Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Half an hour in Bangkok
I am just so tired!
Was it really only yesterday morning that I woke and showered in Phuket?
Jessica and John got ready for school and Bill and I got ready for England. It was all quite rushed - just time for a few last photographs.
We sped north from Kathu to the airport - a drive of maybe 45 minutes. Jessica had us all playing I Spy as we passed all the familiar aspects of the route.
The family came inside the airport with us for hugs and kisses - so hard not to weep; and just a few tears came to my eyes of course. How long before we are with them again? Who knows?
Right now I would give a lot for just another hug!
And then we walked through the door and out of their lives and to start the journey back to our "nest".
The plane was due to leave for Bangkok at ten to ten.
Our travel agent had sorted out this flight, assuring us that it would give us plenty of time to check into the EVA flight for London. We would have 2 hours.
And then came the announcement that our flight from Phuket would be delayed.
We took off more than half an hour later than expected.
We would have no time for relaxation within the new and stylish Bangkok airport then.
The flight should take just under an hour.
As we started the descent to land, the nose turned up and the altitude and speed of the plane were increased and we made a large circle until we could come into land. The minutes available to us were ticking away.
And then the plane repeated the large detour circle once again.
It took three attempts get a gap for a descent.
Now how long would we have to leave this plane, find the EVA desk and check in and get to the boarding gate?
As the plane came to a halt we realised that we had not much more than half an hour and we had not a clue where in this huge airport we needed to be.
We made sure we were about the first people off through the door.......to be greeted by a young man with a card asking for "Monk - EVA Airways".
He told us to go with him.... down the steps and not into the awaiting airport bus, but straight into a mini bus.
Off we went from one end of the airport to another.
Then through the doors - "Follow me" he beckoned and ran at great speed. He grabbed some of the hand luggage because he could see we were considerably less fit than him!
We rushed passed people, along corridors and moving walkways and up escalators.
He came back and grabbed our papers and passports to get them to the check in desk before it closed.
We were hurried through doorways, following our man, out towards the departure gate. He had to leave us at that point. Bill reached in his wallet for a tip - maybe 500 Baht (£10) was a bit excessive, but it was all that he had. The young man looked slightly embarrassed, bless him. But without him we would most certainly have been paying out for a hotel room and hoping that we could get on the next day's EVA plane for London. We just could not have got on that plane without him.
And so we sat down and very quickly were up in the skies for the long journey back to England. The homeward journey is longer than the outward flight - over 7,000 miles.
I watched 2 films - lightweight bits of fun that I quite enjoyed and I finished my reading book.
I envied the many others on the flight who could lean back and sleep.
The meals on the flight were excellent and we were given lots of extra drinks too.
Eventually we were flying over the River Thames and it seemed that we would land bang on the predicted time....... until, what do you know..... just as in the morning our landings were aborted and we climbed to circle back to central London. It was out third attempt that saw us safely on the ground.
We had tried not to think about luggage whilst on the flight. If we had a very short time at Bangkok, then so did our luggage. Our young man was optimistic that the luggage would be fine - it did have a Priority Label put on it at Phuket airport check in.
And very soon we were reunited with our big bags.
We walked out of the airport to the bus stop and straight onto the coach, which left just a minute later for Gatwick. No taxi could have given us such a rapid service. The M25 was quiet and gentle.
We got off the coach and hurried to the waiting No 10 local bus and were on our way within just a minute.
The catching of the local bus is just something we feel we should do. Why pay up to £20 when we can get back to the house for nothing? And last night there was no waiting and we were home almost as quickly as a taxi would have got us there.
We walked in our front door at 10 o'clock - 21 hours after we left Jamie's house.
We pottered for a while and made a cup of tea.
We had been determined that we would do no work - no unloading of bags and no cleaning up of 3 weeks worth of cats hair.
I climbed into my own familiar bed with great thanks.
I slept for a while. Why was it last night that I had to get a leak at 3 in the morning?
I didn't really sleep after that.
We both got up not much after 6 o'clock - that would be midday in Thailand.
I cooked some breakfast - not exactly a great British fry up because we had no eggs or bacon.
Bill hoovered up after the cats and I enjoyed washing up in a bowl of steaming of hot water.
Then I lay down on the sofa and slept a little bit.
We have been to Asda for some basics - I can't think straight today. I knew that I was looking forward to potatoes and was pleased to see that they had Jersey Royals for 1 pound a bag.
I dozed again after some lunch.
I woke up, not knowing where I was. I heard Bill talking out by the computer and assumed he was talking to Jamie. But no - he was on the phone to a friend who had left a message with birthday greetings.
Coming home with jet lag and missing our loved ones does lead to that feeling of not being really here or there. I can hear the children talking.
I have skyped with Jamie - and Mam.
I bless this facility, even though we only chat with type written words. Jamie's broadband is not through a telephone land line, but a local wireless connection and skype talking does not work. We use skype to phone them sometimes.
But skype does mean that I never feel too far away from my boy and his family - we are sharing news and jokes and gentle banter almost every day.
Now I must find the energy for news and banter with Ashley - haven't talked to him for 3 weeks. But at least facebook has kept me a little up to date with him and many others.
I found time sometimes to check emails from Roger whilst there - but have not yet looked at all his website entries about his Suffolk holiday at Easter.
Bill is studying websites for digital cameras. It is now my turn for a new one. I have had a problem before but now it is seems to be fatal. When I open up the camera for use I have to check every time that the flaps covering the lens open and normally have to push them open by hand. I want something very similar.
Tomorrow perhaps we will start to sort out all ours and Jamie's photos.
OK - soon be time to put the Jersey Royals on and maybe I shall go to bed very early and sleep and get myself back into routine. We have noticed before that the return journey plays havoc with our body clocks.
