You know whaaaaat?! I just wrote a whole entry and when I tried to copy it so to be safe, then boom! they were all gone and I couldn't type them anymore. I am here at the airport and I shouldn't be on the internet anymore. This is why I missed my flight the last time and I AM NEVER GONNA LEARN! Audrey told me not to get on the computer once I see these cute little internet corners but ooooh temptations! I can't miss this flight. No I can't!

Oh I met up with Matt (TB codename: villan) today and he was really nice! He promised me a job when I come back to London and also an apartment, loads of money, a car, backstreet boys cd's and whatever I want..... Audrey is soooo nice I'm gonna miss her but we will see again in November!

I've already checked in and I have a good one hour to get my butt to the boarding gate. Shouldn't worry Steph/Hanie/Esteph/Estephanie (damn all these names), you'll be alright! Those guys at the check-in desks were being silly at me and at my german. The guy who did my boarding pass were joking and talking in german on how he likes to play with his rabbit, and that how big it is and .. brown. Tsk tsk, I didn't mind much. I've had enough of hooola woola incidents on this trip. Can't believe this leg of my trip is finally really over. It's been great (until I missed my flight the other day) and I had an awesome time! Now I'm ooooooooff to Asia, finally!

I'm flying with Korean Air and I wonder how it is to be surrounded by fast talking koreans in a plane. Shouldn't be too bad. I am tired. I am now going to start my South East Asian adventures sooooon! yay! I don't have any chocolates for my relatives, if they complain too much (I expect it 12057690%), I'll just buy them 20 bags of chocolates in a mall in the Philippines to shut them up. Woooh, I'm so nice!

Really, I can't miss this plane. If I do, I SWEAR I WILL NEVER LOG IN ON TRAVBUDDY AGAIN!!! (woooh, scary!).

So two days of no travbuddy for me y'all. I'm going to have a looong korean sleep on the plane. Will try to ask for beer, I've always wondered about doing it!

Hmmmm, what else to say..... My friends in Europe, I shall return in November! XXX (oh jeez, i almost tried to copy the text again, almost! and then i will lose all this text again! i am never gonna learn!)

CIAO!

After a bit of a bumpy flight back, we arrived back into to London Heathrow early on the Monday morning.  It was a reminder of what we had left behind when we left the UK - huge queues at immigration, unfriendly glum faces of the staff and absolute chaos at the baggage claim!  Still, in some ways it was nice to be back.  It can be a bit tiring always living out of a backpack and working-out where to go next, getting a hostel / hotel sorted, transport sorted and trying to decopher what's on a menu - that's just for starters!

We had the most amazing time - the one common denominator among all the countries that we went to was that we met some lovely and helpful people.  Not just tour guides, but people like the friendly taxi driver in Buenos Aires, who singlehandedly made it  his mission to ensure we got our bus when the streets were gridlocked (anyone else and we would have missed our bus, our reservation at the hostel and it was just a couple of days before Christmas), the woman in Pisco, Peru when we were working in the blazing heat that came-out of her shop (one of the only buildings on that huge long street that wasn't destroyed) that gave us Inca Cola and wouldn't accept payment for it and the friendly Vietnamese stranger that saw us stuck trying to cross the road in Saigon downtown on our first day there that led us across.  It sounds like a cliche, but we had many encounters that were almost straight out of  the book "The Kindness of Strangers".

We saw amazing scenery, amazing wildlife and amazing cultures and looking back at the photos if feels strange to think that we were in these obscure parts of the world at times.  The clear blue skies of Patagonia, the beautiful deserted coastline of New Zealand and the amazing temples of Bangkok were unforgettable - but it is impossible to single-out any one particular place that we favoured more than anywhere else.  The variety and diversity was amazing - even within single countries - in Argentina the humid jungle of the north in Misiones, the colonial cutlure mixing with Andean culture in Salta, the huge and cool city of Buenos Aires, the lakes and countryside around Bariloche, the rich array of wildlife on Peninuslar Valdes and the "end of the world"  feel (as in "geographically", rather than "armageddon"!) of El Chalten and the amazing glaciers around El Calafete.

Seven months away felt like the right amount of time to be away, although we would be keen to see more of some of the countries that we visited - particularly Peru and Jeremy is hugely keen on going to New Zealand again - 2 months didn't seem to be anywhere near enough! 

We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog and the pictures.  We hope to add more of our photos over the coming weeks!

Snif!, we are leaving Bangkok, I'm happy and sad at the same time...

This time we flight with British, an other 747-400 confortableless than the 747-400 from Qantas, the crew are older and the meal worst but luckily our stewardess is a little bit "freak" but very attentive and explains us how to find National Express Coach Offices.

Remember, once we arrive at Hethrow whe have only 3.10 h to pass inmigration controls, search National Express offices,  take a coach, arrive at Gatwick (by coach), checkin, security controls and go to the gate so RUN!

