saw to getting my linen laundered and hung, getting breakfasted, then showered and dressed. I had to leave a little before 11 am. Remus knew I was going - he stopped 'talking' to me about an hour before. I locked up, hid the key and headed up the road.

With the Beast Luggage, which was now up to 22kg and another six in the mouse carrier. I was barely 100 yards from the driveway when a voice from heaven behind me offered help. It was the first of my angels. They appeared all the way through the journey. Having had the BL rolled all the way to the station, down the steps and onto the train, I was good all the way down to the airport. There, I was able to hand it over at check-in, and then the first of my wheelchair angels appeared. It is such a fantastic service! Yes, occasionally it means having to wait a little longer, but mostly it means getting ahead of the queue. It makes life a whole lot more pleasant when facing a 40-hour trip. The leg from Sydney to Abu Dhabi (I fly Etihad, remember) is the best part of 14 hours. We took off within fifteen minutes of schedule and actually arrived half an hour ahead. Tailwind.

Boarding at 2:30 am Abu Dhabi time.


There were only three hours to wait in the lounge before being transferred to the Abu Dhabi to Manchester flight. This was the only flight of the four taken to and from OZ in which we flew the Boeing Dreamliner 787. Up till this, it had been all Airbus. Good enough planes, the Airbus, I don't mind them at all. However, the tickets had said it would be the 777 and the 787, and then it wasn't. It would be easy to think that this might have something to do with the news earlier this year that there were safety issues. However, said 'issues' were not actually with Boeing, but with the engine which many airlines had chosen as their power source. In Etihad's case, they opted instead for General Electric engines. Good for them. Anyway, I was excited to at last be on the 787. Very plush - the layout of the business class brings it up to an almost first class experience. The seat even had a cross-chest seat belt, like in a car, which felt good. There is a lot of discreetness built in, with a deep footwell which enables the flatbed. A 'sidebar' for use when the table is up. A little 'hidey' for one's precious items.





















I was actually able to change into my travelling kaftan without having to wait for the toilet to become free - not a big issue on the other flights, but this was really nice. One felt quite cocooned. The only thing, slightly disconcerting, was that there was a 'back and forth' facing arrangement of the seating and the result was that one was looking directly across at the centre seating and the lady facing to the tail was directly in eye-line. We got over that fairly quickly.

On the first leg, I had managed about five hours of good sleep, and on this 7+ hour stretch, I managed another full two hours of solid sleep. The rest of the time just enjoyed relaxing music and was generally quite rested. The food was excellent as always.

At Manchester, I was met by Laura, my final wheelchair angel, who managed to get permission to take me all the way through to the railway station. She didn't just push me, but pulled the Beast Luggage and did it with a smile and happy chatter. She refused a tip - but accepted a big hug. There was a nearly four-hour wait here. Partly my own fault. Originally our land time was scheduled at 0730 and the train I required was slated for 0910. With BL to contend with and not knowing I would have Laura, I didn't want to risk missing that connection. Opted instead for the next one at 1110. Of course, we landed half an hour ahead of schedule and then the BL was one of the first of the plane and having Laura's assistance meant was in the rail waiting room by 0830. Hey ho.

Scenes from a speeding train.
On the train, I was able to stretch across two seats and got another couple hours of sleep! Before I knew it I was fighting the BL onto the ferry and thank goodness I thought to call for a taxi to collect me at the Dunoon side. The fellow hoisted the case up the stairs for me, and that was me. Back in The Hutch. It was raining, windy and cold. Welcome to summer.

As you now know, I landed back with a lurgy. Lots of folk had various infections in OZ and - of course - flying tends to leave one open to things also. Mostly though, I was exhausted from having been pretty much constantly on the go for those nine weeks, and the old body simply said: "that's enough, lady!"  Oh well...


Now then peeps - don't forget it's Final Friday next week - get your Fiction going!!!


12 comments:

  1. YAM what a wonderful accommodation on the plane. Quite roomy!! Amazing!! Thank goodness for Angels that walk among us at the most opportune times. So there was 'a bug' creeping around Oz. Oh me. I hope you are noticing some improvement each day.
    Looks like Soffee had a nice trip too.
    Hugs HiC

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  2. Soffee looks like a born traveller!

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  3. Don't you love when travels go smoothly! Welcome home!

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  4. Yam, those wheel chair angels are my find of a life time. My neighbor is making her first flight in years and I explained them to her and she was gobsmacked. I will be anxious to hear how they worked out for her. Glad you're back, and possibly over the lurgy.

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  5. That does look like a pretty nice setup.

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  6. our body can be such a party killer, but he is always right.... hugs to you and welcome back home ;O)

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  7. i nearly fainted when i read 40 hour trip. yowsa! i am a person who hates with a passion to WAIT, as in 3 hours or 4 hours between plains, bus or train. and sitting for 14 hours on a plane i could not do. i am totally exhausted from your trip and all i did was read it. very interesting read, and i really like your cocoon seat on the big plane.. so glad you had angels to help you on your way... thanks for sharing all this, it is all new to me

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  8. It sounds like you were traveling in style at times!

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  9. Wow! 40 hrs of travel ~ glad you got some sleep and enjoyed your holiday ~

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  10. With just a four hour flight to South Carolina we are just doing economy and hoping to get seated quickly! namaste, janice xx

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  11. It was a good idea to opt for the wheelchair service. My mom did that on her most recent trip and felt like she was treated like royalty at every stop. Glad to hear you had a few "angels" show up to help you too.

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  12. Wow, indeed, 40 hours. I cannot imagine. We're going to Muskoka tomorrow. 4 hours, I think!!! That's more our style!!!!

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