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Seems I need to make an effort to be chattier with the crews, I never got such a nice postcard :D
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Originally Posted by Fabo.sk
(Post 36904425)
Seems I need to make an effort to be chattier with the crews, I never got such a nice postcard :D
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Definitely snowy!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7403ead9d.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...47468c09a.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...79a923de7.jpeg In another ‘what are the odds’ moment, I have the same room as back in early January! Late checkout secured for 2pm which means that I do not need to lug my backpack into the city, and also that I can probably get a snooze tomorrow after the dentists visit, all things being equal. With five and a half hours until the alarm goes off, it is time to bid you goodnight. |
Originally Posted by JapesUK
(Post 36904360)
Ten minutes past our scheduled departure the pilot announced that our pushback tug had finally arrived and we would be on our way shortly.
With a few minutes to wait I was playing around with the wifi. Free messaging connected with no issues and no authentication. The on board web pages include a simple map and a basic trip info screen. Push back was at 21:15 and a fairly long taxi before we were wheels up at 21:29 and on our way for our 2:20 trip to Bucharest It didn’t take long for the service to start. The first offering was a hot towel and the offer of a bottle of water. The towel was really hot and also moister than most, and much appreciated! Food and drink service was around 15 minutes later and the standard trio to kick things off. The coffee is rocket fuel, just what I like. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...295c3d96b.jpeg The box meal is always cold and this time almost entirely went back to the galley, however the warmed quiche was tasty and served as my meal, and the macarons were very good! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4688608c5.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...89c8bae50.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a9f0b6b64.jpeg Once everything was cleared away these celebratory chocolates were offered, and then a second drinks run which was coffee and brandy for me. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...11e5f2006.jpeg The rest of the flight I spent reading on my iPad intermittently chatting to the crew. I was surprised to learn that the minimum layover for KLM is 11 hours, hardly time to get a decent nights sleep. I will not be seeing this crew tomorrow, they’re taking the earlier flight back to Amsterdam. With about twenty five minutes to go the crew lead came to clear my glasses and deliver a little gift. Have I mentioned that I love KLM crews? ;) https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7f464c12f.jpeg The pilots announcement that we were twenty minutes to landing came shortly thereafter and we were on the ground in OTP at 00:48 to the applause of many on board, not heard that for a while! Just now trundling around the very white and snowy airport on the way to the gate. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...21996ffa4.jpeg Next Stop: The Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. |
Good morning from Bucharest where it is now 8am and I’m in a Bolt heading to the dentist. The 15 minute trip is estimated to take nearly an hour which tells you everything about the state of the roads this morning.
The alarm tore me from my slumber at 7am after maybe four hours sleep so really not feeling particularly chirpy yet :) I did pop into the breakfast buffet to take some photos as I never got to see it in January https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ca00ff6cb.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a91fac0cd.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ad0453f23.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c3467412a.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9d4f25a6f.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d0cb5d3c9.jpeg As we get closer to the city the roads are getting better and the bolt estimate is reducing so I should be at the dentists with time to spare. |
In the end I was thirty minutes early and they were able to see me straight away as previous clients had cancelled due to the snowy conditions.
Deja Vu, spent far too many hours reclining here in the last couple of years https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4ec5613d5.jpeg Good news, bad news, visit. Nothing catastrophic wrong, slight infection treated with some foul tasting gunk embedded in gum…. but, they want me back next Tuesday (earliest appointment available with specialist) to laser clean all the implants which from previous experience is a gruesome process. This could be the makings of the first ‘to _____ by skyteam AGAIN’ trip report :D In another Uber heading back to the Airport Hilton and, with luck, a few hours snooze before I have to check out and head to the Airport |
Oh more dental trouble :( Hope it will not be too gruesome, mate.
Are you planning to defect to ScrapTeam already? :D |
Originally Posted by SKT-DK
(Post 36905075)
Oh more dental trouble :( Hope it will not be too gruesome, mate.
Are you planning to defect to ScrapTeam already? :D |
Having managed to snatch another hours sleep it was time for breakfast/brunch/lunch. I thought that I would give the HGI kitchen a try. Ursus and Lamb Shank, food of champions :)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b5152727d.jpeg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5c738d9b1.jpeg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...21a6776ee.jpeg The lamb shank was delicious, perfectly cooked, but I’m so old school that I would have loved some mint sauce! |
Originally Posted by JapesUK
(Post 36905293)
Ursus and Lamb Shank, food of champions :)
Originally Posted by JapesUK
(Post 36905293)
The lamb shank was delicious, perfectly cooked, but I’m so old school that I would have loved some mint sauce!
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I arrived at the airport at 2pm, and have just reached the Dacia lounge fifty minutes later. Security was a monumental mess of the kind that only OTP seems capable of engineering. These guys need to invest in tensa barriers and a Marshall!
Its not as if it was particularly overrun, just totally inefficient https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b914762d7.jpeg The right hand side of duty free has reopened after revamp and honestly I cannot tell the difference! The left hand side is now closed, I assume that is getting the same treatment https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...097b10dd5.jpeg Nothing more to do but lounge in the lounge for a couple of hours and enjoy some Ursus |
I’m intrigued about your dental arrangements and would like to ask a question which hopefully isn’t too personal and you will be able to answer.
Is there no way you could get a dentist back in the UK to do the necessary, or is it because you had all the previous treatment done in Bucharest that no UK dentist will touch it? Seems a tad inconvenient to have to go all the way to Romania for a dental appointment. |
All the work was done in Romania so that is one reason. And the second is that getting any sort of dentist in the UK is a joke. There was a local clinic offering Emergency appointments so I thought I’d try them, the first available ‘Emergency ’ appointment was 22nd April!
The third is that it’s all guaranteed/insured by the practice so no remedial treatment costs. |
All good reasons.
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And finally after many Ursus, time to head to the gate. One look at this and you know what is coming
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0273eb335.jpeg And OTP did not disappoint! A bus gate so no big deal who boards when, but ‘groups 1,2, and passengers requiring assistance’ is a new one and you can imagine how that ended up! Now on the bus watching everyone board and then immediately stand by the doors despite the majority of the seat and space free. I give them a minute before the driver appears and herds them down the bus |
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