We arrive at Heathrow at time, well 5 minutes early, I see for the first time the Airbus 380 from Singapore Airlines, I spected that was bigger, I try to take a pic but it's imposible to recognice!

Doors open, and start running with our backpacks, until 5 minutes later, we stop at the toilet! Kim spends more 5 minutes there, all passenger look at us (Why were they running?), Run again and improvig a few of them till the inmigration control, OK! We have been twice at heathrow but only 30 minutes,  I'm sure they have our pics (3 fool running Spaniards!) on the security office.

Outside Terminal 4 we spend more than 10 minutes to find National Express offices to buy the coach tickets to Gatwick,

I's cold, I left Bangkok at 35..40Cº and here we'll be at 0Cº! Imagine I'm dessing shorts, T-shirt and jersey, that's all! There's a lot of people waiting to buy a ticket, but finally we do it!

We have to wait like 20min for the coach, but finally we are on the road, let me see: depart at 6.30, arriving at Gatwick at 7.30 aprox, we have one hour and half to Checkin, Pass security control and going to the gate... There are snow on the road, now I can say that I have been in UK and watched the country....ROADS!

OMG! Gatwick is crowded, we are getting nervous, it's imposible to do the checkin in les than 30 minutes.

Imposible? I begin to Explore till I find it,  AUTO-CHECKIN!, ho ho ho I'm a Master, five minutes later, they want to kiss me, NOOOOO! Now we have an hour for the security control and go to the Gate, no problem, well, we spend more than 20 minutes to arrive at the gate including crossing an impresive gateway over the planes, a 747 cross under our feet!

At the gate we begin to hear a familiar language, the Catalan:

"Mira aquets!" -> Look at them! (remember, Shorts, T-shirt and backpack)

And finally, we leave UK!

Well, once again I find myself at Heathrow airport. Must have been in this place about five times in the last twelve months.

The flight was late taking off by twenty minutes, so no real surprise there. The only problem with this was  that I had ten minutes to run from gate 3 to gate 31C at JFK airport, to get my Toronto flight. This wasn't helped by the strange setup at JFK - where you have to pick your bags up, walk 10m and put them on a conveyor belt, to go to your next plane. This is the first time that my bags haven't been transferred directly.

Anyway - managed to run across the airport, via customs and another x-ray check and get on my flight. Luckily it was a jet and not an MD-80, that American Airlines have grounded - to check tyres or something.

Met up with my friends and had some nice spare-ribs, made on the BBQ - Spring is trying to make an appearance in Canada.

Before landing Heathrow we do a couple of turns, more delay.

Finally we landed... and stayed 10 minutes more waiting for a finger, worst imposible. At that moment I think, "Stupid!, If I have 2WIN cell number we could call her and have a London night life experience by Rubina (R)..." ha ha ha .

When the door were opened, 3 fool Spaniards begins to run, breaking the old record between Gate Flight BA481, Terminal 1 and Gate Flight QF2, Terminal 4, including controls, Interterminal-Bus and re-print the Boarding Card, I took us less than 15 min. 

When we were on the bus, a couple and their small daughter, arrived so tired, they went to Thailand too! a minute after she says: "Where is my Bag!" She forget it on the control so they turn back! Don't worry they arrive to the QF2 at the last moment!

Once on the QF2, everything became perfect:

Great plane, confortable and quiet. Great food. Drink whatever I want, a very useful and complete night kit. The crew were perfect, there are two nice girls from Bangkok who teach us how to say : Sawasdee Krab.... using Aioh's notes, first words in Thai

We arrive at Heathrow with plenty of time to check our bags in and grab a bite to eat.  We grab dinner at a place called the Giraffe.  I so don't recommend it just for the awful service we got.  My food was really good, M didn't even touch his but again, I would avoid that place simply because their service needs major improvement.  After dinner, we rested on those wonderful lounge seats at the near our gate.

Moving on... just when we began to get comfortable, our flight began boarding.  Iceland here we come.
The flight was full, so we thought, but they just packed everyone in the first rows of seats.  I slept most of the way and got to talking to M the last little bit before landing.  

Rise and shine.  It was 7 and my cousin was already in the shower.  I'm trying not to let fatigue hit me, but I can feel it a bit.  I manage to shower, say goodbye and jump on the bus heading to the airport then tube to Victoria.  The que to the tubes were insane.  Regardless if you went to a self serve kiosk or to a window for assistance the line was just ridiculous.  Half of the people were just coming off planes with all their luggage and the other half were heading to work.  I looked at the time 8:30, I was supposed to meet Garry at 9 to drop off my luggage at his work... don't think I'll make it in time.  I finally jump on the tube heading towards a connecting tube heading to Victoria at 9.  Still hoping Garry would be there to meet with me... his meeting didn't start until 10.  The tube was packed, I stood next to the window and just stared out the whole time.  I'm a bit of a claustraphobe so being in a little area with people pressed against you is nausiating.  I was on the verge of passing out when I decided to transfer tubes early.  The next tube that would lead me right to Victoria station wasn't too bad.  I was able to sit and breath. 

