Howdy Y’All,
Trust you’ve all had a great week. As mentioned in my last blog about going to India, here’s my report!
1. For starters, my checking at MMA – the entire process from start to finish was the most stress-less I’d encountered in a very long time. Got to the airport on time; obviously without any excess luggage! Then there was little or no queue. Customs was a whiz through and so was the immigration and scanning point.
I was on a BA flight – not flown with them for a few years now for good reasons, but I was quite pleased this time around on their service to jand. We were served Jollof rice, chicken and dodo. Though I hate dodo, but I was so impressed by the local touch!
Got into London ok and the waiting time came and went pretty fast – having 11 people on the same trip from the same source was very entertaining.
The flight to India took another 9hours. The service on the BA flight was even more pleasing. I was however so tired and so were the others. After eating and catching a few hours sleep, I decided to at least catch a movie from the VoD selection. When I felt peckish, I asked one of the attendants for some nuts. In turn I was shown a galley full of munchies and told to help myself to whatever and however much I wanted – heavenly!
Landing in India took a bit of cycling around due to the sheer volume of traffic at 1am. Mumbai looked pretty busy at that time of the night as we headed out. What we first noticed were there ‘kombolo’ fiat Indian-made cabs.
We got to our hotel at about 3am. It was the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. It was spectacular. By now, we were all so fatigued but grateful to God for a safe landing. We hit our rooms. The setting was just marvellous! It turns out we’d been booked into a $500 dollar a room per night!
Till now I’m not certain how that bill has been reconciled back at work, but I certainly didn’t pay my room charges. We spent a about 3nights before departing from Mumbai.
With back to back meetings, there was not time for site seeing or any such. Even food was a luxury. We were only served sandwiches at our meetings and I don’t like bread or anything of Indian culinary! The hotel was overly expensive but we got a really lovely Chinese place a few yards away but only opportune to visit once. The only things I bought and had time to do so were books, only because the hotel had a very good book store. We thought of going to see the Taj Mahal but were told that this was about a good 6hours away from where we were exclusive of travelling time to Mumbai airport!
The days came and went and we ended up changing our tickets twice in one day just to get out of Mumbai earlier than planned.
On the departure day, though didn’t fly first class but majority of us in the team where privileged to experience first class treatment by virtue of the most senior member of the team flying first. ‘Twas cool!
We changed our money back, almost everything from the same place we’d changed it from on our way in. Strict changing rules though! You needed to show original purchase receipt, passport blah, blah, otherwise you will be ‘rupeeing’ back to destination.
Reliance on their duty free proved fatal. Alas, the shops were closed for refurbishment! So that’s how I went to India and back and the only thing I expended money on were 4 books, 1 Chinese meal and 1 McDonald’s meal!
Got to London ok! Flight was excellent but food was crap! The 4day stopover was very cool but extremely busy.
Going back to Lagos, it was equally a stress free checking in at LHR! Had checked in online so the rest was seamless + I didn’t have excess! Can you just believe that! One suitcase weighed 28kg and the other 32.0kg on the dot! I was well pleased! Then it occurred to me that it is often the excess that causes or adds to the stress.
Got back to my very own Las Giddy on a packed flight – didn’t have overhead room for my hand luggage as other passengers had gazumped my space, so they were split in 3! Yeah, well into 3! We are now allowed to carry 2 onboard + any duty-frees! And trust me, we Nigerians truly capitalised on this!
My welcome home was met with a lost luggage by good ‘ol BA; whom ironically I was reading the dailies on my way out that said they were the worst for lost / damaged luggage.
Luckily, it arrived the next night. Then the other strange was that on wanting to claim my BA air miles, I was told that I didn’t travel on the flight! Can you beat that? So if it wasn’t me, then who was on their flight manifesto?
Then, I was down and out due to Malaria for a week! It was terrible! I didn’t have the classic symptoms which was the scary bit. It sure felt like I was going to die! It was in my blood stream! I went through 3 different types of malaria medication, bag full of other medication and 6 injections in my bum to return to good health. The effect of all these was insomnia! Only just started getting much sleep these last couple of days!
I wasn’t sure if this had been caused by the Las Giddy mosquitoes or those in India! What was however scary about the Indian ones was that they were everywhere. You met them in droves in the lift; out in the open; in offices et al. At point, I forgot myself and started aiming to kill them, and then I had to pull myself together. I’m however unsure if I was beaten!
2. Picture this: Clocked thirty something this weekend gone! I had a drink up and it was a nice setting. ‘Twas put together within a couple of days! Such a stress-less planning! Never thought I would have a drink up in Las Giddy or even know people to invite over.
I went for a hairdo I don’t think I’ve ever had; made me look so different that a lot of people found it difficult to recognise me at first. Been having the same effect too at the office!
There was music, food and drinks. We were done by 8.15pm! Can you believe that?
At least mine was civil, my brother bought food, cake and ice cream for every one at the office! Trust me, I didn’t have to spend that much even for my drink up. I took cake to work for the benefit of those that weren’t invited and after the cake had gone round, people were expecting either ice cream or drinks to follow! Ice cream koh, cold cream ni!
Unfortunately, this is the Las Giddian way! People expect you to ‘wash it’ for them if you move house, give birth, marry, buy a new car, your birthday, a promotion, travel, get visa; any excuse for you to spend sha is inescapable!
Now I can’t imagine this happening in jand! Or can it? Does it? As far as I remember, the celebrant will call you to her / his party you will have to pay for everything you eat or drink!
3. Picture this: More plateys: Mudi;, Fig 1; Hag 1; Simplex; Sugar! Na wa ya o!
And that’s it for this time around. Will be compiling more compelling Las Giddy stories for you!
Take care all and have a blissful weekend ahead.
Always & Always,
Moi (For Real Las Giddy Content)
