Another Adventure Begins...
… in the most amazing way! Leaving London in the middle of a freaky October heatwave was not what I had planned when I booked my trip, but then so many of the plans I did have when I booked subsequently changed that I really shouldn’t be surprised that my home town was basking in temperatures approaching the ones I was travelling to in SE Asia. To make matters worse, there was forecasts of flooding in Bangkok while London was set to be sweltering.
A combination of events too mundane to list meant that instead of being at the airport a good six or so hours before take off, I arrived a mere four hours early. There was a vague promise of an upgrade on my flight but I wasn’t really allowing myself to believe that might actually happen. Just being able to bugger off on this trip was exciting enough!
I did the whole bag drop/strip-off for security thing (my amulets from my first trip to the Wat Pho Temple really set the alarms screaming this time) then after I had slowly put my shoes, belt, jewellery and watch back on, and squished my laptop back into my overstuffed rucksack, I did a quick sprint through duty free stopping only for some Prada Candy and another pot of eye cream, before finding a table in one of the surprisingly few restaurants they have there at Terminal 3 of Heathrow. I was a bit disappointed not to be flying from T5 cos everything is shiny and new there.
Anyway by the time I ate half a sandwich and drank half a glass of too sweet “fresh” lemonade, it was time to go to the gate. I’d been told that if there was to be an upgrade I’d be informed as I handed in my boarding pass.
The flight was merely stopping off at Bangkok en route to Sydney and as I saw the multitudes of people both in front and behind me in the line, what few hopes I had were slowly disappearing. I asked as she scanned my pass and was told there was nothing on the system. That was that then. Oh well I had a bag full of sleeping pills, I’d just have to pop them and sleep sitting up in my economy seat. I’d pre-booked an aisle seat so god help whoever was going to be stuck next to me!
As I walked up the aisle to the back of the plane my last tiny shred of hope was cast before a kind looking flight attendant. I told her my tale and she said she would see what she could do.
The plane took off and it looked as though that final hope was also dashed, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and started planning what time I would take my first sleeping pill. Just as I was about to take it, the Steward whispered into my ear that I should grab my stuff and follow the Purser. Boy did I move fast!
I had to follow him all the way through the Economy (or World Traveller) section, through the Premium Economy (Club World) section, and climb the stairs to the top deck!!!!!!!!! I can’t tell you how excited I was as I reached the magical Upper Deck. I’m not in First Class but I do have a seat that goes into a bed and there is a screen separating me from the man on the opposite seat. The massive irony of the bed seat thing is that I don’t want to sleep in case I miss anything up here in “posh”.
I got a menu from which to choose my dinner and my new Bloody Mary came in a real glass with Smirnoff Blue vodka, not the Red stuff. As I ate my salmon roulade appetizer I put the Bose headphones on and watched Woody Allen’s new movie “Midnight In Paris”.
Just like Owen Wilson in the movie, something tells me my dreams are coming true too!
A combination of events too mundane to list meant that instead of being at the airport a good six or so hours before take off, I arrived a mere four hours early. There was a vague promise of an upgrade on my flight but I wasn’t really allowing myself to believe that might actually happen. Just being able to bugger off on this trip was exciting enough!
I did the whole bag drop/strip-off for security thing (my amulets from my first trip to the Wat Pho Temple really set the alarms screaming this time) then after I had slowly put my shoes, belt, jewellery and watch back on, and squished my laptop back into my overstuffed rucksack, I did a quick sprint through duty free stopping only for some Prada Candy and another pot of eye cream, before finding a table in one of the surprisingly few restaurants they have there at Terminal 3 of Heathrow. I was a bit disappointed not to be flying from T5 cos everything is shiny and new there.
Anyway by the time I ate half a sandwich and drank half a glass of too sweet “fresh” lemonade, it was time to go to the gate. I’d been told that if there was to be an upgrade I’d be informed as I handed in my boarding pass.
The flight was merely stopping off at Bangkok en route to Sydney and as I saw the multitudes of people both in front and behind me in the line, what few hopes I had were slowly disappearing. I asked as she scanned my pass and was told there was nothing on the system. That was that then. Oh well I had a bag full of sleeping pills, I’d just have to pop them and sleep sitting up in my economy seat. I’d pre-booked an aisle seat so god help whoever was going to be stuck next to me!
As I walked up the aisle to the back of the plane my last tiny shred of hope was cast before a kind looking flight attendant. I told her my tale and she said she would see what she could do.
The plane took off and it looked as though that final hope was also dashed, so I ordered a Bloody Mary and started planning what time I would take my first sleeping pill. Just as I was about to take it, the Steward whispered into my ear that I should grab my stuff and follow the Purser. Boy did I move fast!
I had to follow him all the way through the Economy (or World Traveller) section, through the Premium Economy (Club World) section, and climb the stairs to the top deck!!!!!!!!! I can’t tell you how excited I was as I reached the magical Upper Deck. I’m not in First Class but I do have a seat that goes into a bed and there is a screen separating me from the man on the opposite seat. The massive irony of the bed seat thing is that I don’t want to sleep in case I miss anything up here in “posh”.
I got a menu from which to choose my dinner and my new Bloody Mary came in a real glass with Smirnoff Blue vodka, not the Red stuff. As I ate my salmon roulade appetizer I put the Bose headphones on and watched Woody Allen’s new movie “Midnight In Paris”.
Just like Owen Wilson in the movie, something tells me my dreams are coming true too!
Labels: Travel
posted by JoJo Smith at Tuesday, October 04, 2011
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