Thursday 13 December 2007

Back on Plane arrrggghhh..........

Hey everyone :o)  Well it's nearly the weekend *does happy dance*!!  I am gonna post the last entry from my Germany travels but first here's the latest of what's happening at work.  Everyone apart from E is back and we've been told today that we've gotta move offices!!  No more will we be able to look out of the windows and see the serene scene that we do now..........We are either gonna get moved to the 2nd floor of the annexe or the ground floor on the other side of the building!!  Hey-ho it could be worse I suppose!!  *note to self look harder for new job in the new year* lol

Anyway here's the rest of the Germany travels ~ I shall hopefully post the pics at the weekend :o)

SUNDAY 22nd JULY 2007

Next morning we got up fairly earlyish and had our last breakfast together. It was getting quite sad, we had, had such a good time the night before that I really didn't want to leave the girls. Or Davie who was giving puppy dog eyes to everyone!! Often he would lie underneath the table when we were eating, and he would lie on my feet, bless him!! All of us wanted to take home bits of Sandra's home and once Brigitte had finished there wasn't much left to have.

After breakfast we sat outside as the sun was out once again, but soon Tina had to leave, and Brigitte not long after her. Jurgen drove them to the station (or it might have been Sandra). It was getting quite tearful to say goodbye but I am sure we shall all meet again!! Well there's always next years meet up even if Queen don't tour. Pam, Trina and I remained sitting outside and chatting away. At some point I asked Sandra if I could have a cup of tea. She realised that she hadn't made me one that morning and was very apologetic. Trina and I said that we were going to put it in our notes about how shabby the place was to stay in (all in jest of course), we were going to mention how we had slept on hard floors and how they would starve us etc. We even took some photos to prove it.........we are nasty but Sandra knew we were joking!! They had been fabulous hosts!! As Trina and I didn't have to be at the airport till 3ish, we spent most of the time throwing Davie's ball for him. I was going to miss him, he keeps you amused for a long time!

Whilst Sandra drove Pam to the station, Jurgen tried to log us into the flight online. Unfortunately our reference number was not recognised, so he couldn't do it. Instead we chatted about the differences in our countries. It's insane some of the things Germans have to do and pay for etc, but they probably think that with our country. The conversation was based around numberplates and cars etc. I don't remember the entire in's and out's of the conversation but I do remember it was a lot of madness as to what goes on, I think it may have stemed from asking what Jurgen did for a living but don't quote me on that.

Eventually Jurgen and Sandra drove us to the airport and we said goodbye to Tobi. He had signed the poster which had been on the door when we arrived. I was going to keep it so that when he becomes a famous drummer I can say I knew him!! (It's currently framed and sitting on my table!) Whilst on the way to the airport, we were discussing which company we had flown with, Trina and I could not prounounce it correctly, but it explained why Jurgen could not log us in. He had been trying to do so on the British Airways site. We carried on discussing the difference between the countries and it was very interesting. I was taking the sights in as I wasn't sure when I would see buildings and architecture like that again!! We got out at the airport and I had to alter the tag on my bag. Once that was done and their car was parked, Trina and I went to queue at check-in. Jurgen lifted our bags onto the security conveyor belt bless him!! As we hadn't been able to use the online check-in we had to wait a while. It didn't take too long and unfortunately we weren't able to sit next to each other. We ended up with aisle seats next to each other instead. As there was still some time before our plane was due to board, we said our goodbyes to Sandra and Jurgen who had been the loveliest hosts and Sandra was close to tears again.

I didn't want to go but we made our way through to departures lounge and brought some food and got a drink. We sat at the gate waiting for our flight to be called. I wasn't feeling too bad but it didn't help matters when the check in ladies came to the desk but started to call out customers names but not ours.To this day I couldn't figure out why, now I wonder if they were priorty check-ins!! Eventually we got told we could now board, so we joined the queue with the rest of the passengers and got onto a bus. The bus took us to the plane and Trina got on before I did, I got stuck behind some people with kids. As Trina was therefore in charge of finding our seats she had made a mistake and even asked a very nice lady if she wouldn't mind swapping so we could sit together. This did not happen and I was sat next to some bloke who played his games thingy all flight. He also didn't close the blind so everytime we turned (which we did a lot on the approach to Heathrow) I freaked out coz I could see land or sky depending which window I looked through. At one point Trina asked if I could see Wembley (coz apparently you can see it from so many miles away), I turned round and said yes, there it is....which was quite amusing as she had said that for a joke!! I wasn't bad on the take off, remembered to get my book out straight away this time and sucking my Werthers I was fine!! The landing was that bad either and we were sat above the landing gear, so everytime that made a creaking sound it did freak me out a bit. It was the part after landing which freaked me out the most. Everytime the plane speeds up you can feel it and the pilot did this before we landed and had to perform an emergency stop after we had hit the ground. Trina admitted to me after we got off that she had actually been freaked out by that too!!

