Ken Gargett Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 the advance party has arrived. and happy birthday lisa, bet rob forgot. that was one long trip. managed two hours sleep the night before - finishing work, packing, going to the reds, sending emails etc etc. suffice to say that there were a few hiccups along the way that may be discussed with certain entities on return. hell getting through LA to catch the connecting flight. got the full body search - you could have sex and be less intimate than this bloke was. but he did it with a smile (which is a worry, and why, when you have endless women going through, would you choose to touch my bits?). congratulations to alaskan airlines on their new world record - for most number of seats squeezed into the smallest space. you could stack seats vertically and fit in less, i swear. fortunately, i was seated in the middle of the one year olds on their way to the ´loud youths with expanded lung capacity´ conference. and pj, they are selling the same chicken (allegedly) rolls as last year. i mean exactly the same ones. in cancun, went back to the usual - that well known typical mexican drinking hole, thank god its fridays. why i thought that the food might be any better... i´m hoping there is a major exchange rate differential - otherwise i paid $177 for a dodgy jalapeno burger. at least the beer was cold (and so very necessary by then). i asked for a big one and i reckon they´d need to back up the tanker after it - it was massive. i asked for a small one the next time and it was still way bigger than anything we get at home. at least i know why i keep going back.
Ken Gargett Posted February 20, 2006 Author Posted February 20, 2006 to continue, the most curious thing about cancun is that they have a child minding centre called the ´koala bear´. no animals left in mexico? finally touched down havana shortly before midnight after 36 hours flying. usual slow queues for immigration. incredibly slow queues for security. the the cherry on top. two hours for luggage. hundreds waiting. nothing happening. bits here and there. chaos. i had my fishing rod with me so stuck it through the flaps to get a look behind the scenes. one woman to do all and she was fast asleep. apparently, ´get off your fat arse´ is international. slowly more luggage dribbles out. then that is it. nothing. two weeks in cuba and then another two in the vineyards of europe and i have not even underwear. not happy, jan. but given that there are 80 people at lost and found, i figure it is not just me. i had asked if it could be elsewehre. definitely not possible. finally, an american i had been chatting with went to the other terminal and sure enough. so i go get mine. i come back to tell the 80 odd folk at the lost and found that there are dozens of bags in the other terminal - no people, just bags. no one moves. either they don´t believe me (despite holding my bag) or they don´t want to lose their spot in the queue. i´m too tired to care. but think of this. an airport full of ´working cubans´all sitting around. 80 to 100 people desparately chasing luggage. the cubans know there are dozens of bags at the next terminal and yet no one bothers to tell anyone. go out and no hotel national driver, despite it being organised etc. i am referred to person after person. finally, i am referred to an empty desk. the woman finally turns up. driver couldn´t be bothered waiting any longer - he´d just left. but if i wanted to wait another two hours, there would be a bus. so she copped both barrels. i´d kept my mouth shut all day but that was it. a wobbly of major proportions. hopped in a cab. next morning and up to date - love this place but the food is still crap. at least i should lose weight. time to head off for one day of peace before rob and his apostles arrive.
Tampa1257 Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 So Ken, it sounds like everything is going as planned............. Love the updates, keep them coming!
Jimmy2 Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Keep us posted Ken looks like your going to have a blast and tons of fun. Ken if you can tell Rob and friends please tell them thanks for a great time in NY.
idesign Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Very cool, keep the updates coming. Sounds like someone owes you a dinner?....:-D
Freefallguy Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 » hell getting through LA to » catch the connecting flight. got the full body search - you could have sex » and be less intimate than this bloke was. but he did it with a smile (which » is a worry, and why, when you have endless women going through, would you » choose to touch my bits I dunno Ken, sounds like you’re having a grand time, ESPECIALLY after having your fancy tickled by one of our Homeland Security defenders... could it be he saw that piccie of you that’s circling the globe… you know the one of you in leathers.
pizzabob Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 WOW Ken... LAX is my favorite airport, whenever I need a colonoscopy, or even an enema, thats my first choice... LAX. Your'e lucky they didnt make you declare your accent for inspection! Personally, I would have gone around the other way on the planet, if only to AVOID LAX. Keep the reviews coming,we can live vicariously through your adventures.
Ginseng Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 » WOW Ken... LAX is my favorite airport, whenever I need a colonoscopy, or » even an enema, thats my first choice... LAX. Your'e lucky they » didnt make you declare your accent for inspection! Personally, I would » have gone around the other way on the planet, if only to AVOID LAX. » » Keep the reviews coming,we can live vicariously through your adventures. You're making it sound more like EX-LAX :-P But seriously, this is a good read. Keep em coming Ken. Wilkey
korryp Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 This was a good read. Nice to know this stuff happens to other people at airports.
shrink Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Ken... would you remind us just why you traveled to Cuba in the first place? :-| Have fun, and please keep Rob out of jail.
cfheater Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 » Ken... would you remind us just why you traveled to Cuba in the first » place? :-| » » Have fun, and please keep Rob out of jail. I hope they all get locked up for a good long while.
Colt45 Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Ken, glad to hear you're still alive. keep up the good work.
First Lady Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Hi Ken Honey Good to see everything went to plan Surprise Rob did remember my birthday but got the day wrong :-D are you surprised. LOL Relax and have fun as I know you will. BTW Your box is hidden and no one knows where it is except me Big hug TFL
JMH Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Alaskan airlines is the scourge of the earth. I had the misfortune of being aboard one of their flights in Canada a year or two ago. It was supposed to be a 45 minute flight from Vancouver to Kamloops... we spent two hours sitting on the runway waiting for a de-icing truck before we took off. This is after our flight from LAX to Vanc was delayed, our luggage was 'misplaced' forcing us to wait about 6 hours for the later flight. The floors of Vanc airport sure are comfy. Getting to Sun Peaks is a hell of a trip. I don't get airport security. Last international trip I got randomly selected at every freaking airport. What they found so incredibly suspicious and threatening about a 5'7'' 55kg white kid I don't know. Oh and have a hell of a time, I'm jealous :-P
Wiley Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 I don't know what kind of airlines Aussies are used to, they must be nice, because Alaska is pretty decent compared to it's American alternatives. If you think their seats are tight, be certain never to fly Southwest or Northwest. They make Alaska seem luxurious in comparison.
swl Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 I hope you're not expecting a lot of sympathy from these crowd here. Many would gladly change places with you. ;-)
Van55 Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Now that your travel travails are over, the fun will start. Keep us posted and thanks for the update!
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