I'm going to Canada next Friday. Toronto, to be precise. It has kind of crept up on me so I am now in a flurry of excitement about it. Only stopping for 48 hours. I'm actually doing work a favour! I have to be in Ohio, at the mothership,the following week and by flying via Toronto, and staying a Saturday night, I'm saving the company 500 quid! I'm staying with friends (saving more money)...who I haven't seen for about 15 months, and a trip to Niagara Falls has been mentioned..so we are all winners!
Anyway, I fly into Lester B Pearson Airport, and being a bit of a geek I thought I should find out who he was to have an airport named after him. Well, if you didn't already know (I bet Kevin did....) he was the 14th prime minister of Canada, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Now I know we might feel that they are giving those away with cornflakes at the mo (oooo...political satire...)but he got his for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis. He did lots of other worthy stuff too, but true to form this is what actually caught my eye in the wikipedia entry...". In 1917, Pearson transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (as the Royal Canadian Air Force did not exist at that time), where he served as a Flying Officer until being sent home with injuries from two accidents; while training as a pilot at an air training school in Hendon, England, Pearson survived an airplane crash during his first flight. Unfortunately, in 1918, he was hit by a London bus during a blackout and was sent home as an invalid to recuperate and then discharged from the service..." Bless!
On a slightly sentimental note I shall take the opportunity to pay tribute to my lovely friends in Canada - kate & chris. Fifteen years ago this very month I went through a particular difficult time - my first marriage broke up - and without them and my other extremely lovely friends Jenny & Richard I could not have got through it and come out the other side.....thanks to them I have extremely happy memories of two drunken and slightly deranged years in my little bachelorette pad in Sale.
Showing posts with label airports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label airports. Show all posts
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Where do you go to, my lovely?
Sorry, I've been a bit busy....but I'm back now.
I'm off to Munich tomorrow at some ungodly hour, if I make it. I tried the same trip two weeks ago, but the plane had a technical fault, and as I prefer to fly from a regional airport via Schipol, the delay meant I had to abandon the whole thing, which was a bit of a bugger as I'd been up since 4.15am. Anyway, I try again tomorrow, and am looking forward to a meal of very fatty pork, a couple of wheat beers and an early night tomorrow evening. That to me is Germany - well, Bavaria anyway. At the hairdresser's yesterday the junior washing my hair, after failing to get the hint that I have a very uninteresting life,and what's more i am probably older than her mother, after my answer to her enquiry about my weekend plans (taking my daughter to two birthday parties and doing the ironing) persevered with "and any plans for the week?". "Yes, I'm going to Germany" "Oh Germany" she responded gaily, "what's that like?". I muttered something about the place I was going to be very nice thanks, but really....what am I supposed to say to such an inane question? Answers on a postcard.....
Anyway, I've just checked in online, and should this flight actually take off, I've discovered that i'm flying business class tomorrow. Not at all a usual occurence I promise you.(don't worry Kev, that's not where Helminthdale's subscriptions go!) But certainly a treat as breakfast will consist of more than the cup of crap tea and packet of TUC biscuits that we are usually served with at all times of the day in pig class.
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet!
I'm off to Munich tomorrow at some ungodly hour, if I make it. I tried the same trip two weeks ago, but the plane had a technical fault, and as I prefer to fly from a regional airport via Schipol, the delay meant I had to abandon the whole thing, which was a bit of a bugger as I'd been up since 4.15am. Anyway, I try again tomorrow, and am looking forward to a meal of very fatty pork, a couple of wheat beers and an early night tomorrow evening. That to me is Germany - well, Bavaria anyway. At the hairdresser's yesterday the junior washing my hair, after failing to get the hint that I have a very uninteresting life,and what's more i am probably older than her mother, after my answer to her enquiry about my weekend plans (taking my daughter to two birthday parties and doing the ironing) persevered with "and any plans for the week?". "Yes, I'm going to Germany" "Oh Germany" she responded gaily, "what's that like?". I muttered something about the place I was going to be very nice thanks, but really....what am I supposed to say to such an inane question? Answers on a postcard.....
Anyway, I've just checked in online, and should this flight actually take off, I've discovered that i'm flying business class tomorrow. Not at all a usual occurence I promise you.(don't worry Kev, that's not where Helminthdale's subscriptions go!) But certainly a treat as breakfast will consist of more than the cup of crap tea and packet of TUC biscuits that we are usually served with at all times of the day in pig class.
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ain't no mountain high enough
I'm here..I'm back...got back from Salt Lake City about a week ago, and straight into school hols. Oh, and the obligatory jet lag. When I'm wide awake at 4am, listening to the husband snoring like a stuck pig, I write the most witty blog posts in my head. Unfortunately they have disappeared by the time I finally wake up. So, sadly, y'all just get a few photos and a rather dull recap of what I did in Utah.
