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Hi All,
Well....its time for a wee bit of an adventure. I was missing some in me life and time to get on the wagon again.
Way back around Christmas....I got some signs......all pointed to me getting outta dodge. You need to listen to the signs.....
It began with one of the guys, a new guy actually he's technically still a kid comes into my office and he knows I ride and that I have a Hero cam I use a lot (small camera you can mount anywhere....keep your minds outta the gutter LOL I use it outside on me bike and planes and stuff....he starts telling me about the new Hero cam 2.
Well.....later in the day....I'm at home...sippin a rum and I remember this. So I go to their web site...this camera is amazing.....so I decide my Christmas present shall be this. I go to buy one...good luck! Can't find it anywhere in Canada.
Now its a challenge so I rev up Google...I find one in Canada....and of all places its in Calgary. So I order it. Took a while and a lot of rum to find it...but I was very proud of my efforts as a feather in my cap was that I got it on sale tooooo LOL.
Sooo I have a cool camera heading my way...hmmmmmm what shall I use it on hmmmmmm after all I do need to get outta here.....winter blues bad....even though its a nice winter its still winter. Put high heels on a turd and its still a turd...albeit a lil taller.
I have seen several motorbike tour outfits that have what appear to be nice looking tours of various parts of the world. Always thought it would be cool....escape the continent and go for a bike ride. Not so sure about the tour group part of it though. I am a bit of a lone wolf that way me thinks.
So...was pontificating about it and it all starts with me getting my monthly copy of BMOA mag (BMW club mag...pretty good). It's around Christmas...not such a joyous part of the year for me....so I need a distraction.
Not even sure why but I have had a burning desire to go to Spain lately....always have....but really hit me lately. So I am flipping my mag and surfing the web....I can multi task a weeee bit still the Alzheimer's isn't full on yet. The Alzheimer's isn't full on yet. In case I forgot to tell you the Alzheimer's isn't full on yet.
So whilst kicking back on the couch I start getting txts from my friend who checks up on me on a regular basis its all about making sure my corpse gets discovered whilst still fresh a few txts are sent...no response...calls are made...anyhoo we get to talking about how I need to get outta here.
Did I mention that I was really sipping the rum...well if not ...yup I was. So just as I get the "You need a holiday!!!!" txt I flip the page of me mag...there is a beautiful ad for a BMW tour of southern Spain Andalusia.....wow. Hmmm is this a sign I think. I go online and take a look at the price....hmmm not bad at all.
Ohhhh earlier in the day I got a nice lil thanks for being a great customer email here is 15% off anywhere that Air Canada flies......uhhh another sign.....me thinks...maybe...Oh...and then I checked on the Euro....and it's at an all time low....uhhhh another sign.....me tinks so....and by the way I'm pretty tanked whilst connecting the dots. Sooooooooo I could of technically justified that herding cats whilst on top of an elephant could make sense.
Either way in my mind its all good...I go on-line and check the tour...its outta Seville....no easy flights there....but there is to Madrid. Sooooo can I catch the tour from Madrid...I search online...I find a bike shop that has an RT...one only one left....then whilst sipping me ponders do I really need a tour group? hmmmm I got a Garmin Zumo 660....farrrggg noooo cept I really slurred that baddddddly and you can sub farg with another expletive with more kick. I just need wheels...so I book the bike in Madrid.....booking the flight was a little more adventurous.... seems that if you buy something for 60 bucks in the states online and they enter the wrong date of your card and you go on and buy something else at another site...wellll the bank thinking you've lost your faculties will see fit to block your card...cause they are worried about you of course...ohhh and nooooo they don't tell you...its all part of the fun. To see that you don't lose it whilst trying to figure out how 40k of unapproved charges can be charged to your card without a problem but....60 bucks...well that's the tipping point apparently.
In the end do ya really care…I’ll summize….got card fixed…drank more rum…booked everything…and said to hell with a tour.
The signs said take a trip so that part was good cept making it happen ...... well...almost didn't happen to to the plane was a bit of a holy crapper but in the end I guess that’s part of the adventure. Some say its about the journey not the destination. The trip that almost wasn’t. One major complication I had prior to me holiday was that I had our District meeting to attend in San Diego the same week as my departure. I needed to go and to stay as late as I could at the meeting this meant I needed to book a return flight as late on the Thursday as possible. So I managed to find a late in the day flight that was not perfect as it departed at 3:30, later would have been better. So I needed to miss a little bit of the meeting.
The other issue is it was connecting through San Francisco…anybody who knows me knows I avoid the place like the plague. Many travelers have stories to tell, I'm sure they are still stuck there telling them.
Mine starts like this by asking a question….why in the "BLEEP" would they put a city on a major earthquake fault number one…ya sure you can say they didn’t know but that only is good until the first major quake….I lost count how many they had. Second…..hmmmmm….let’s build an airport in an area that is fog bound more times than an epileptic twitches during a grand mal seizure. Ohhh and let’s make it a major hub. Gotta wonder sometimes.
So one of my compatriots flew through San Francisco…the day before … 10 hour delay ….. crapppp not a good sign. My flights were San Diego to San Francisco with a 53 min lay over…not a lot…then Vancouver with 2 hour lay over then home. I would get in at 1 am. Then I have all day to sort out my stuff as my flight leaves at 5 pm.
