This week WAS supposed to be my last week in London, but more about that later. I could not resist buying a charlie brown Christmas tree. It was just too cute and I had to have one! The lovely thing about this tree is that I can keep it after twelfth night (just need to take the decorations off). I cannot explain it, but by just having this wee little tree and I am excited for Christmas. I am rather looking forward to being back in NYC for Christmas break. It will be my first visit back to the city since moving. Will be great to be back in a city with Christmas lights as far as the eye can see. There is no missing the festive spirit in NYC - - they make it blatantly clear that 'It's the most wonderful time of the year'.
This week was about wrapping up the year (in a number of ways). It has been an interesting year to say the least and I am rather looking forward to the new year. Was talking with someone at work and they described this year as 'not easy for you.' They were spot on. It has not been an easy year, but I made it through it - we all have.
There are a number of lessons that I have learned through the course of the year and one in particular is the importance of a home cooked meal. I have taken myself off the training schedule, so to unwind and de-stress I cook. It is always about food with me isn't.
Speaking of food, on Wednesday I met a friend at Dishoom, a new London Bombay cafe for some street food. Normally I am quick to criticise the food; too sweet, they used milk rather than cream, not enough spice, no saffron, no cardamon... not this time. We order a collection of bits; sheekh kebabs, pau bhaji, and khali daal. Everything was spot on. I am glad that Mathews introduced me to this place. Mathews is starting up her own food manufacturing company so exploring new restaurants and recipes is right up her alley (and mine). See why we bonded! Fingers crossed, she may use a photo of mine for her website. Figured rather than purchasing stock photos, I could help out. This is me being really pretentious in thinking that they are 'professional' worthy. Whatever the outcome, it has got me thinking of putting together a portfolio of subjects. Maybe someone will want to buy one...who is to know. If I don't try I will never find out.
For the past two Mindshare Christmas parties that I have been here for it has always been worldwide only. This year, they decided to do a joint UK-Worldwide Christmas party. I was on the fence about attending the Disco themed fancy dress party. Not really my style if you ask me. I would not have minded if it was just WW, but was not in the mood to mingle with UK (I am a snob for saying that). I brought a dress in and at lunch time went shopping for the rest of the outfit. The boys convinced me to go - - and why not. It was our Christmas party after all. I am happy that I went. It turned out to be a great night of dancing and hanging out with friends.
And now for the joys of Saturday. What a chaotic mess!! Just like any other day that I was meant to travel, I woke up at 0700 to clean and do some last minute laundry (which also implies that I was packing). Around 1000 the white flurries started to fall. It picked up through the course of the next couple of hours and then it started;
The BBC ticker read "Heathrow closed until 1700", "BAA urges passengers to avoid going to airport unless confirmed flight"; that said Virgin Airlines still had flights leaving on time and suggested that you went to the airport. So who do trust? Who do you listen to? Against my better judgement, I listened to Virgin and went to the airport. After all, what could a few inches do? Oh how I would eat my words.
Showing up to a closed airport is unwise. I had a fantastic notion that it would just mean waiting it out in the terminal shopping and eating. Yeah no! When they say the airport is closed they mean that you cannot enter the airport at all (not even to check in your bag). Bummer I know.
I waited downstairs for roughly 15 minutes before I got bored of standing up in a sea of people rolls bags over your feet, pushing you left and right. Upon here that the next update from Virgin would be at 1700 (approx 2.5 hours of the current time), I headed up to the pub to wait it out; what were my other options. I was lucky that a table freed up so I joined 2 other gentlemen (it turned out they had just met as well sharing a taxi to the airport when the tube stopped its service 2 stops from the airport). The three of us spent the next couple of hours chatting, eating and knocking back a few of pints. If you are going to be stuck in an airport - - do it in style.
Irony was that we were all heading to NYC. James and I were on the same flight and Michael was heading to JFK. After 3 hours chatting about British/American cultural differences, sci fi books, measuring digital activity, iPad apps, Virgin Airlines provided an updated; a number of flights were immediately cancelled, but ours was taking off. Even had our own special line for check-in. Cheery and optimistic James and I checked in our bags and headed towards security only to discover that the airport was not actually open. Having given up our seats at the pub we were forced to sit on the airport floor waiting for the security to open. After two hours of waiting, BAA announced:
There was no way to collect your luggage, you just had to leave. The following day was just as much fun trying to rebook my ticket. What was helpful were the following motivational messages:
Much of the day was spent trying to reach Virgin Airlines, what did not help was that you could not get through. Thankfully they posted the following which made me feel oh so much better:
It was not just the airports, roads, trains tube were all brought down to their knees with this 'storm'. The line at St Pancreas was miles long, Heathrow was at capacity and tubes were on severe delays. It was not a pretty site. Not living in the UK it is easy to just say get on another plane. The thing is, how can you. When you watched the news and saw the hundreds of families stranded at the airport, sleeping on the floor with foil blankets how could you argue that you were a priority? I just couldn't make that case. Yes I was gutted that I would not be home for the holidays, but the people stranded away from home took priority. Luckily I was able to get through and after 2 hours on hold was able to rebook my flight to NYC. I may be flying on Christmas night, but at least I am going home. Won't be the two week break that I intended, but 1 week in NYC will suffice. As for my luggage:
They may have not been answering the phone, but at least they replied to tweets: @teaknee Hi There, we're working on delivering the rest of the bags tonight and tomorrow, we'll keep you updated. via web in reply to teaknee
Hope you all are not having to go through any of this travel nightmare and make it home to your families for the holidays.
xx
T
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