Kev's Super Happy Travel Blog

Okay. I did get to the airport late. And thanks to Sam I managed to get their at all. Look, it's a new alarm clock, it's confusing. I set the alarm perfectly, just forgot to turn the thing on. ANYONE could have made the same mistake.

Then I check in. Which involves typing in my address in the US into the auto-computer-check-in-thing-machine, but then giving it again manually to the lady on the desk who has to type it in again...

Then I go through security. Which these days involves taking your shoes off. Which in these hiking boots takes about a fortnight.

But I get through. Gate opens at 9:25. It's 9:15 and I'm the furthest possible gate away. I need to carry on my tradition of a pre-flight pint, (whenever I've had a pre-flight pint I've had a good trip, whenever I haven't I havent'. So I have a pre-flight pint. Sadly that usually means drinking far too early in the morning on a lack of sleep...) so that's the ten minutes gone. I wanted to buy some stuff in the airport (not luggage though. Why are there shops selling full size suitcases after you've checked in???) but no, I wander over to the gate. Gate eventually opens about 10:10. The scumbags.

We get on the plane. We fart around. Plane starts reversing out. The captain (what is he a captain of?) tells us we need to go back because there is a 'baggage discrepancy'. Discrepency twixt number of bags and passengers apparently. Cue paranoia about backpack getting shipped off to the Congo.

Another ten minutes. Capp'n assures us all is well with the baggage. We reverse back out. Almost get to the runway. Captain My Captain tells us we need to go back. Still a discrepancy. But it's okay, he's gonna explain.

Apparently what happens is they chuck the bags on board but don't bother tallying the numbers until they start reversing out 'cos it saves time. Apparently this second time the number of bags and number of passengers still weren't within 'acceptable limits'. What the 'k? 'Limits'? There should be no limits! This isn't difficult. Read the tags, see if they match up. Not rocket...

Another 20 mins and we take off. Sir Captain says he'll try and 'make up some time'. Annoying phrase. Presumably this involves putting one's foot down. (Or whatever one uses to make the plane go faster) Just go faster always!!!

We arrive at San Francisco airport after the most turbulent journey I have ever had. Drinks could not be served for most of the flight 'cos people weren't allowed out of their seats...

And I do not need to feel a plane skid quite a long way along a wet runway. That is not good for the dicky ticker. But it was better than the subsequent delays of about 40 minutes 'cos there was nowhere for us to park 'cos we're an hour late. And don't even get me started on immigration...

But I'm here now. So all good. I just pity the fool who flies with BA.