Some time to relax before getting on the really long flight (12 hours)

Originally posted Friday, March 10, 2006

I'm at Heathrow, and I don't know where my gate is. Apparently, it's "top secret" as it's not printed on my boardin' pass, nor on the monitor currently. The monitor states gates will be posted 30-40 miutes prior to departure (my flight is at 8:50, and scheduled to board at 8:05. Do the math on that one.

I hate airport computer stations.

I need coffee! Bye y'all!

Finally at LHR .....

Run to change terminals - need to be at T2.... buy tickets - now have to find cash - need a machine - got it back to ticket counter now need to fly BM to Köln - need to change terminals again - Term 1

Now I am starting to feel very tired - heavy bags - no sleep - long flights and my colleagues still not had his cigarette - dare not talk to him - think hes gonna blow!

First flight out - of course is full of business men - we are standby and when we get to the gate they say the flight is full! I pretty much beg to get home, I tell them the stories ... I need to be home ......PLEASE!

Dont know how but we managed to get two seats - at last!

finally landed .... another security check and off to the next flight to Dusseldorf

Hey arrived at heathrow Airport - and got one hell of a bad surprise. After not haveing had a smoke since 5.30 (it's 9.30 now) and looking forward to two hours stop in London and 11 hour flight to Hong Kong I definately had hoped to get a smoke when we sat wheels on Heathrow....but no no no.....this airport is 100% no smokeing....not even a small corner anywhere.....fuck...

well did buy "Rich dad, poor dad" by my faveourite economics writer Robert Kiyosaki so that I have something to pass time with on the plane.

but I miss my cigs :)

Just chilling at the airport and getting ready for the adventure to begin.

I was so sad to leave Tanzania that when I happened to walk by this cafe with its warm, vibrant music in Heathrow airport of all places, I could not help but walk in and spend some time here. This cafe is dedicated to world music and world food and it was such a nice respite from the posh, but cold and stiff experience I had in London. (Although the sales at Harrod's definitely warmed me up a little more to the place.)

You can see here there are clocks on the walls giving the time of an interesting selection of fabulous cities! (Koh Samui in Thailand, Sao Paulo in Brazil, Zanzibar in Tanzania and a somewhat misplaced Heathrow). I had to take a picture, because nobody has a clock on the wall showing the time of Zanzibar!! =) What a nice reminder of what speaks to me and brings me happiness.

The food was pretty good, their shakes/juices might as well have been made in the Caribbean or Africa or Latin America, and their waitresses were these friendly hipster girls who were totally cool. Even the bill was brought in a coconut shell which just made me smile. I was back in Tanzania for a brief moment! I really was! =)

But all good things must end and before I could take more than two bites of my food, my flight was finally posted at a gate all the way at the other end of the airport. I had walk all the way to gate 50 in order to make the boarding. But I blew Giraffe Cafe a quick kiss before I ran out, thanking them for that one last drop of good memories before I had to go back to the life I lead in the States.

Hehehe...I never seam to become friends with Heathrow Airport. For one because of the total smoke ban (I cant understand why they just dont make smokeing rooms like they do in Asia that way we would not do harm to anyone), and now I acctually had to wait here for 3 hours for my onward Copenhagen flight.

Acctually I dont mind being without cigarettes dureing my 13 hour flight....but I would really have apreciated one when on land in between flights, but that's not how it was supossed to be. Anyway I had prepared myself with nicotine gum before I left my outbound trip - but they'd acctually been used up as we came to London (10 pcs. used 7 out and had 3 going back)....but there was my salvation...down the aisles...it said Pharmacy...and I rushed in to ask for nicotine gum. She then started asking me how much I smoke a day...and I was like "It doesnt really matter I just need to survive the next 3 hours in fucking Heathrow Airport" :) ..... and acctually ended up with a small package.

Now that was taken care of it was time to go for the duty free shop. I had allready bought my cigarettes in Manila however due to the 100 ml. liquid limits in security check dureing the two stopovers I could not by spirits before Heathrow. So I found a 12 year old Chivas Regal for £ 30. Sounded like a good deal and I took it to the counter. "May I see your boarding card?" the clerk asked....and ofcourse she could...."Well Sir, I have to put tax on this one as you are flying between two EU countries"..... NOW I was FURIOUS!!!!.... "Hey I started my flight in Manila.....I onley shop in this ratwhole airport because of the 100 ml. limits......if I had been on a direct flight there would have been no problem!!"

I really wanted to understand why haveing a stop over should put me in a diffrent position then anyone else traveling overseas....so she finally called the store manager...who was also very sad because as she said..."all theese rules and limitations is also bad for our business and I know it doesnt sound fair...but we can do nothing about it".

So I had to choose one of the blue labeled products.....which reluctendly made me go for a 12 year old Higland Park and a 20 cl. Chivas Regal.....it was okay....but I still think the princip in all this is treating airline passengers unfair.