Well, I was supposed to fly to Germany to catch up with Sonja and Mark for a traditional german christmas but...
I was such a mess after finishing work the night before, that I quite literally could not get myself together. My darling friend Em came to see me to say goodbye and ended up with me blubbering my heart out over a cup of coffee in a cafe. Now you know you are upset when you are quite openly crying your eyes out in a public place and actually dont care what people are thinking!
So gorgeous Kel and Em pack my bags for me and send me off to the bus stop, and then its the train out to Stansted Airport. Of course, the tain was packed, so I squished myself into a little corner on the floor, hid my face in my knees and continued to sob my little heart sore.
I walk into the airport to complete and utter chaos - you literally couldnt move, there were so many people. I felt really sorry for the old people, so frail and do you think anyone would move aside so they could pass. Their eyes had a look of childlike distress, how had they ended up in this confusing, heaving mass of monsters? Hell is definitley an english airport at Christmas!
Well, theres nothing like a bit of a disaster for Lil to hit her stride (crisis is fine, its the normal bits Im not too good at!) Putting on my, woohoo Im a savvy traveller hat, I find I have missed my flight and yes, I should be able to get the next flight in two hours time, I just need to join that queue for the ticket office. Which queue? That queue? The one that snakes all around the airport and has over 400 people lined up in it? Oh yes - welcome to Stansted Airport at Christmas!
So with my savvy traveller hat on, whereby somehow I always manage to accquire the divine art of patience (how come i never get it in my daily life??) I quite happily join the queue and bemusedly watch the live show of "airport madness".
My travelling optimism lasts up until the moment I find out I cant get on the next flight and there are no more available flights to Germany (and thats anywhere in Germany) until Boxing Day. Its only when I ring Sonja to tell her that the tears flow. Still, I have spent the last six hours watching other people in the same boat, and realise I probably wont be the only person in London spending Christmas day on my own!
So, its back on the train and back to my little loft. That little excercise cost me £35 in train and bus fares! Oh yay, I say wearily to myself - I AM living the London life.
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1 comment:
Hey Lilliput!
I missed my flight out to Vietnam as well, after a farewell drinks at the local, and being put at the end of a line that was checking in at least 18 other flights. Bugger. That was two nights at an airport hotel. You're not the only one.
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