I would class myself as a pretty frequent flyer, my shortest flight being from Orkney to Shetland and longest all the way to New Zealand via Dubai.
Today I am nearly doing 4 hours 20 to Kos…it is actually only 3 hours 45, but by giving the extra time,it allows for delays etc. Consequently, due to air traffic control issues we were 90 minutes late setting off, but only 1 hour late.
Arriving in Jet Parks 3 to drop the car off, we follow a bus in…’ Quick let’s find a space and get to the nearest busstop to catch this bus…”
Unbelievably there was a space after only 2 minutes of looking. Jump out and race to busstop 106 to catch the bus. Almost 10 minutes later it appears and we hop on. It is standing room only, being the last stop in the carpark.
There comes this moment. ‘ Excuse me, would you like my daughter’s seat?’
Do I really look that old and in need? Very kind, but I politely refuse and continue to be thrown about hanging off the dangly hand grips up high.
Next moment – working the bag drop machines. Had to have help as our boarding passes didn’t like the zappy machine. Still it was managed quite easily with a Jet2 lady who was happy to help.
Next moment – security, always a lottery, do you turn the corner to find 5000 people ahead of you? Or…amazingly only half a dozen or so? Thankfully the latter. Straight through for once, no being dragged off to be patted down. A family infront of us ( parents and 2 kids in matching beige tracksuits) decided to try to repack their belongings on the conveyor belt, causing everything to come to a standstill.
Next stop – the bar for a drink. This is a bit of a mystery to me, why do you need to order through a QR code on a hard to deliver menu, when you could just easily go to the bar? Food order time was only 15 minutes apparently, ( better than 23 minutes 2 weeks ago)
So our portion of chips ( about 12 of them) arrived in 7 minutes and our ciders arrived in 12. Next to us were 2 extremely drunk lads with many empty pint glasses on their table, shouting rubbish across at each other. We decided quite confidently they wouldn’t be on our flight. One of them asked me to shuffle his newly bought cards as he couldn’t do them.
Having received the email to inform us we were 20 mins delayed, we toyed with the idea of another drink, but decided to wait until the plane. Moving on to the gate, we only had to wait a short while before being allowed on the plane. However once on and strapped up, they informed us that, due to air traffic control issues we would be sitting on the ground for at least an hour – and we were. To make matters worse Dave in his wisdom loves the extra legroom seats, usually there is some form of a window, however this was just the door with no window. I hate not being able to see out. Brilliant leg room though. We, or Dave, has paid extra for this.
We obviously can’t have our stuff for take off and landing as we would obstruct procedures, but the spaces above us are full of oxygen and the crew’s bags. We did spot a tub of porridge, some grapes, a tin of tuna and can of pop coming out of there, they obviously know how good the food on board is!!
We noticed the small child from hell, aged 3ish at the gate, screaming and creating, so naturally, of course, they were sitting directly behind us. He screamed for the hour waiting to fly unless he was playing drums on the back of my chair. Thankfully, 20 minutes into the flight, he fell asleep.
We had a family of 3 small children crawling/ running up and down the aisles, stopping and grinning at us, as we had the gap, having the extra legroom. The poor mum walked miles!
The couple infront of us on the 2 seats, not 3, could possibly be in training for the next series of the Traitors…both in black hoodies with hoods up, until I spotted they were watching Muana, maybe not!
The couple opposite us, having had their preordered cardboard meal, devoured a bag of Starburst ( Opal Fruits to me and you) all laid out on their table.
All the green ones first, very odd. Then random, unwrap, stick in mouth whilst unwrapping the next. Nowt as queer as folk!!
Whilst of course, we are completely normal, enjoying out g and t’s and whisky and cokes, eating our butties made at home, pringles and mint aero bubbles.
I have read 75 pages and Dave has listened to who knows how many tunes on Tony Blackburn’s Sounds of the 70s.
After landing, our cases arrived in 10 minutes. We found our taxi , a bit of a party bus for us, at €35. Had it been daytime and not 00.15 the bus was €3 each, but it is what it is.
Now at the bar next door, 2 beers then beddiebybobos.
Rambling With Ruthie 