Bejasus
Well-Known Member
Due to our late arrival at Stansted, I think some background is required.
Due to get off ship in Denmark on Wednesday and be home by around 14:30.
Job calls in for Sunday, supposed to be ready around midnight. No problem small job around 36 hrs worth plus 12 hour trip back to town. Ha!! This is the oilfield.
First off, job delayed by 8 hours, then another 24 hours. Thinks, no problem, just book flight on paraffin budgie.
Nana, not until Wed evening you won't. Bugger. Oh well. Books chopper flight for Wed evening and flight home at 07:55 on Thursday.
We finally get the first job underway at 16:00 on Tuesday. By 20:00 Job done, the weather is blowing up sh*t in the wrong direction and we have to pull off. Sh*t
Never mind, weather should be better in time to pull in and let me transfer from the vessel to the rig. Wrong.....wind is still gusting 50 and big following seas 8mtrs.
Help....can see weekend in Sardinia disappearing over the horizon faster than the chopper that just left without me.
First lucky break, weather is coming down and there is a seat on the first chopper in the morning. Great. Change flight, since I don't want to take any chances on missing flight home,i.e late helicopter etc. I cancel my Billund/Amsterdam/Norwich flight and opt for Billund/Gatwick and a 1st Class train ticket home, as the Gatwick flight leaves 30 minutes later than the Amsterdam.
No chopper problems, and the arrangement to leave my new teak instrument panel is followed to the letter and I pick up the panel at the heliport. Get in taxi and go to Billund Airport, 45 mins away.
Hrummph, no changed ticket and the Amsterdam hasn't left yet. No problem Sir. I will just have to ring through to your company/travel agent and have your earlier ticket, which we have, revalidated and you can catch the Amsterdam and be home sooner. 20 mins later I watch as the Amsterdam flight leaves without yours truly.
Ticket now changed to Gatwick. Bing, bong, 'The flight to Gatwick will be delayed departure by 15 mins'. Turns into 35. Board plane putting instrument panel in the coat locker at the front. Where am I seated, yep, last row.
Arrive in Gatwick 35 mins late and I have to catch my train in 25 mins and get ticket.
Pull up to gate and the gate doors wont function. P*ss around for 5 mins and decide to bring stairs to the rear and let everyone off thataway. Great, I am right at the back, first off. NOT!!! Remember the teak panel in the locker at the front and have to let everyone else off before I can retieve it and and run like hell.
Grab my bag off the carousel and leg it through the terminal and up to the first rail ticket desk. 'No,no Sir in the top of the station for bookings'. OK, leg it over there.
'No Sir, we do not have a booking in your name'. Now disgusted and deflated walk away from the window and ... .'Oi!, Excuse me, you've left this 'ere lump of wood 'ere guv'. Retrieves panel and calls HR person at work, 'Oh we could'nt get a 1st class ticket and anyhow it's a fastrack booking'.
Back to the ticket desk and 'You have to go to the machine at the end and get it'. Ok.........'Oi!, Excuse me, you've left this 'ere lump of wood 'ere again guv'. Slinks back and retrieves.
Secure ticket and ......it's wrong. Back to the window, 'You're not having a good day, Sir. Can I help?'.
'1st class ticket to Norwich please'.
'You do realise that you just missed one and therefore your connection to Norwich at Liverpool St'.
'Well I will just have to get the next one then, wont I?'.
Remember panel & get down to the platform and bugger me, I've left my mobile lying upstairs. Race back up again and luckily it's still there. Get back down to the platform and, Bing, bong, 'The next train to Bedford via Liverpool street is delayed 20 mins'.
Train arrives and have to dash all the way to the end to find the 1st Class compartment and upon finding it, walk into a sh*thole. Guard arrives for ticket and 'I say is this it?'.
'Yep' he says and strolls off with an air of indifference.
Humbled by this reply, I shut up and cower in the corner of this compartment, expecting the worst at any moment.
Get just past East Croyden and sit stationary for 15mins, before we finally arrive at London Bridge and race down to the tube for Liverpools St. and fight my way on to a carriage. Arrive at Liverpool St. in time to see the 15:30 disappear, and catch
the 16:00. Call SWMBO again to give her an update on what time to pick me up and hear her and her workmates collapsing in laughter as she repeats my troubled journey.
Finally, get on the Norwich train have a few beers and get chatting to the bloke opposite who works for Trinity House. Pass the journey learning about the state of lighthouses today etc.
Wake up in Norwich and it's lashing down. Get soaked waiting outside for SWMBO who has decided to go shopping. Get picked up, go home, get changed and out for a nice meal.
Back home pack and off to bed. Set alarm time for 03:00, as we have to be at Stansted around 05:00.
Wake up at around 04:49 and.. Bugger!! Forgot to turn on alarm.
Get to Airport just as flight is leaving. Enough already!!!!!!!