View of mountains as we flew in to SLC.
The SLC Temple and snow.
In the Family History Library - one of my Irish relatives - fourth from bottom.
And just for Kevin - a picture of the clean sidewalks!
I was actually on a work trip, but there aren't any pictures of those activities. Maybe a picture of me not understanding the functional specification my colleague was proposing, or me punching the air when the customer said" sure - go ahead and invoice us" would have been more exciting?
Friday, February 06, 2009
The Lebanon
[Yes - that is a song title - Human League]
Anyway, well done to the lovely Ms.SB and to dear old Kevin - you were very close with your guesses as to my work destination last week - what with the temperature up in the high teens, the haunting sound of the call to prayer, and the bullet holes in the walls of most public buildings, I could easily have been in Hastings or Cleethorpes. But I was, in fact, in Beirut. It was jolly nice too....I'm always partial to a trip to that neck of the woods. Gorgeous scenery, lovely people and fab food. Except for the pickled turnip, served at lunch and dinner. Sharn't miss that.
Eeee..it's all glamour my life. Next week, it's Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham. The trip to Swindon got cancelled, which is just as well, because I don't think I could stand the excitement.
Anyway, well done to the lovely Ms.SB and to dear old Kevin - you were very close with your guesses as to my work destination last week - what with the temperature up in the high teens, the haunting sound of the call to prayer, and the bullet holes in the walls of most public buildings, I could easily have been in Hastings or Cleethorpes. But I was, in fact, in Beirut. It was jolly nice too....I'm always partial to a trip to that neck of the woods. Gorgeous scenery, lovely people and fab food. Except for the pickled turnip, served at lunch and dinner. Sharn't miss that.
Eeee..it's all glamour my life. Next week, it's Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham. The trip to Swindon got cancelled, which is just as well, because I don't think I could stand the excitement.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Where do you go to my lovely....?
See if can guess where I'm going this week (for work) based on this: [KEVIN - you can't play!]
An independent republic since 1943, ?? is a compact country of 10,452 square kilometers with a population approaching four million. Located at the meeting point of three continents. In winter, the high peaks are covered with snow, and in summer, their limestone slopes glimmer white in the distance.
From the hotel the sea is just a short walk away as are the shopping areas.
An independent republic since 1943, ?? is a compact country of 10,452 square kilometers with a population approaching four million. Located at the meeting point of three continents. In winter, the high peaks are covered with snow, and in summer, their limestone slopes glimmer white in the distance.
From the hotel the sea is just a short walk away as are the shopping areas.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Leaving on a jetplane..
or not. Stuck at Schiphol this time, waiting on a 9pm flight home, now scheduled to leave at 11.00pm. Never mind. Just enjoyed burger 'n' chips and two LARGE glasses of wine in the Irish pub with a colleague, so everything has a bit of a fuzzy glow to it! Off to spend money I haven't got on perfume I don't need.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Jake the Peg
(Taking the lead from Kate, I am trying to continue my occasional theme of using song titles for my postings....we'll see how it goes)
So, the following morning my knee is swollen to the size..well, of a very swollen thing, and I can't put any weight on my leg. Having had practice when I knackered my knee last time I still manage to get a shower. Well, my hair was a mess and I wiffed of wine (see previous posting).
Luckily the time difference meant I could get travel insurance details from work, and was able to contact our *people* who told me which hospital to go to. It was called "Clinica Biblica" - yep that's Biblical Clinic. Conjures up some bizarre images, doesn't it. Anyway, the nice man in Urgencia (that's Emergency to you and me) got my x-rayed, and confirmed nothing was broken or dislocated, merely (!) strained. Basically I had damaged all the ligaments. And then he put me in plaster from thigh to ankle.....blue plaster!
Said I should keep it on for three weeks, and sent me off with my x-rays as a souvenir. OK - so then I ask the travel company to send me home, which was the point I discovered that you aren't allowed to fly in plaster, and would I mind staying in Costa Rica for three weeks!
So then the hunt begins for hospital who can fit me with a leg brace......more than 24 hours later, by which time I am gettting heartiliy sick of room service and costa rican TV, I am told to report to......Clinica Biblica. Actually, this time I am seeing the orthopedic specialist, who turns out to be a charming Colombian, who removes the plaster with one of those scary electric saw things, then announces I am fit to carry on my travels to Colombia (I think he was biased), but he writes me a note to say I must travel business class...heh heh heh! He also gives me a prescription which includes three injections that I have to administer to myself....injections...that is syringes....with needles!
