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Old 6th February 2010, 14:28   #1
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YetiBlog® - Snow, Germany and a Rather Blocked Nose

We're flying what?
Well, I cannot see any airline offering us a better deal or better price. Rs. 54000/- is a return ticket for BOTH of us.
That's like 27 grand including all taxes!
Yeah, but for God's sake -- Kuwait Airways? She laughs.
I laugh too. It is funny. We're flying Kuwait Airways to Germany from Mumbai, via Kuwait!
-----------------------------

Saturday, November 2009 -

TheOne® and I had been planning a lot of things for Christmas 2009/ New Year's 2010 but nothing had come to pass. We'd planned a holiday in Finland (Yes, Santa Claus land) with a few friends, then another by ourselves and yet - nothing had come to pass. We'd just been very busy.

Step one was to get ourselves to Frankfurt. Step two would follow. Hopefully.

And so it was that I purchased the tickets to get to Frankfurt on the 20th of December.

And so begins my tale.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:31   #2
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Oh there you are. Someone is claiming to enter the limca book of records by driving a nano on the GQ. Guess you should take what's rightfully yours.
Welcome back.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:36   #3
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Wow! Awaiting the rest of the blog!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi View Post
Finland (Yes, Santa Claus land)
I bet more people would associate Finland with NOKIA than Santa Claus.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:40   #4
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Alright so time to bring out some snacks... And good that its not on a weekday...
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:41   #5
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Sam, did you pass through sweden on your way to finland?

looking forward to the 'log!
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:42   #6
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I hope, this Yeti will be faster than Skoda Yeti.:

Come fast, come fast, we are waiting.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:44   #7
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Sunday 20th December 2009

The flight is delayed.


We're not waiting in the lounge, no. We've been waiting in the Aircraft for 2 hours. It is a rather old and rickety Boeing. Clean, but old. I'm quite worried to be honest.
I stare at our schedule again.

We have one hour between flights. Our flight to Kuwait should reach at 07.55 and the flight to Frankfurt is at 09.00. Given the fact that our flight is delayed by 2 hours, it looks like we're going to miss our connection and *shudder* stay back in Kuwait.

There's a guy on the seat in front of us. He gets up in a huff, opens his laptop case from the overhead baggage compartment, pulls out his ticket, stares at it, shakes his head angrily and sits down complaining loudly.

EVERY single time it is delayed! he says, pretty loudly.

I think he's German I say softly to TheOne®
You can make out from his accent, she asks.
No but I can make out from the way he's complaining, I laugh.

She leans over and speaks to him in German. I was right, he's going to Frankfurt too. We're not the only ones delayed here. Somehow that's comforting. In a way.

The flight takes off. I look over at the attendant sitting in the emergency seat. He is fast asleep with his mouth open in a peculiar way. I grin and turn to the other attendant. He is fast asleep with his mouth open in a peculair way.

So much for emergency crew.

Later in the flight I watch the crew serve up some excellent food with a half smile. Some handsome men and beautiful ladies with waaaaayy too much makeup on. It is an arabic thing I guess. Of sorts.

So miss, could you speak to the captain or radio into Kuwait and let me know if I am going to make it to my flight from Kuwait to Frankfurt?
She comes back in half an hour.
You know this flight doesn't really take 4 hours, it actually takes 3 and a half.
So?
So we might land by 9 or 9.30am.
Well that doesn't help me does it? My connection is at 9am!

She shrugs. I know it's not her fault but the idea of sitting at Kuwait is annoying me.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:49   #8
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The story teller at work. What next??
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:51   #9
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Sunday 20th December 2009

We've landed. The time is exactly 9am. Looks like the Pilot bhagaoed. lol

We quickly gather our things and prepare to rush out of the Aircraft. As we rush out we see someone with a small sign saying Frankfurt Passengers - this way.

We rush and realise that there are at least 15 more people rushing in the same direction. I turn quickly, look at them and relax a little. If there are so many, the flight will wait.

I am correct. We are quickly rushed through a sham of a security check and rushed onboard.
I frown.
What?
How in heaven's name are they going to find our bags in 5 minutes and get them onto this airplane?

TheOne® speaks to the lady tearing our boarding passes.
We took a connecting flight, we just landed 2 minutes ago. Our bags -- will our bags be on the plane to Frankfurt?
The lady smiles. The plane will not fly without your bags for security reasons. Your bags have to be on your flight. She seems confident.

Well that's that then. We rush onto the flight, engines running, all passengers waiting for the 15 late cheapskates from Mumbai.

We made it. But have our bags?

Last edited by Sam Kapasi : 6th February 2010 at 14:53.
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:53   #10
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did the right bags make it?
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:58   #11
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The Drivoblog and now a Yetiblog! TBHPians are getting seriously pampered now
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Old 6th February 2010, 14:58   #12
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waiting for the bags to come in, I guess its a rule that unless the passenger is there, his bag is not taken in the flight (if passenger doesnt board the flight then his bag is searched and taken off). Is the inverse true ? I mean, if the bags are not there, still passengers do take flights.
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Old 6th February 2010, 15:01   #13
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Sunday 20th December 2009

The flight is pretty good. I'm just happy to eat Biryani on the flight and not some rubbish Lufthansa food. The crew are less tired and definitely nicer. The Aircraft is newer and I have no reason to complain.

Not at the price we're paying anyway.

If our bags make it to Frankfurt, I'm going to be very impressed. I'm going to be so impressed that I'd fly Kuwait Airways again. Happily.

The flight approaches the runway on time.
We look out the window and see some snow. Some, not a whole lot.

I wonder if we're going to have a white christmas...


As we land the snow gets thicker and thicker and as we taxi out to a bay, the snow comes in fast. It is snowing heavily now. I am staring outside the window fascinated.
Yes, I have seen snow many times before, but never at Frankfurt, not at the airport, not in the city.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Frankfurt International Airport where the outside temperature is minus 16.

Holy Crap. Did she just say minus 16? MI-BLOODY-NUS 16? My mind quickly calculates. It was 33 degrees in Mumbai. I'm going to suffer a drop in ambient temperature of 49 degrees. Holy Crap.

I shiver slightly as I put my winter coat on.

Minus 16 in the city. There's another experience to write down.

Last edited by Sam Kapasi : 6th February 2010 at 15:03.
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Old 6th February 2010, 15:10   #14
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Sam bhai, a little impateint here. What happens to the baggage?
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Old 6th February 2010, 15:21   #15
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Wow. Fantastic prelude Sam. Expecting more. One more option to fly to Europe. Good that we need not put up with boring and aging Lufthansa(literally everyway) anymore. What is the baggage weight limit for Economy? Is it same as Emirates(30Kg)?
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