To be continued in the 'Visit Reply' post. (but not this long)
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Due to get off ship in Denmark on Wednesday and be home by around 14:30.
Job calls in for Sunday, supposed to be ready around midnight. No problem small job around 36 hrs worth plus 12 hour trip back to town. Ha!! This is the oilfield.
First off, job delayed by 8 hours, then another 24 hours. Thinks, no problem, just book flight on paraffin budgie.
Nana, not until Wed evening you won't. Bugger. Oh well. Books chopper flight for Wed evening and flight home at 07:55 on Thursday.
We finally get the first job underway at 16:00 on Tuesday. By 20:00 Job done, the weather is blowing up sh*t in the wrong direction and we have to pull off. Sh*t
Never mind, weather should be better in time to pull in and let me transfer from the vessel to the rig. Wrong.....wind is still gusting 50 and big following seas 8mtrs.
Help....can see weekend in Sardinia disappearing over the horizon faster than the chopper that just left without me.
First lucky break, weather is coming down and there is a seat on the first chopper in the morning. Great. Change flight, since I don't want to take any chances on missing flight home,i.e late helicopter etc. I cancel my Billund/Amsterdam/Norwich flight and opt for Billund/Gatwick and a 1st Class train ticket home, as the Gatwick flight leaves 30 minutes later than the Amsterdam.
No chopper problems, and the arrangement to leave my new teak instrument panel is followed to the letter and I pick up the panel at the heliport. Get in taxi and go to Billund Airport, 45 mins away.
Hrummph, no changed ticket and the Amsterdam hasn't left yet. No problem Sir. I will just have to ring through to your company/travel agent and have your earlier ticket, which we have, revalidated and you can catch the Amsterdam and be home sooner. 20 mins later I watch as the Amsterdam flight leaves without yours truly.
Ticket now changed to Gatwick. Bing, bong, 'The flight to Gatwick will be delayed departure by 15 mins'. Turns into 35. Board plane putting instrument panel in the coat locker at the front. Where am I seated, yep, last row.
Arrive in Gatwick 35 mins late and I have to catch my train in 25 mins and get ticket.
Pull up to gate and the gate doors wont function. P*ss around for 5 mins and decide to bring stairs to the rear and let everyone off thataway. Great, I am right at the back, first off. NOT!!! Remember the teak panel in the locker at the front and have to let everyone else off before I can retieve it and and run like hell.
Grab my bag off the carousel and leg it through the terminal and up to the first rail ticket desk. 'No,no Sir in the top of the station for bookings'. OK, leg it over there.
'No Sir, we do not have a booking in your name'. Now disgusted and deflated walk away from the window and ... .'Oi!, Excuse me, you've left this 'ere lump of wood 'ere guv'. Retrieves panel and calls HR person at work, 'Oh we could'nt get a 1st class ticket and anyhow it's a fastrack booking'.
Back to the ticket desk and 'You have to go to the machine at the end and get it'. Ok.........'Oi!, Excuse me, you've left this 'ere lump of wood 'ere again guv'. Slinks back and retrieves.
Secure ticket and ......it's wrong. Back to the window, 'You're not having a good day, Sir. Can I help?'.
'1st class ticket to Norwich please'.
'You do realise that you just missed one and therefore your connection to Norwich at Liverpool St'.
'Well I will just have to get the next one then, wont I?'.
Remember panel & get down to the platform and bugger me, I've left my mobile lying upstairs. Race back up again and luckily it's still there. Get back down to the platform and, Bing, bong, 'The next train to Bedford via Liverpool street is delayed 20 mins'.
Train arrives and have to dash all the way to the end to find the 1st Class compartment and upon finding it, walk into a sh*thole. Guard arrives for ticket and 'I say is this it?'.
'Yep' he says and strolls off with an air of indifference.
Humbled by this reply, I shut up and cower in the corner of this compartment, expecting the worst at any moment.
Get just past East Croyden and sit stationary for 15mins, before we finally arrive at London Bridge and race down to the tube for Liverpools St. and fight my way on to a carriage. Arrive at Liverpool St. in time to see the 15:30 disappear, and catch
the 16:00. Call SWMBO again to give her an update on what time to pick me up and hear her and her workmates collapsing in laughter as she repeats my troubled journey.
Finally, get on the Norwich train have a few beers and get chatting to the bloke opposite who works for Trinity House. Pass the journey learning about the state of lighthouses today etc.
Wake up in Norwich and it's lashing down. Get soaked waiting outside for SWMBO who has decided to go shopping. Get picked up, go home, get changed and out for a nice meal.
Back home pack and off to bed. Set alarm time for 03:00, as we have to be at Stansted around 05:00.
Wake up at around 04:49 and.. Bugger!! Forgot to turn on alarm.
Get to Airport just as flight is leaving. Enough already!!!!!!!
To be continued in the 'Visit Reply' post. (but not this long)
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