Snow Day

Today, I had some unexpected training.  Today, was the day I was supposed to leave for Kathmandu and onwards to Everest Base Camp.  Alas, the weather had other plans…

All packed, last minute checks carried out, last minute errands half abandoned, big rucksack on back, small rucksack on front and I trekked, yes ladies and gentlemen trekked, from my house to the car which had been half abandoned 250m away due to 20cm of snow.  20cm of snow, in Spring!

Needless to say the flight was cancelled and I am still waiting, waiting, waiting to find out when I shall depart.

Meanwhile, Mum and I had great craic at George Best’s City Airport (or as it currently says, ‘George est’.  We’re all about class if anything).  Costa coffee enjoyed our service, we queued like only hard core British citizens can queue and gratefully without question accepted the little card from British Airways saying, ‘call this number and we’ll solve all your problems-NOT’.  Almost 8 hours later, multiple phone calls to British Airways, Jet Airways and the travel agent, I STILL don’t have a replacement flight even though I could physically go online and book one much quicker and easier because I know there is a flight on Monday, except I’m skint.  The problem?  British Airways are refusing to put a note on their system to say, ‘There is snow’ in order for Jet Airways to change the flight.  Surely some swearing is appropriate here.  I’m pretty sure there is A LOT of snow!  Sigh.

Thankfully, the Adventure Company have been fantastic and have assured me I will be able to join one of their many treks leaving next week once a flight finds itself with me on it.  Thank you wonderful people at Adventure Company.  I love you already, really I do.  And I don’t say those kind of things lightly!

Meanwhile, here are some pictures I picked up along the way:

We had some fun endeavours when our car at the Airport wouldn’t unlock, we then had to call Dad to the airport who had the second key but unfortunately didn’t have the other car.  My brother (tucked up at home on a snow day with the other car but not the second key) picked up Dad at work and after some complicated swapping, stopping and holding up of airport traffic both cars were rescued, filled and brought almost safely home.  Cue several hours of shovelling, one car abandoned in a near by park and ride, trudging home with both bags with the blizzard growing momentum, soaked by cars and lorries on the dual carriageway and amazing camaraderie between all neighbours helping each other out in their respective degrees of ‘my car is stuck’.  It really actually made me smile.

So, yes whilst there is a part of me that obviously is disappointed I am not on my way to Kathmandu, there is another part of me that thinks, ‘Wow, can’t believe I got some impromptu training!  Might go hike around in the snow this weekend’.

I just hope that I get transferred onto SOME flight in the next few days or my plans for after Everest will suffer a mini domino effect.  Oh well, que sera sera.