Back from the Grand part 2

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

This is a tell of woe, stress but with a happy ending.

 

A few days before the end of the cruise we go our luggage tags and for the first time, a time that we would be called.

 

Sure enough on the morning to say farewell we were called on time, onto the bus and off to the airport.

 

Nice bus,

 

Bus ride shorter than told everything going well.

 

Then, we were held on the bus, we could see some of our bags being unloaded from a lorry, but this stopped, then we were told that there was a bomb alert, there was a bag near were our bags were being unloaded with no name tag etc.

 

Now we can see the bag a few metres from the bus, so we need to move its a bomb, no we stay there for an hour.

 

The lorry moves a few yards away and unloads, the bomb is being protected by the police, but if its a bomb why is the policeman standing next to it.

 

Anyway, we get off the bus but our bags are next to the bomb, so we wait then a policeman from Venice arrives walks up looks in the bag and says everything is Ok.

 

We get our bags, now as we are all getting on the one plane 350 of us, with the bus coming at different times ckeck in would be simple, but with the delay its a pile up .

 

Long ques and what a heat. We make away very slow step by step to the front of the que, then the converyer belt breaks down we stand in line then it starts again, then the ticket printer breaks we stand in line, then the nice old couple in front can not agree on which seats to pick, just pick any one please, then we are at the front just the couple in front, but wait they are not listed, help the lady at the counter picks the phone up to ask for help not another delay.

 

We are our way through passport, metal detectors etc. Help they are armed police on the air bridge to the plane stopping and searching people, made it past them then there is an airport person, the fuel tanker has run dry they need another one. More delays.

 

The plane starts to taxi then stops we have missed our slot, more delays.

 

We arrive in London , through this check and that on to luggage, no luggage 350 peope waiting and waiting then the loud speaker sorry folks something has broke down very busy to day etc etc etc, About an hour then luggage appears.

 

But what about the connecting flight, we have to get the bus or train to go from one terminal to the other. The place is packed with thousands of people then we see it this little white board being waved in the air, its got a Princess logo on it, its a Princess rep, we rush forward yes it is a Princess rep there to help and he has a bus to take those of us that need to get to onward flights from term one to term 4.

 

How nice these people are Princess to think of our needs like that .

 

We did not know they would provide a bus for us, the cost its free.

 

Now into the ticket hall no que straight up to the desk and the ticket printer runs out of tickets. Why me why to day. A few minutes and the lady is back she loads the printer and it goes mad printing ticket after ticket can she stop it no way. its got a life of its own, then our ticket appears.

 

And we are off to our gate.

 

Sitting at the gate we see our flight but the flight number is changing constantly, is it ours, time is right, airport is right. We are at the gate we were told to go to help everyone has tickets for another airline we are at the wrongh gate. 500m to the next gate, and its loading, we make it just in time.

 

We are on the plane we are going home the captain comes on the speaker, storm ahead will need to fly around it. More delays.

 

We land and we are out of the airport, just the taxi which we pre booked to collect us, a phone call and he will be there in minutes. But wait they have changed the road layout while we have been away, I can see where I want to go but I can not get there, new fencing all over the place, I get past it after a long walk around the stuff, I see the taxi he sees me but wait, he can not get to me one way system, automatic barriers, but after a few goes we meet each other and its off home.

 

Home and the dog is waiting for me , going away on holiday is worth all the pain and stress just to come home to a dog that loves you and missed you so much.

 

yours Shogun

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

Can you beat this for the trip from hell.

 

youtrs Shogun

[Alaska05]

Glad it was you and not me. You must be a very patient person. Sounds like anything that could go wrong did go wrong and then some.

 

But coming home to a loving pet puts everything into perspective.