Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Flights


An uneventful flight from Amsterdam to Dubai was made more comfortable with it being at about 1/3 capacity. A whole row of seats to myself away from loud passengers and screaming kids was gratefully received. I watched a couple of cracking films too: Made In Dagenham and Social Network on aeroplane screens that weren't actually made of snow. Emirates now have around 1,200 different channels on demand so entertainment is not in short supply.

After 4 hours in Dubai, the connecting flight to Kozhikode (Calicut) was packed to the rafters and I counted just 2 white passengers on the flight. I still managed to get 2 seats to myself - I must be getting a dab hand at this charming the airline staff. Across the aisle from me sat the fattest man I have seen in ages. Not only could I have got my 2 legs in one of his jeans' legs, Barry's 2 limbs could have joined mine and there would still have been room for a bit of a dance. Comfortable enough 3 1/2 flight although the time going around in circles in the landing queue competed with any I've been in into Heathrow. Not really quite sure why that was as Kozhikode International Airport isn't exactly the busiest, saying that, the queues at immigration were horrendous but I sailed straight through, or should I say was wheeled straight through on my chair on wheels. (I knew it was a good idea to ask for airport assistance). It was a shame I had to wait an hour for my bag from one of the just 2 carousels which gave me a chance to suss out security at the airport which consisted of putting your bag through the X-Ray machine regardless of no one watching the monitor and no one caring or stopping whole families passing through the scanner simultaneously accompanied by the continual beep beep beep. Additionally, instead of having your bottled water sealed in a plastic bag, a spot of sellotape was sufficient.

What is it about the duty-free shops on the sub-continent? You get the normal booze, cigarettes, toblerones and then Aeriel washing powder. Never worked that one out. Answers on a postcard......

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