So in the morning checked me app for that….big delays going into guess where…so gettin nervous….oh the reason I was worried was me flights to Spain were next day. Not a lot of wiggle room. Ahhh well what can you do. So off I go its time….my app says things looking good. First leg…little late to depart but early to arrive…yay I got this licked.
Get to the airport and check it out...it is a nice one. The United lounge is quite big….and sadly only beer is free…not that that is totally a bad thing but bit cheap on their part. So sippin a brew….maybe I’m the cheap one…bong me app goes off…flight departure delayed…..1 hr….crapppppppp no panic though….just more running…after all its fun to run through an airport. People expect it these days.
Ok got time for enchiladas now whoo hooo. Mmmmm good enchilada in San Fran who woulda thought…Bong….me app…another 30 min added to delay….crapppppp….can only run so fast and in Vanc they always make you walk a marathon to get to customs…some sadistic airport authority planning thing. Oh ohhhh time to kick in back up plan…call the secret number for Air Canada….no options….next flight out puts me into home 1:00pm next day…or overnight in Vanc and he can get me on 7:00 am flight that arrives 9:30 am .… book it Danno I say.
If it works I get in and then I get to run around like an idiot trying to figure out the packing thing.....bike trip is a bit more difficult to pack for. Maybe they will hold the flight…..LMAO. So got a back up plan… and lo and behold the plane finally shows up we hop on quick and all…they push back….vroom goes one engine….then nadda….yes there are two engines…hmmmm Mr pilot comes on…Folks this is the flight deck, we have a little problem. Can’t start the engine….may have to go back to the gate….farg…I crap my pants…had a good string of luck …. It was a good run while it lasted I thought and sure enough the luck had to run out.
Sooo we head back to the gate and Mr. Pilot comes on again Folks we isolated the problem to the starter button…its broke….adding that its a kinda important button. He starts with the bad news…whilst I’m contemplating how much free booze I can get outta this to drown my sorrows…. The he hits with the good news….we got a plane 100 feet away and we can steal a button from. hat plane…. Whooohoooooooo I put my hand up and scream "I’M GOOD WITH TOOLS!!!". Seems they didn’t want my enthusiastic help….sigh..fine so then I contemplated how much booze I could get outta them to celebrate……2 hrs later Zoom Zoom we are off.
Here is where I get miffed at Air Canada. Now I’m officially 4 hrs delayed…no hope in hell of a connection…so the cart goes by and I ask for a beer and free bag of cashews….the gal looked at me like I was crazy….UUUh I’m not authorized to make that decision…I simply respond with then get someone who can….this is principle. In the end….they will give me a free beer but the cashews is way over their decision authority….hmmmmm me thinks….are ya kidding me!!!!
So get to Vancouver…1:00 am….they put me up in the Fairmount at least. Its right at the terminal…big ass suite…thread count around 6,000,0000…..and a funky room control system by the bed so I played with that for a while…..lights going on n off like in a night club…kinda cool but time to crash I guess…. Blink ohhh its 5 am already…darn. Up n atter to hump yet again for another session…..this day though smooth as glass….get in at 9:30….fastest trip off a plane I ever made. Get this was at home by 10:30….and I got a haircut LOL. I know them….I didn’t say it was a good haircut…figure I’ll have a helmet on most of the time and major helmet head anyways….so I told em use the sheep shears go go go dammit…….
Then commence ta packing….OMG…for a bike its about taking a little bit of stuff…but its gotta be the right stuff…my prob is I carry to much crap….LOL. I gotta problem need help….anyone….in the end get it all figured out. Two big bags packed with bags n bike gear. The grin forms……and I got time for a rum LOL.
Ohhh so planned to set me gps up n print out stuff…Lol ya noooooo. So I am winging it officially. Holiday mode has begun!
My usual chariot picked me up and off we went to da airport! (Thanks Andy!!)
The flight was pretty uneventful…..except the dang Germans…sheesh they all stood in front of the gate in Calgary for the Frankfurt run….it was like swatting flies to get on the plane. I think I'm a Germaphobe....bwah ha hah ... get it... germa... whatever....
My travel buddy on the plane was Reiner from Franfurt…..awesome dude. I showed him how to change the battery in his headphones…you laugh took me a bit to figure it out….showed him some good movies to watch on the screen….taught him about the Northern lights. They were amazing….. then some where in there I think I dozed off. Woke up over Glasgow. Time for a muffin and landing. Did I mention that the meal was pretty good on the plane.
Reiner had issues with the Air Canada stewardesses. Seems he tinks they are old hags (his words not mine) and that they really aren’t professional. He started to go on about Lufthansa….and yup had to agree…never see a Lufthansa gal all frumpy and leaning on a bulkhead.
Got to Frankfurt….and didn’t get lost. But what a long walk……
- comments
Florence OMG I'm exhausted just reading this. Slow down, your on a holiday! PS...I'll look after anything that comes addressed to you. Keep her between the ditches and have fun!
sona wow! you are hilarious...i love your ...! you know i live in SF! it's an amazing city - come over some time i will show you around...and promise won't throw you into the fault itself!