Wednesday 17 October 2012

The Sewing Summit Diaries... Part 1

Whew, the staff have FINALLY pulled their finger out and started typing up my grand adventures.  It was quite the ordeal, and I really needed to share it with you all, but apparently she was tired...

Anywho, the trip did not start well.  Arriving at Edinburgh airport we discovered that the plane was going to be 1 1/2 hours late.  This did not amuse either of us for several reasons:

  1. We'd got up at 3:15 am to get to the airport, having not really slept the night before (Ahem, we? - LT) Yes, 'we', you disturbed me (From 2 rooms away? - LT)  YES!
  2. There was only a 2 hour changeover in Paris based on the original flight time, it was now down to 30 mins, and in fact they were telling all of us with connections that we wouldn't make our flight, but, you know, there were other flights later that day, later that week... (and in a couple of cases, no other flights, tough luck, we offloaded your cases! - LT)
  3. The breakfast options were bad.  We managed to get a yoghurt parfait, and a This Water, and then waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Did I mention the waiting?


Eventually we made it onto the plane, and the very nice pilot tried his best to fly as fast as he could to get us there with as little delay as possible, so by the time we landed there was 25 minutes to make it to the flight.  Could we do it?  Well, we could if we ran as fast as our little legs would carry us (OUR legs? - LT) Details...

First we ran off the plane to the bus.  Then we waited FOREVER, while ever member of the crew got off, chatted to their mates doing the next flight and sauntered over to the bus.  Then we were driven round half of Paris to get from the runway to the inbound gate.  After that we ran up the stairs, saw that our flight was boarding, and there was still a chance we could make it, then we ran down a long corridor, and then we ran through security.  Well, we ran through security right up until they found the half of that This Water that we hadn't consumed in Edinburgh in LT's bag...  They excruciatingly slowly (and deliberately - LT) extracted the bottle from the bag, made a great point of showing it to us, and then handed over the bag.  So we ran and ran and thought the gate would be down a corridor just round the corner, except that's where we found the train.

Train?  I hear you cry.  Yes, train.  We had 2 stops to do on the train and the minutes were going by agonisingly slowly waiting for it to go, then for it to stop at the first gate letter section, and then to get to our gate letter section.  And that's when we discovered that it was the furthest away gate from the train that you could get...  So we ran and ran and ran and made it to the plane before it took off - phew!

Except our luggage didn't. Make the plane that is.  Nor did it make any other flight that day.  It finally arrived at 9 pm the next day...

Tune in tomorrow, if herself can be bothered to type, and we'll tell you all about Sewing Summit.

8 comments:

Alan said...

Hi Jack,
Cor flip, I ask you! Imagine dragging you out of bed at that hour and then making you hang around while you we're getting all tocited about finally, at long last, after all this wait and anticipation, getting to go to the fabled sewing summit.

I hope you weren't too puffed and stressed by all that running around in Paris. I think it would be fun to go on a train as well, though LT didn't seem to be too impressed. I articularly hope your paws are all right after all that running on hard surfaces.

Did you see lots n lots of things on and from the hairyplane? You must let me know 'cos I'm flying out that way in December. Do kick her and tell her to get on with the reporting, 'cos it's been AGES since you left.

Hugs,

Jock

Alan said...

PS. Tell her she's a silly Billy with the water!
titter titter,
Jock

Ann said...

I too have been that person sprinting around Charles de Gaulle on buses, trains, feet so I know just how exhausting and nerve wracking it all is, but at least you made the flight, even if the luggage didn't. Still, I hear you got some new PJs so it can't have been all bad.
Happy travelling in the camper

Kays Kids said...

Phew!!! LT I can still hear you puffing. What a terrible ordeal. I bet Kate was getting quite frustrated to say the least. I'm glad you have arrived, did you have to get new Jarmies as well?
Hugs
Wilbur

The Bear's Blog said...

Hi Jack,

Aren't you glad you travel in your travel bag? At least your legs didn't get tired.

Tell LT to remember about "no water bottles" on your returning flights.

I know you are going to have "sew" much fun at the Summit.

Hugs
Prudence ♥

Sarah said...

What an awful start to your trip! So sucky, especially at that time in the morning. I've had problems with Air France before, staff not caring how long they take, chatting for 30 mins whilst you miss your connection... Dont do Air France unless I absolutely have to.

Sebastian@bearbits said...

Hi Jack,

I got up very early this morning just to read about your adventures and now, after having read about your first day, I am ready to go back to bed.

I don't know where you were traveling in all that commotion but I hope it was someplace safe. You know I can just see you 'flying' out of a bag or a case. That wouldn't do at all.

I'm glad that you arrived even if the staff is a bit exasperated through it all.

Maybe today will be calmer and you can tell us what you get up to. No hurry. Make sure she has breakfast at least. Sometimes they get grumpy if you don't feed them.

Have a great rest of the trip, won't you?

hugs,
Sebastian

Sheila said...

Oh that brought back sprinting thro airport memories - missing luggage etc......air travel eh, you can't beat it!!