So, yes, being bumped
Okay, maybe that wasn't the best idea in the world. Well, it was just fine when it meant I got into Dublin at about 6.30. That would be plenty of time for me to go wandering around, find something to eat, find my hotel etc.
Things are never that easy.
What I don't understand is how they had trouble with the planes. To the best of my knowledge, all the CityJet/Air France flights that were supposed to have flown/arrived had done so. So it can't be a problem of something being in the wrong place, can it? But yes, they had to fly a plane in from Paris or something.
In an example of life imitating art, when the plane finally did get there, we couldn't get on board until they'd loaded the lemon-soaked paper napkins bottled water. Would it really, really be so hard to go to the air-side store in the departure lounge and buy a few bottles of bottled water, when you know that the fly is horribly overdue and that what people want is to get there tonight?
Flight scheduled to take off at 5.15. At about 5.35, we hadn't heard anything about it. At all. Unhelpfully, the Air France/Cityjet people appear to do their own announcements. Specifically, on a PA system that isn't very good, they got a mumbly girl with a fairly heavy French accent to do them. So you're still not quite sure what's going on. The plane was delayed until 8.30. Sigh.
In between, there's a 7.45 flight. I've never quite understood the mentality of airlines which says "These passengers booked for a mid-afternoon flight, so we'll put them REALLY REALLY LATE" rather than switching two flights around. Probably, they got more complaints (and so pay more compensation) that way, but it's annoying. Is there any other walk of life where if the professionals are running behind, the people who are there on time for an earlier slot get bumped behind people who have a later slot? Can't think of one right now.
At about 8 or so, I forget when exactly, they announced it was going to be 8.45 boarding, with a 9.15 departure. At about 8.50 or so, we're told to wander down to gate 7. I'm not sure why. The departure lounge had food and drink, and was more comfy. They clearly hadn't done the necessary checks on the aircraft - it was still maneuvering into position when we got there! - and after they'd stopped doing all the relevant boarding pass checks, we were stood around for about twenty minutes or so.
Much of this was met with a combination of the English dislike of going and bothering authority, and the Irish way of managing to say "Bollocks" quite loudly without actually being offensive to anyone.
Then the lemon-soaked paper napkins bottled water wasn't available. Nor was any form of milk, so people had the joy of bottled water, black coffee or black tea. If this was the actual reason, as opposed to just something they say, then jeez, how hard is it to buy bottles from the shop?
Wheels-up was about 9.30/9.35 in the end. I say about because I don't have a watch. I use my mobile for that and that's in my luggage. Which was checked in at 3.15.
Arrive at about 10.40, get on a bus to the terminal, flollop into the baggage claims hall. They've put us on the same carousel as a flight from Heraklion which has clearly been waiting much longer than us (everyone has taken to sitting on the carousel because there is no baggage). Five to ten minutes later, we get shifted to a different carousel. Reclaim baggage, fall out of airport at about 11 or so. All good.
Now, it being 11 at night, will I need to pay 25 euros or so to get a taxi into Dublin, or get the bus? I was expecting the former, but was able to do the latter. Hurrah! Clamber onto the 16c to the city centre, using my patented "Get the first bus that's going roughly where you want then panic at the other end" method, rather than trying to find out if there are any express buses or anything. The driver at a couple of points around the city centre helpfully yelled where we were stopping, so people could get off. They don't do that in London.
Get to the south end of O' Connell St at about, what, 11.30 or so. At LCY, I'd stowed a map or Dublin into my luggage, thinking it would save me time finding one at the other end. What a serendipitous chance that was, given that pretty much all the shops are shut at this point.
As it happens, the bus has stopped about five minutes walk away from where I'm staying. Which is a small hotel on Fleet Street, just up from Temple Bar - yes, I did know that Temple Bar is loud and drunken when I booked it, which didn't bother me and, even if it did bother me, was balanced out by the fact that everywhere else I could book at the time (via Expedia) was 4 or 5 miles from the city centre, or somewhere out in the coutry. Stumble that way, dodging crowds. Hotel is, of course, locked. Buzz my way in eventually, check in (mmm... cute Scandinavian-looking receptionist), find room. Which is unlocked when I get there. Never known a hotel do that before, I can only assume it was accidental. Or is that common in Ireland?
So, at midnight, I'm exhausted and don't really fancy stumbling out into the nightlife on my own there and then, as I'd likely fall asleep where I was stood after half a pint. Collapse onto bed (a single, sadly) reading The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock while people party in the street outside. It's very, very Cambridge - I used to live opposite a kebab shop (open until 3 in the morning) with an underground nightclub one or two doors up, and a McDonalds (that shut at about midnight at the weekend). Thankfully, I was on the second floor, but it could get loud. (Particularly annoying when very ill, by the way.)
The TV has Sky News which is showing Kofi Annan's statement live, so I fall asleep with that on.
So yes, excitement, adventure and really wild things. Got a text from Hagi at 12.30 in the morning that he was drunk. Have spent some of the morning just wandering around Dublin. Should find something constructive/interesting to do this afternoon, using a handy tourist map.