Anyway, I did go to Colombia (business class), and it was lovely. What a beautiful country! And I discovered the way to jump all the queues at airports.....get wheelchair asistance! oh, except in America. That is still as crap as ever. They even make you get out of your wheelchair to go through the security thingie. Fine for me, but there were some proper disabled people....and they were the airport's own bloody wheelchairs.
So, I'm back now...obviously...still limping and a bit stiff in the knee area. Going to the hospital next week. Good old NHS. Back in this country 5 weeks after a serious knee injury, and have to wait all that time to check I haven't actually done any lasting damage to myself. What do you want to bet I have to wait anothr 5 weeks for the MRI?
So, the following morning my knee is swollen to the size..well, of a very swollen thing, and I can't put any weight on my leg. Having had practice when I knackered my knee last time I still manage to get a shower. Well, my hair was a mess and I wiffed of wine (see previous posting).
Luckily the time difference meant I could get travel insurance details from work, and was able to contact our *people* who told me which hospital to go to. It was called "Clinica Biblica" - yep that's Biblical Clinic. Conjures up some bizarre images, doesn't it. Anyway, the nice man in Urgencia (that's Emergency to you and me) got my x-rayed, and confirmed nothing was broken or dislocated, merely (!) strained. Basically I had damaged all the ligaments. And then he put me in plaster from thigh to ankle.....blue plaster!
Said I should keep it on for three weeks, and sent me off with my x-rays as a souvenir. OK - so then I ask the travel company to send me home, which was the point I discovered that you aren't allowed to fly in plaster, and would I mind staying in Costa Rica for three weeks!
So then the hunt begins for hospital who can fit me with a leg brace......more than 24 hours later, by which time I am gettting heartiliy sick of room service and costa rican TV, I am told to report to......Clinica Biblica. Actually, this time I am seeing the orthopedic specialist, who turns out to be a charming Colombian, who removes the plaster with one of those scary electric saw things, then announces I am fit to carry on my travels to Colombia (I think he was biased), but he writes me a note to say I must travel business class...heh heh heh! He also gives me a prescription which includes three injections that I have to administer to myself....injections...that is syringes....with needles!
Anyway, I did go to Colombia (business class), and it was lovely. What a beautiful country! And I discovered the way to jump all the queues at airports.....get wheelchair asistance! oh, except in America. That is still as crap as ever. They even make you get out of your wheelchair to go through the security thingie. Fine for me, but there were some proper disabled people....and they were the airport's own bloody wheelchairs.
So, I'm back now...obviously...still limping and a bit stiff in the knee area. Going to the hospital next week. Good old NHS. Back in this country 5 weeks after a serious knee injury, and have to wait all that time to check I haven't actually done any lasting damage to myself. What do you want to bet I have to wait anothr 5 weeks for the MRI?
Friday, April 18, 2008
Just for you, Kate!
And because I happen to have an hour or so to kill in the BUSINESS lounge at Atlanta Airport.
OK...so....I had to go to Central and South America for a couple of weeks. We have abunch of customers out there who are way overdue a visit. Plus, my new company has a division to manage the whle region, so we are working on some other stuff too.
Meeting in Costa Rica, then a 10+ day tour of Colombia. Got to admit, was not madly keen on the Colombia bit, but hey ho..it's a job...it pays the bills (just).
Anyway..I shoulda known it was going to be a bad trip when I split wine over myself at the beginning of an 11 hour flight. Then I managed to break my watch trying to adjust the time. When I finally arrived in Costa Rica my colleague was nowhere to be seen. My flight was an hour late...but even so....Turned out he had emailed me instructions, but as he has a Blackberry and I DON'T (that's another story) I was left at San Jose airport, not speaking the old lingo, and fending off eager taxi drivers to the best of my ability.
Anyway...eventually rolled up at the very nice Marriott San Jose. It's about 10.30pm by now. And then, about approximately 11pm, I trip over my laptop case, go down lack a sack o' potatoes....and an excrutiating pain in my knee. Who remembers my fateful pregnancy, and my dislocated knee at 6 months? Well, this is very similar! I am freaked, but realisingly it's not actually dislocated this time, I decide to go to bed (well, i'd been traveling for 24 hours plus at this stage), hoping it would all be fine in the morning.
What do you think? All better? No need to call the travel insurance company? WRONG!
And.....that's part 1, Kate. Tune in next week for more tales of our intrepid heroine as she intrepidly continues her travels against alal odds, and has to give herself injections...yes, injections...with a needle.
OK...so....I had to go to Central and South America for a couple of weeks. We have abunch of customers out there who are way overdue a visit. Plus, my new company has a division to manage the whle region, so we are working on some other stuff too.
