Came back from my short stay in Jersey. Raining like the dickens there but the plane actually left a few minutes early then arrived 10 minutes early. nothing like a strong tail wind to get you places. That was the last of my getting anywhere fast today.
Flew into Gatwick so I'm looking for the shuttle bus I had used out of Heathrow. Airport information tells me that they don't have a counter in Gatwick and I should have set it up ahead of time for a pick up. Gosh, would have been nice if the shuttle had also told me that.
Ok, here are my options now, go into London by either train or bus to somewhere I don't know because I am not sure where the hotel is located and hope to find a taxi in the pouring rain to take me to the hotel.
OR, take a taxi which when inquired, was told with glee that it would be 93.50 pounds, that's about $160. wow, shades of Tokoyo!
OR go to Heathrow and find the shuttle there and get them to take me to the hotel.
Sometimes I don't always make the best choice so thought I would go by the tube but I really didn't want to walk in the rain and I have tried to get taxis when it's raining before and they disappear. Went back in the terminal to get some dinner at the Marks and Spencer Simply Food because I knew I wouldn't be going out to dinner and probably wouldn't be there in time to eat at the hotel. In retrospect, I should have done the underground.
My next step was getting a ticket to the Express bus that goes to Heathrow. I know from experience that this bus takes an hour. That's an hour driving time. It doesn't include the fiddling around time while the driver and helper stand around waiting for people to show NOR does it include the 20 to 30 minutes it takes to drive from one terminal to another as they wait for more people to book the bus. But finally, we are away. I had arrived at Gatwick around 6:25 p.m. and it is now after 8 p.m. but hey, the adventure is not over.
We get to Heathrow and the driver goes to terminal 5 first. Only 2 people get off which upsets the helper no end because he had it that 3 people were supposed to get off so he runs around checking with everyone where they are going because dang it, the bus is not going to leave if someone hasn't gotten off! 20 minutes later, they decide no one else is coming to board and no one else is willingly getting off so we go to the other terminals. I'm hoping that they will go to terminal 3 which is where I can find the shuttle. I had forgotten that they just go to a bus terminal for the other airline terminals and now I have about a mile to walk just to get out of the bus area and into the plane area.
There's my shuttle counter and someone is still working Yippee. But wait, she has to call and see if they can take me to the hotel because it's late and they're full. no, they're not, they can take me. I try to make arrangements to be picked up tomorrow to come back to the airport and am told it's too late that the roster has already been printed. great, taxi back to Heathrow is gonna cost me. I'm not doing the subway with 2 suitcases. been there, done that. But wait again! This nice lady calls and asks to put me on and they agree. So I have a ride back to the airport.
Now it's sit and wait again. Finally, another 20 minutes gone by and the driver comes. there are only 5 of us on board. not too bad, don't know why there was a question as to whether he could take me or not.
My tuna salad is starting to make itself known!
We leave and blast if he doesnt' drive another 20 minutes to another terminal to pick up one more passenger. I'm sure that passenger was grateful but I wanted to be out of airports and back at my hotel. I would like to get some sleep tonight and I still have to totally repack my suitcases so I can leave one behind as it's 10 British Pounds PER KILO for overweight luggage. again with the cheap tickets means I am only allowed 20 kgs.
Eventually we leave the airport and head into London. I am the second stop. He drops the first lady in Kensington and as he gets back on the bus, he says, Is someone sick? there is an odd smell. Ah Oh, it's my tuna salad which has now been out of the refrigerator for 2 hours plus. He asks if I want him to throw it away. well really, if you guys hadn't putzed around so much at the airport, it wouldn't smell yet. but it was a nice offer.
Luckily I am the second one to be dropped off so I walk into my hotel only 5 1/2 hours after landing. geez. travel is so much fun, yes.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment