Okay, so I’ve made it to Riyadh safely and in one piece. Well, actually two pieces, I broke a nail.
So anyway, it was an interesting journey. I step into the airport in Toronto and everyone starts staring at me. So I figure there’s a booger in my nose or something. I make my way to the washroom, look in the mirror, and there’s “terrorist” written on my forehead. Hmmm… how did that get there? Nothing a little soap can’t take care of.
I have to wait in line for 2.5 hours just to collect my ticket, a process that would normally take maybe 15 to 20 minutes on a normal day. But no, things aren’t normal. Two BA flights leave everyday to London. The earlier one got cancelled, Good Lord I’m a lucky person.
So I’m finally on the plane, and I’m thinking to myself “I’m finally on the plane.” I saw the Recruit with Colin Farrell and Al Pacino. I didn’t think it was a good movie. It was just okay.
I arrive at Heathrow, now I’m thinking “whao I just got off the plane”.
I felt sorta dazed and confused, as I earlier blogged.
I would have been in Terminal 4 had British Airways not cancelled all their flights to Saudi. I had to get the ticket endorsed for Saudi Arabian Airlines. Terminal 3 was my stop. They’ve fixed it up now, there was major construction there the last time I was there (We made the mistake of trying out Air Canada that year, never again). 12 hours and 45 minutes to my flight. Great.
Time was spent sitting down, walking around and pretending to read Lord of The Rings (the first part). And this book is boring. So much detail, I could care less if the Baggineses like potato jelly beans dipped in green poo. Spare me. So I put that book away, vowing never to read it again. But I had nothing better to do, so I did try and read it again.
oh the pain, the agony, the suffering. never ever again.
There was a DVD shop there. I spent a lot of time walking in and out of it. They had a good deal going too, 3 DVDs for 18 pounds and 5 for 27 pounds. Atleast I think that was a good deal, them were good DVDs too, Shawshank Redeption, Oceans 11 etc etc etc…
So I’m thinking to myself, “Why do they call it pound?”. Until I got my hand on the coin itself. Have you seen the size of this thing? I mean the dimensions, it’s quite heavy. I bet if I put it on scale, it would read one pound.
There was internet access there, 15 minutes per pound. Hallelujah. Amen.
So I slide the coin into the slot and start typing away.
Then two guys, I suspect they were from Pakistan come and stand right behind me staring on to the screen. I’m thinking to myself, “This is an AIRport not a SEAport, so how’d these fellas get here???”.
I say to them “Do you mind?”
“No”, one of them replies and they’re still standing there.
Then the second guy has the nerve to start reading off the screen. Good Lord have mercy upon my soul. Felt like beating him to the ground right there and then. “Elbow meet face”, “Nose meet blood”, “Shoe meet balls”.
ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!!
So I told them to “be fruitful and multiply”, but not in those words.
Hah, I said in a loud and irritated voice, “This is personal, you can leave now!”. Really, I was trying to be nice, and I was.
So I click away, check email, blog. Browse around till my 15 minutes were up. And then back to sitting down and walking around. I sorta slept, but not longer than 5 minutes. I kept waking up, looking at the time. Hoping I slept longer, because then you don’t have to feel every second as it passes by.
For lunch I ate a Tuna Bagel from a Bagel shop. Note to self : when in England don’t pickup a water bottle that says “sparkling”, always go for the “still”. Hey, how was I supposed to know? Should have just picked up the Sprite bottle!
Now on to the my connecting flight. It was overbooked, but luckily I was there early to pick up my boarding pass. I’m on the plane, this Arab fellow walks in, he’s sitting on the seat behind me. He starts asking the person sitting next to him if the flight is going to Riyadh.
“Well I sure hope so”, says the guy next to him as he bursts into laughter.
“Are you sure we are going to Riyadh?”, the Arab guy still isn’t satisfied.
“cross your fingers buddy” I say, he probably didn’t hear me, probably wouldn’t have understood even if he did hear.
So it’s 9PM, and this take off is one of the slowest take-offs I’ve ever been in. I don’t mean delay wise. I mean the plane took forever to reach its altitude. Which is a good thing. London was well lit, and it looked beautiful. I was on the window seat. And to think I’m acrophobic, I’m really really afraid of them acrobats.
During the take-off there was a point where we rose over the coulds, but could see the city through the clouds and in the distance. Wow. Just wonderful. The flight was nothing special, I saw “About Shmidcht”, forgive my spelling (forgive my spelling through out the entire post. Use your imagination people). The landing was once again, slow. Which, once again, is a good thing. But it was 5AM in Riyadh so it wasn’t well lit or anything. But looked good nonetheless. Good landing, I was really impressed.
Immigrations was fast, they checked through my laptop bag pretty well. Leafed through Lord of The Rings, I was tempted to tell the guy he could keep it. But the book belongs to my brother.
So I’m here. Finally! Praise the Lord.