Off to a flying start... NOT
Trip Start
Apr 10, 2006
1
4
47
Trip End
Jul 24, 2006
London,
United Kingdom
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
A few years back I became an International Commuter, living in Spain but working in London, usually catching an early morning flight on a Monday and returning Friday Evening. In a 14 month period and taking some 100 flights, I actually only missed 1 and had got checking in pretty much down to a fine art. So here I am about to start my round the world trip with some 24 flights ahead of me, and yes you've guessed it; I MISSED my first flight. I actually got to Valencia Airport 35 minutes before the flight, Ryan air (who I've only ever flown with once before) close 40 minutes before departure not 30. Lesson number 1, read the ticket info!
No other flights were departing for London from Valencia, so it meant a 2hr jaunt down to Alicante
London Hotel Room
. With no chance of making my connection from Heathrow to Cairo, some phoning was needed to transfer bookings and alter schedules in Egypt. British Airways thankfully re-scheduled me and at no additional charge - well done BA. Checking on flights from Alicante, British Midland wanted a staggering 580 euros which I declined, and things were looking bleak. Then Dave from a travel shop revealed he had some tickets via a holiday company, and 90 euros later I was booked in on a 9.00pm flight to East Midlands Airport which is some 2.5 hours from London.On arrival I hired a car from the airport, and drove to London - one of the things that determined a move to Spain originally was the ridiculous congestion faced on British roads, so imagine my despair when at 1.30 in the morning I ground to halt in a traffic jam on the M1 motorway - I eventually got to bed in a London Hotel at 3.00am. Quite a day, but a big thank you to Judy for ferrying me around and Marc my business partner for getting on the internet to find alternative flights.