Or get drunk.
Things are never that easy.
What I don't understand is how they had trouble with the planes. To the best of my knowledge, all the CityJet/Air France flights that were supposed to have flown/arrived had done so. So it can't be a problem of something being in the wrong place, can it? But yes, they had to fly a plane in from Paris or something.
In an example of life imitating art, when the plane finally did get there, we couldn't get on board until they'd loaded the lemon-soaked paper napkins bottled water. Would it really, really be so hard to go to the air-side store in the departure lounge and buy a few bottles of bottled water, when you know that the fly is horribly overdue and that what people want is to get there tonight?
Flight scheduled to take off at 5.15. At about 5.35, we hadn't heard anything about it. At all. Unhelpfully, the Air France/Cityjet people appear to do their own announcements. Specifically, on a PA system that isn't very good, they got a mumbly girl with a fairly heavy French accent to do them. So you're still not quite sure what's going on. The plane was delayed until 8.30. Sigh.
In between, there's a 7.45 flight. I've never quite understood the mentality of airlines which says "These passengers booked for a mid-afternoon flight, so we'll put them REALLY REALLY LATE" rather than switching two flights around. Probably, they got more complaints (and so pay more compensation) that way, but it's annoying. Is there any other walk of life where if the professionals are running behind, the people who are there on time for an earlier slot get bumped behind people who have a later slot? Can't think of one right now.
At about 8 or so, I forget when exactly, they announced it was going to be 8.45 boarding, with a 9.15 departure. At about 8.50 or so, we're told to wander down to gate 7. I'm not sure why. The departure lounge had food and drink, and was more comfy. They clearly hadn't done the necessary checks on the aircraft - it was still maneuvering into position when we got there! - and after they'd stopped doing all the relevant boarding pass checks, we were stood around for about twenty minutes or so.
Much of this was met with a combination of the English dislike of going and bothering authority, and the Irish way of managing to say "Bollocks" quite loudly without actually being offensive to anyone.
Then the lemon-soaked paper napkins bottled water wasn't available. Nor was any form of milk, so people had the joy of bottled water, black coffee or black tea. If this was the actual reason, as opposed to just something they say, then jeez, how hard is it to buy bottles from the shop?
Wheels-up was about 9.30/9.35 in the end. I say about because I don't have a watch. I use my mobile for that and that's in my luggage. Which was checked in at 3.15.
Arrive at about 10.40, get on a bus to the terminal, flollop into the baggage claims hall. They've put us on the same carousel as a flight from Heraklion which has clearly been waiting much longer than us (everyone has taken to sitting on the carousel because there is no baggage). Five to ten minutes later, we get shifted to a different carousel. Reclaim baggage, fall out of airport at about 11 or so. All good.
Now, it being 11 at night, will I need to pay 25 euros or so to get a taxi into Dublin, or get the bus? I was expecting the former, but was able to do the latter. Hurrah! Clamber onto the 16c to the city centre, using my patented "Get the first bus that's going roughly where you want then panic at the other end" method, rather than trying to find out if there are any express buses or anything. The driver at a couple of points around the city centre helpfully yelled where we were stopping, so people could get off. They don't do that in London.
Get to the south end of O' Connell St at about, what, 11.30 or so. At LCY, I'd stowed a map or Dublin into my luggage, thinking it would save me time finding one at the other end. What a serendipitous chance that was, given that pretty much all the shops are shut at this point.
As it happens, the bus has stopped about five minutes walk away from where I'm staying. Which is a small hotel on Fleet Street, just up from Temple Bar - yes, I did know that Temple Bar is loud and drunken when I booked it, which didn't bother me and, even if it did bother me, was balanced out by the fact that everywhere else I could book at the time (via Expedia) was 4 or 5 miles from the city centre, or somewhere out in the coutry. Stumble that way, dodging crowds. Hotel is, of course, locked. Buzz my way in eventually, check in (mmm... cute Scandinavian-looking receptionist), find room. Which is unlocked when I get there. Never known a hotel do that before, I can only assume it was accidental. Or is that common in Ireland?
So, at midnight, I'm exhausted and don't really fancy stumbling out into the nightlife on my own there and then, as I'd likely fall asleep where I was stood after half a pint. Collapse onto bed (a single, sadly) reading The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock while people party in the street outside. It's very, very Cambridge - I used to live opposite a kebab shop (open until 3 in the morning) with an underground nightclub one or two doors up, and a McDonalds (that shut at about midnight at the weekend). Thankfully, I was on the second floor, but it could get loud. (Particularly annoying when very ill, by the way.)
The TV has Sky News which is showing Kofi Annan's statement live, so I fall asleep with that on.
So yes, excitement, adventure and really wild things. Got a text from Hagi at 12.30 in the morning that he was drunk. Have spent some of the morning just wandering around Dublin. Should find something constructive/interesting to do this afternoon, using a handy tourist map.
Or get drunk.