Trina was panicked about this end of the journey to a certain extent. We had to collect our baggage, which did arrive *phew* and make our way to the train. Trying to remember the way we had gone on Wednesday when we had arrived. To do this I got to go on those stupid floor escalator type things. They are stupid coz you can walk faster than they are moving. We arrived with plenty of time to catch the next train. Trina was relieved because we had gone through from baggage collection to the trains with no hassles at all. As everything is signposted pretty well it was hard not to find the right way to go. She said that Wayne and her argued constantly when they had flown back from Kenya. I couldn't understand it but I guess tiredness was involved. We had our hour back from the journey which did feel quite strange.

The train from Heathrow to Paddington was non-eventful and not very busy. Our train home was about 9pm and it was about 6pm. As we had a long time to wait we decided to go into the cafe and wait. I tried to read more of my book but with Trina around that was not so easy. We got slightly worried about our train as the one on the board we were looking at was delayed. We did debate about getting on it but figured they would probably get us to pay more as we had booked tix for the later train, so we didn't risk it. A bit later we had to go and find the loos (20p is a con!!) and I laughed when Trina walked past me!! I had a feeling she was going to do it too which was quite strange. We then got some food from Burger King and waited for our train. Eventually it was announced on the board, by this time I was bored..........and we found our seats no problem. The train wasn't very busy which was a relief!!

We got back to Exeter at about 10.30pm. Trina had to stay at mine as Wayne and his broken back could not drive to pick her up. She had to get up early the next morning to catch the 8am train!! That was the killer!! I decided I better get up too to show her the way otherwise she would get lost knowing my luck!! Luckily I didn't have to go to work as well, I would never have been able to concentrate!!

I got home and went somewhere and did something (I can't remember which sorry!!) But I was sad to be home, but happy because I know that I have met some of the best people in the world and I wouldn't have done that had it not been for Queen.

FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS, RIGHT TILL THE END..............................

Take care peeps xx

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi.  Thanks for stopping by my journal.  Nice to meet you.  My broadband is messed up today too.  I wonder why.  I thought it was just my connection or computer.  I am so glad to find out that's not true.
I am glad you are enjoying DSD.  I can't wait until the tutorials start.

Krissy :)
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

So pleased you had such a good time good old Queen ,making you do this ,New year resolution look for new job ,,,love Jan xx  PS  thankyou for my Christmas card xxx

Anonymous said...

An eventful time for sure Jen. I'm glad you had a good visit, and with such nice hosts too. No doubt you'll all meet up again next year.
B. x

Anonymous said...

So glad you had a good time.You have great friends. I think my Harry would like to join your Queen gang as he is a big fan,all he has asked for for christmas is a Kitten that he wants to call Freddie!! Louise xx

Anonymous said...

I can´t await to meet you again next year! It was so nice to have you here in Germany! If only we´d have had more time...

I hope you will find a new job, hun. Sounds like everything else is better than the one you have now.

Your x-mas card arrived .... Thank you very much *kiss*

luv, coops

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny, I`m glad you had a such a lovely time. The trick is with those esculators is to walk while you`re on them, then you whizz past everyone else. :o)

Love Sandra xxxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny glad you had such a great time will have to start saving now for next time.   Love Joan.

Anonymous said...

Hello Jenny,
Thanks for visiting my journal. I'm new in DSD just now wanting to learn graphics. I look forward to getting to know everyone. I live in the USA in Kentucky. I have never been overseas, but I would love to visit someday. I just think everything over there is so beautiful. I look forward to seeing the pictures you have to share. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I'm so jealous ;-). I've added you journal and put you on alerts. So I will be back.
Take care, Chrissie

Anonymous said...

You definitely deserve a job were they treat you better. Sounds like The Germany trip was a truly wonderful experience. I always hate coming home, your still on that high of adventurous fun and feel displaced once you return home. Loves your stories of Germany and Queen. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Hi Jen -  yes look harder in the new year for that job - things can only get better.  What a fab trip to Germany you had.
Luv Jaynee x