Meeting in Costa Rica, then a 10+ day tour of Colombia. Got to admit, was not madly keen on the Colombia bit, but hey ho..it's a job...it pays the bills (just).
Anyway..I shoulda known it was going to be a bad trip when I split wine over myself at the beginning of an 11 hour flight. Then I managed to break my watch trying to adjust the time. When I finally arrived in Costa Rica my colleague was nowhere to be seen. My flight was an hour late...but even so....Turned out he had emailed me instructions, but as he has a Blackberry and I DON'T (that's another story) I was left at San Jose airport, not speaking the old lingo, and fending off eager taxi drivers to the best of my ability.
Anyway...eventually rolled up at the very nice Marriott San Jose. It's about 10.30pm by now. And then, about approximately 11pm, I trip over my laptop case, go down lack a sack o' potatoes....and an excrutiating pain in my knee. Who remembers my fateful pregnancy, and my dislocated knee at 6 months? Well, this is very similar! I am freaked, but realisingly it's not actually dislocated this time, I decide to go to bed (well, i'd been traveling for 24 hours plus at this stage), hoping it would all be fine in the morning.
What do you think? All better? No need to call the travel insurance company? WRONG!
And.....that's part 1, Kate. Tune in next week for more tales of our intrepid heroine as she intrepidly continues her travels against alal odds, and has to give herself injections...yes, injections...with a needle.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
A taster....
Soon to come...a tale of woe in Costa Rica....highlights include a critique of the Costa Rican health care system....experiences in a plaster cast.....and how to jump the queue at airport scurity!! Those of you who read my facebook page as well as my blog have a head start....
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Let it snow, let it snow....
Coloumbus, Ohio, has had the biggest snow fall since 1910 this weekend. Guess where I fly to tomorrow?
Monday, March 03, 2008
Blogging on the go......
Or blogging at a complete standstill. I am at Leeds Bradford airport, where my flight to Amsterdam is delayed by 1 hour 40 minutes. For a flight that takes less than an hour flight time how does that work? And why did they only tell us 20 minutes before boarding? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.....very frustrated. Can you tell? At least I don't have a connection to make. Imagine how mad I'd be then!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
All work and no play
<
And this is a view of Chicago, in the snow, from the plane, as I head off to visit the mothership in Ohio.
And, yes, this was all in January. I have convinced myself that laura doesn't suffer from all this travelling I do. She doesn't *appear* to care, so long as she gets a present. My sanity on the other hand.......well, that's another post!
...makes Jack a bad tempered old witch, if he is anything like me.
I just checked back in the blog, and I don't appear to have mentioned that I got a new job. Now, that's not as radical or life changing as it might sound. I still work for the same organisation that I have worked for since 1996.....I just got offered (and accepted) a different role in the organisation. Actually...that should read "additional" role. As is typical with my employer I am actually doing two jobs, same money, same hours, etc etc etc! (stay with me...there's a point to this...) So, as well as a management role in Sales, I am now a Product Manager. It's actually a great job, but involves a lot more travelling. So, below, courtesy of the new, tiny (and gloriously pink) camera Peter got me for christmas, are pictures from my travels in January:
This is the train station at Frankfurt airport.
This is to show that I did actually get outside the convention center in Philadelphia.
I just checked back in the blog, and I don't appear to have mentioned that I got a new job. Now, that's not as radical or life changing as it might sound. I still work for the same organisation that I have worked for since 1996.....I just got offered (and accepted) a different role in the organisation. Actually...that should read "additional" role. As is typical with my employer I am actually doing two jobs, same money, same hours, etc etc etc! (stay with me...there's a point to this...) So, as well as a management role in Sales, I am now a Product Manager. It's actually a great job, but involves a lot more travelling. So, below, courtesy of the new, tiny (and gloriously pink) camera Peter got me for christmas, are pictures from my travels in January:
This is the train station at Frankfurt airport.
This is to show that I did actually get outside the convention center in Philadelphia.
And this is a view of Chicago, in the snow, from the plane, as I head off to visit the mothership in Ohio.
And, yes, this was all in January. I have convinced myself that laura doesn't suffer from all this travelling I do. She doesn't *appear* to care, so long as she gets a present. My sanity on the other hand.......well, that's another post!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Viva Espana
We've been back from Mallorca just over a week, and already it seems like a lifetime ago. What a wonderful holiday. We (Laura and me) were guests of Sarah, Thomas and Harry, along with Heather, Sue and Lisa.
Pictures (all 116 of 'em) can be found here.