Was it really only yesterday morning that I woke and showered in Phuket?
Jessica and John got ready for school and Bill and I got ready for England. It was all quite rushed - just time for a few last photographs.
We sped north from Kathu to the airport - a drive of maybe 45 minutes. Jessica had us all playing I Spy as we passed all the familiar aspects of the route.
The family came inside the airport with us for hugs and kisses - so hard not to weep; and just a few tears came to my eyes of course. How long before we are with them again? Who knows?
Right now I would give a lot for just another hug!
And then we walked through the door and out of their lives and to start the journey back to our "nest".
The plane was due to leave for Bangkok at ten to ten.
Our travel agent had sorted out this flight, assuring us that it would give us plenty of time to check into the EVA flight for London. We would have 2 hours.
And then came the announcement that our flight from Phuket would be delayed.
We took off more than half an hour later than expected.
We would have no time for relaxation within the new and stylish Bangkok airport then.
The flight should take just under an hour.
As we started the descent to land, the nose turned up and the altitude and speed of the plane were increased and we made a large circle until we could come into land. The minutes available to us were ticking away.
And then the plane repeated the large detour circle once again.
It took three attempts get a gap for a descent.
Now how long would we have to leave this plane, find the EVA desk and check in and get to the boarding gate?
As the plane came to a halt we realised that we had not much more than half an hour and we had not a clue where in this huge airport we needed to be.
We made sure we were about the first people off through the door.......to be greeted by a young man with a card asking for "Monk - EVA Airways".
He told us to go with him.... down the steps and not into the awaiting airport bus, but straight into a mini bus.
Off we went from one end of the airport to another.
Then through the doors - "Follow me" he beckoned and ran at great speed. He grabbed some of the hand luggage because he could see we were considerably less fit than him!
We rushed passed people, along corridors and moving walkways and up escalators.
He came back and grabbed our papers and passports to get them to the check in desk before it closed.
We were hurried through doorways, following our man, out towards the departure gate. He had to leave us at that point. Bill reached in his wallet for a tip - maybe 500 Baht (£10) was a bit excessive, but it was all that he had. The young man looked slightly embarrassed, bless him. But without him we would most certainly have been paying out for a hotel room and hoping that we could get on the next day's EVA plane for London. We just could not have got on that plane without him.
And so we sat down and very quickly were up in the skies for the long journey back to England. The homeward journey is longer than the outward flight - over 7,000 miles.
I watched 2 films - lightweight bits of fun that I quite enjoyed and I finished my reading book.
I envied the many others on the flight who could lean back and sleep.
The meals on the flight were excellent and we were given lots of extra drinks too.
Eventually we were flying over the River Thames and it seemed that we would land bang on the predicted time....... until, what do you know..... just as in the morning our landings were aborted and we climbed to circle back to central London. It was out third attempt that saw us safely on the ground.
We had tried not to think about luggage whilst on the flight. If we had a very short time at Bangkok, then so did our luggage. Our young man was optimistic that the luggage would be fine - it did have a Priority Label put on it at Phuket airport check in.
And very soon we were reunited with our big bags.
We walked out of the airport to the bus stop and straight onto the coach, which left just a minute later for Gatwick. No taxi could have given us such a rapid service. The M25 was quiet and gentle.
We got off the coach and hurried to the waiting No 10 local bus and were on our way within just a minute.
The catching of the local bus is just something we feel we should do. Why pay up to £20 when we can get back to the house for nothing? And last night there was no waiting and we were home almost as quickly as a taxi would have got us there.
We walked in our front door at 10 o'clock - 21 hours after we left Jamie's house.
We pottered for a while and made a cup of tea.
We had been determined that we would do no work - no unloading of bags and no cleaning up of 3 weeks worth of cats hair.
I climbed into my own familiar bed with great thanks.
I slept for a while. Why was it last night that I had to get a leak at 3 in the morning?
I didn't really sleep after that.
We both got up not much after 6 o'clock - that would be midday in Thailand.
I cooked some breakfast - not exactly a great British fry up because we had no eggs or bacon.
Bill hoovered up after the cats and I enjoyed washing up in a bowl of steaming of hot water.
Then I lay down on the sofa and slept a little bit.
We have been to Asda for some basics - I can't think straight today. I knew that I was looking forward to potatoes and was pleased to see that they had Jersey Royals for 1 pound a bag.
I dozed again after some lunch.
I woke up, not knowing where I was. I heard Bill talking out by the computer and assumed he was talking to Jamie. But no - he was on the phone to a friend who had left a message with birthday greetings.
Coming home with jet lag and missing our loved ones does lead to that feeling of not being really here or there. I can hear the children talking.
I have skyped with Jamie - and Mam.
I bless this facility, even though we only chat with type written words. Jamie's broadband is not through a telephone land line, but a local wireless connection and skype talking does not work. We use skype to phone them sometimes.
But skype does mean that I never feel too far away from my boy and his family - we are sharing news and jokes and gentle banter almost every day.
Now I must find the energy for news and banter with Ashley - haven't talked to him for 3 weeks. But at least facebook has kept me a little up to date with him and many others.
I found time sometimes to check emails from Roger whilst there - but have not yet looked at all his website entries about his Suffolk holiday at Easter.
Bill is studying websites for digital cameras. It is now my turn for a new one. I have had a problem before but now it is seems to be fatal. When I open up the camera for use I have to check every time that the flaps covering the lens open and normally have to push them open by hand. I want something very similar.
Tomorrow perhaps we will start to sort out all ours and Jamie's photos.
OK - soon be time to put the Jersey Royals on and maybe I shall go to bed very early and sleep and get myself back into routine. We have noticed before that the return journey plays havoc with our body clocks.
