A Well Earned Break....
I'm really happy...or maybe its relief.... actually, its probably both, which is why i cant pinpoint my feelings exactly.... i'm finally done with work, and while i had to release my 2 weeks of leave in early dec, but at least i was able to keep my leave in the last 2 weeks of dec, and able to see my friends in london and join my family for a tour around southern spain.... aah, life is good again....
and so today, i sit in london....i'm quite a lousy traveller, and so i absolutely detest long haul flights, which was what i had to endure to arrive in london.... i flew in via amsterdam on a KLM flight with a code sharing arrangement with MAS.....
for the 1st time, i noted that people didnt get out of their seats as we landed on the runway and taxied onto the airport terminal in amsterdam.... people dutifully waited till the seatbelt signs were turned off, just as they announced over the PA system!!! unlike my experience during flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Dhaka and KL.... and there was no rush to get off the plane either,so it was quite a chilled time...i suppose people were still groggy, being 6am and all.....
amsterdam airport is huge!!! and there's sooo much shopping to do.... yes yes, i dont usually indulge in such vices, but i was quite bored.....it was a pity that all the airport phamplets related to the shops were all in Dutch, so i couldnt make any sense out of it..... nevertheless, a lot of walking around and 2 cds later, i discovered that the airport actually had an art museum.... such a cultured place.... not that i could see what was on display as it would only open 3 hours later, by which i would have arrived in london by then..... then there's also a casino for people to spend their time, not to mention their money.....
the measures in place for air travel though is much stricter than anything i'm used to..... they distributed clear plastic bags for storage of any liquid items, such as gel, and toothpaste... didnt realise the gwailos were so hygienic :) so it was good to see airport staff posted all over the airport to explain the new regulations (well,they're not so new anymore) to ignorant air travellers such as yours truly..... but in the end, i didnt have any problems getting on the plane.....
what i observed in heathrow airport in london also surprised me.... and it wasnt a pleasant surprise either....there were long queeus for people entering their departure gates, due to the manual checks of ALL hand luggage.... the waiting time is bad enough, but i cant say i appreciate strangers rummaging through my belongings..... but i guess we just have to live with the times.... its something the brits have to put up with due to their government's foreign policy..... anyways, i have to take note of this as to not be late for my plane when i leave london for madrid a few days from now.....
but its all good, i'm just happy to finally be in london.... arriving in london, i had friends to meet, sights to see (stuff that i never did while i was still a student in UK, ironically enough)..... i'm sure i'm going to be in for a good time.....
and so today, i sit in london....i'm quite a lousy traveller, and so i absolutely detest long haul flights, which was what i had to endure to arrive in london.... i flew in via amsterdam on a KLM flight with a code sharing arrangement with MAS.....
for the 1st time, i noted that people didnt get out of their seats as we landed on the runway and taxied onto the airport terminal in amsterdam.... people dutifully waited till the seatbelt signs were turned off, just as they announced over the PA system!!! unlike my experience during flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Dhaka and KL.... and there was no rush to get off the plane either,so it was quite a chilled time...i suppose people were still groggy, being 6am and all.....
amsterdam airport is huge!!! and there's sooo much shopping to do.... yes yes, i dont usually indulge in such vices, but i was quite bored.....it was a pity that all the airport phamplets related to the shops were all in Dutch, so i couldnt make any sense out of it..... nevertheless, a lot of walking around and 2 cds later, i discovered that the airport actually had an art museum.... such a cultured place.... not that i could see what was on display as it would only open 3 hours later, by which i would have arrived in london by then..... then there's also a casino for people to spend their time, not to mention their money.....
the measures in place for air travel though is much stricter than anything i'm used to..... they distributed clear plastic bags for storage of any liquid items, such as gel, and toothpaste... didnt realise the gwailos were so hygienic :) so it was good to see airport staff posted all over the airport to explain the new regulations (well,they're not so new anymore) to ignorant air travellers such as yours truly..... but in the end, i didnt have any problems getting on the plane.....
what i observed in heathrow airport in london also surprised me.... and it wasnt a pleasant surprise either....there were long queeus for people entering their departure gates, due to the manual checks of ALL hand luggage.... the waiting time is bad enough, but i cant say i appreciate strangers rummaging through my belongings..... but i guess we just have to live with the times.... its something the brits have to put up with due to their government's foreign policy..... anyways, i have to take note of this as to not be late for my plane when i leave london for madrid a few days from now.....
but its all good, i'm just happy to finally be in london.... arriving in london, i had friends to meet, sights to see (stuff that i never did while i was still a student in UK, ironically enough)..... i'm sure i'm going to be in for a good time.....
posted by zufar | 5:24 AM
2 Comments:
I hope you had a great time in London despite the fact that you were one of the 40,000 travellers who were affected by the fog!
Why yes I did, there are many worse places idont want to be in that i can think of to get stuck in...
and the company that i had in london made the trip all worthwhile :D
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