17th June 2016
The alarm goes off at 03:30. Although it's always easier to get out of bed to go on holiday, it's still bloody early...
I'm already fully packed, and the house is configured for a variety of work to be done on it whilst I'm away (of which more later), so I carefully step into the shower (I did so slightly carelessly yesterday, slipped and fell hard onto my right leg - which is now a spectacular colour) and try to make myself feel like a member of the human race. I'm out of the door and driving to my place of work at 04:00 - I'm leaving my car there for the time I'm away, as I want to leave as much free parking for builders etc around my house as possible.
I arrive at 04:30 to find that Goldstar Cabs are there waiting as ordered, and I load my luggage into the boot and endure hearing about how England are doing in the European Cup for the 20 minutes it takes to get to the airport.
I'm surprised to see that the terminal is really busy - it turns out that, in addition to the scheduled flight to Amsterdam this morning, there's also a charter flight to Ibiza.
The check-in computer has failed and it's chaos. Staff are running about like headless chickens and - in one moment of comedy gold - with both flights queuing at their gates, they swap the gates.
We eventually board our little Fokker about half an hour late. Confidence is not improved by the KLM captain getting on the PA and announcing that we may have two too many passengers on board, and was anyone not expecting to travel to Amsterdam...
It's eventually sorted and we get airborne - but the delay is nearly an hour and my connection at Schiphol is looking tight. When we land, we are herded onto a bus and taken for a tour of the Netherlands before being dumped at the Terminal. I hurry along to my gate and am among the last passengers to board.
The Airbus is packed this morning - I couldn't see an empty seat anywhere - so I take my seat and endure ten hours of watching the Delta in flight entertainment system (which has too be said, is superb). I also pay for in-flight wi-fi - which allows me to waste all sorts of time - principally texting friends to say I'm using in-flight wi-fi.
I'm easily amused.
We eventually descend into Portland and I clear immigration in record time. I go through to the baggage carousel and soon find out that my luggage didn't make the connection. Bugger.
I go to the Delta desk and the lady there tells me it's on its way to Minneapolis and will then be transferred to a Portland bound flight, due to arrive at 2300 local (it's now just after noon). I ask what will happen then and she assures me it will be brought straight out to the address I have given them - and this might mean a late night knock at the door. I tell her that will be no problem and explain that the bag has all my riding kit in it and that I won't be able to set off until it arrives. The rep makes a note that it is to be delivered ASAP and I walk out into Portland arrivals area where the lovely Jen is waiting (Jorge has got tied up with a meeting at work). We join the insanity that is Portland traffic and make our way back to Beaverton...
...where Zoe - possibly the only dog I've met with more energy than Marnie, my English Pointer, and Daisy...
...(looking very fit and trim) both make me very welcome.
Jorge is soon home and is immediately sceptical of Delta's promises - he will turn out to be right.
We go out to a bar which serves excellent Tacos and then return to have a chat and put the world to rights. Jorge and Jen are going to PDX again at 2200, as Jen's mate Rachel is flying in to visit for the weekend. On the way they will stop off to buy some provisions...
Recreational use of cannabis was recently legalised in Oregon...
Apparently you are restricted to one purchase per day (from this chain of shops anyway), and they take details of your Driving Licence to track this. Quite what the point of this is, I'm not sure, but governments do like a bit of bureaucracy, don't they?
I plead jet lag and turn in when they leave for the airport and sleep well in the guest room...
The alarm goes off at 03:30. Although it's always easier to get out of bed to go on holiday, it's still bloody early...
I'm already fully packed, and the house is configured for a variety of work to be done on it whilst I'm away (of which more later), so I carefully step into the shower (I did so slightly carelessly yesterday, slipped and fell hard onto my right leg - which is now a spectacular colour) and try to make myself feel like a member of the human race. I'm out of the door and driving to my place of work at 04:00 - I'm leaving my car there for the time I'm away, as I want to leave as much free parking for builders etc around my house as possible.
I arrive at 04:30 to find that Goldstar Cabs are there waiting as ordered, and I load my luggage into the boot and endure hearing about how England are doing in the European Cup for the 20 minutes it takes to get to the airport.
I'm surprised to see that the terminal is really busy - it turns out that, in addition to the scheduled flight to Amsterdam this morning, there's also a charter flight to Ibiza.
The check-in computer has failed and it's chaos. Staff are running about like headless chickens and - in one moment of comedy gold - with both flights queuing at their gates, they swap the gates.
We eventually board our little Fokker about half an hour late. Confidence is not improved by the KLM captain getting on the PA and announcing that we may have two too many passengers on board, and was anyone not expecting to travel to Amsterdam...
It's eventually sorted and we get airborne - but the delay is nearly an hour and my connection at Schiphol is looking tight. When we land, we are herded onto a bus and taken for a tour of the Netherlands before being dumped at the Terminal. I hurry along to my gate and am among the last passengers to board.
The Airbus is packed this morning - I couldn't see an empty seat anywhere - so I take my seat and endure ten hours of watching the Delta in flight entertainment system (which has too be said, is superb). I also pay for in-flight wi-fi - which allows me to waste all sorts of time - principally texting friends to say I'm using in-flight wi-fi.
I'm easily amused.
We eventually descend into Portland and I clear immigration in record time. I go through to the baggage carousel and soon find out that my luggage didn't make the connection. Bugger.
I go to the Delta desk and the lady there tells me it's on its way to Minneapolis and will then be transferred to a Portland bound flight, due to arrive at 2300 local (it's now just after noon). I ask what will happen then and she assures me it will be brought straight out to the address I have given them - and this might mean a late night knock at the door. I tell her that will be no problem and explain that the bag has all my riding kit in it and that I won't be able to set off until it arrives. The rep makes a note that it is to be delivered ASAP and I walk out into Portland arrivals area where the lovely Jen is waiting (Jorge has got tied up with a meeting at work). We join the insanity that is Portland traffic and make our way back to Beaverton...
...where Zoe - possibly the only dog I've met with more energy than Marnie, my English Pointer, and Daisy...
...(looking very fit and trim) both make me very welcome.
Jorge is soon home and is immediately sceptical of Delta's promises - he will turn out to be right.
We go out to a bar which serves excellent Tacos and then return to have a chat and put the world to rights. Jorge and Jen are going to PDX again at 2200, as Jen's mate Rachel is flying in to visit for the weekend. On the way they will stop off to buy some provisions...
Recreational use of cannabis was recently legalised in Oregon...
Apparently you are restricted to one purchase per day (from this chain of shops anyway), and they take details of your Driving Licence to track this. Quite what the point of this is, I'm not sure, but governments do like a bit of bureaucracy, don't they?
I plead jet lag and turn in when they leave for the airport and sleep well in the guest room...