Actually, I have to confess, it did almost turn into the holiday from hell. It started when we rolled up at the airport. Auntie Sue was travelling with us. We joined the Jet2.com queue...at which point I discovered I'd left the passports, tickets and money at home. Cue meltdown. Peter had to drive back to Harroagte...Mum was dispatched to our house to collect said items, and meet him en route. He got back to the airport with about 5 minutes to spare. A sterling effort.
Palma Airport was actually fairly quiet. However, the bags still took forever to arrive. Sue went to queue for the hire car. There were maybe 5 people in front of her. Not to worry...we had to wait for the rest of the gang to arrive on the Manchester flight...which they duely did. Sue still in queue for car. Sarah joins Sue while we wait for their bags. Sue and Sarah still in queue for car. Nearly two hours later (yes..I'l say it again....2 hours) we get our cars. Nightmare. Do not ever ever book with Record.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Let head off to the villa. Except....despite having booked a Belingo, Sue is issued with a Citroen Crappo (?)....7 seats (!)...automatic...no handbreak....left hand drive. Even the girl in the office couldn't work out how to drive it so she replaced it with a ..Berlingo.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Let's just fill up the tank and go....except we only saw the sign for the petrol station as we drove past it and headed onto the motorway. Short detour and we're back at the petrol station.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Sue gets the hang of driving on the WRONG side of the road. Doing a stonking job. Until, the car in front takes an exit off the motorway, oh...then changes his mind and shoots back onto the main carriageway. Sue breaks, and the ABS kicks in. We are swerving across two lanes...and I am using some charming anglo-saxon to express my dissatisfaction with aforementioned useless driver. I am now just waiting with horror for Laura to come out with the same expression!
Not to worry. Can't get any worse (are you getting the hang of this?) Sarah unlocks door to villa, switches off alarm...or at least tries...but had the code slightly wrong.....we have visions of the police swarming up any minute......
Luckily, it didn't get any worse.....it was a fabulous trip...lovely house, wonderful company, glorious weather, didn't want to come home.
Almost didn't come home! Got to airport on Friday.....departures board....18.25 to LBA CANCELLED. Luckily, after a few heart-stopping minutes....it turned out to be a mistake. Soemthing to do with an early problem with a Newcastle flight.
Roll on May 2008, when the Pushchair Posse regroup!
Pictures (all 116 of 'em) can be found here.
Actually, I have to confess, it did almost turn into the holiday from hell. It started when we rolled up at the airport. Auntie Sue was travelling with us. We joined the Jet2.com queue...at which point I discovered I'd left the passports, tickets and money at home. Cue meltdown. Peter had to drive back to Harroagte...Mum was dispatched to our house to collect said items, and meet him en route. He got back to the airport with about 5 minutes to spare. A sterling effort.
Palma Airport was actually fairly quiet. However, the bags still took forever to arrive. Sue went to queue for the hire car. There were maybe 5 people in front of her. Not to worry...we had to wait for the rest of the gang to arrive on the Manchester flight...which they duely did. Sue still in queue for car. Sarah joins Sue while we wait for their bags. Sue and Sarah still in queue for car. Nearly two hours later (yes..I'l say it again....2 hours) we get our cars. Nightmare. Do not ever ever book with Record.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Let head off to the villa. Except....despite having booked a Belingo, Sue is issued with a Citroen Crappo (?)....7 seats (!)...automatic...no handbreak....left hand drive. Even the girl in the office couldn't work out how to drive it so she replaced it with a ..Berlingo.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Let's just fill up the tank and go....except we only saw the sign for the petrol station as we drove past it and headed onto the motorway. Short detour and we're back at the petrol station.
Not to worry. Can't get any worse. Sue gets the hang of driving on the WRONG side of the road. Doing a stonking job. Until, the car in front takes an exit off the motorway, oh...then changes his mind and shoots back onto the main carriageway. Sue breaks, and the ABS kicks in. We are swerving across two lanes...and I am using some charming anglo-saxon to express my dissatisfaction with aforementioned useless driver. I am now just waiting with horror for Laura to come out with the same expression!
Not to worry. Can't get any worse (are you getting the hang of this?) Sarah unlocks door to villa, switches off alarm...or at least tries...but had the code slightly wrong.....we have visions of the police swarming up any minute......
Luckily, it didn't get any worse.....it was a fabulous trip...lovely house, wonderful company, glorious weather, didn't want to come home.
Almost didn't come home! Got to airport on Friday.....departures board....18.25 to LBA CANCELLED. Luckily, after a few heart-stopping minutes....it turned out to be a mistake. Soemthing to do with an early problem with a Newcastle flight.
Roll on May 2008, when the Pushchair Posse regroup!
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