I almost didn't make this post tonight-it's late, I'm tired, and it took me a minute to figure out how to change the language on my website from Arabic to English! There is beautiful Arabic writing all over my google page-how cool is that!
I spent almost 2 days in transit to get here but it was worth it. Central Mountain Air from Comox to Vancouver, a 35 minute flight(thank god it was short because the airplane was very small), $213 - 2 checked bags allowed-to a total of 50 pounds! - so add another $50 baggage cost. The experience: overpriced and under-serviced.
Interlude - Vancouver for about 4 1/2 hours - overdone, overpriced, and not that interesting - although I did spend $20 on a Canadian T-shirt and cap - just in case I miss Canada and want to exhibit my patriotism.
Continental Airlines from Vancouver to Houston, 4 1/2 hours in a plane that reminds of an Air Transat flight I took once(and then vowed to never fly that airline again!) - barely enough space to lift my feet up to take off my shoes. Service - a small bag of snack crackers and juice and water - if you wanted anything else you had to pay for it. Thankfully I was very tired and dozed for most of the flight.
Interlude - Houston (6:00pm - temperature, 100F) for about 2 1/2 hours - of course all I saw of it was George Bush Airport, but I did drink a beer and eat some fries in Ruby's diner, feasted my eyes on some good-looking men of colour, and drank in the sound of that sexy southern accent!
Qatar Airways from Houston to Doha - apparently winner last year of the 'Airline of the Year' award - and I can say that it is well deserved. On my seat I found a pillow, a blanket(a real one-not the crappy kind most airlines use!) and a little bag containing an eye cover, a pair of socks, and a little container with a toothbrush and toothpaste in it!, and more leg space than I've enjoyed on a plane in a long time. Also included free headphones and television with plenty of options, free food(ongoing and plentiful-including ice-cream!), and free drinks(including alcoholic-I only had 2!)
On the downside, I didn't do the math correctly - didn't realize this was a 15 hour flight! Crying babies, not an empty seat on the plane, crying babies, poor hygiene of some passengers, crying babies, ignorant broad behind me who kept kicking my seat(she even put her frigging feet up on my arm rest-wasn't impressed when I asked her to move them!), and did I mention crying babies!, restless leg syndrome bothering me, AND a 3 year old who spent half the trip-including the last hour-having screaming tantrums-I was so freaking ready to toss him out a frigging exit door-and actually, he was an identical twin(his brother was much better behaved)-so he may not have been all that missed by his own family!! This claustrophobic, exhausted woman was more than ready to get out of that plane!
Interlude - Doha, Qatar(7:00pm, temperature 37C) for about an hour. I walked around the duty free, thought about buying a bottle of rum-but didn't know if I could take it into Kuwait, so didn't. Dragged my heavy "carry-ons" up the escalator, saw a food court and couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted an A&W sign" - I actually started salivating at the thought of an ice-cold rootbeer! I was also dying for a drink of water, but didn't have any Qatari money, so I just went to the gate to wait for my flight.
Qatar Airways from Doha to Kuwait City - 55 minutes. A smaller plane but still outstanding service-including-thank the gods-a juice and a water as soon as we were airborne!
Kuwait International Airport - 9:00pm, temperature 37C! Customs and baggage pickup were fairly straightforward. It had occurred to me at some point during my journey that I had neglected to get a phone # I could call in case there was no-one at the airport to meet me-and after the dog and pony show I've been through with this company I was afraid that would actually happen-but within a minute of walking out of customs I spotted a good looking Arab man holding a sign that said "Cambridge English School"! I could have hugged him with relief-but of course I didn't! Also there to meet me was the head of the primary section of the school(who will be my supervisor) and her husband. I was quickly whisked off to Mangaf(where I will be living and working for the next year). The ride was interesting(to say the least) - no seat belt, high speeds, multiple cell phone use by the driver, blinkers appear to be optional and driver courtesy non-existent! On my arrival at the apartment building I was met by the Vice-Principal(here only 2 days before me and never been in the Middle East before)and another primary teacher who had a cold glass of water waiting for me!(believe me-water is worth more than gold in this climate!) She showed me up to my apartment(which she had stocked with some emergency supplies-including water), I was told I didn't have to go to work tomorrow as I had been travelling more than 24 hours, and I started to settle in.
Hearing the Arabic language and music, seeing the palm trees(real ones, Victoria people!), and feeling the warm tropical breeze: PRICELESS!!
More on life in Kuwait tomorrow; my laptop clock says 2:14pm, but here it is actually just after midnight-I need to get to bed!
I spent almost 2 days in transit to get here but it was worth it. Central Mountain Air from Comox to Vancouver, a 35 minute flight(thank god it was short because the airplane was very small), $213 - 2 checked bags allowed-to a total of 50 pounds! - so add another $50 baggage cost. The experience: overpriced and under-serviced.
Interlude - Vancouver for about 4 1/2 hours - overdone, overpriced, and not that interesting - although I did spend $20 on a Canadian T-shirt and cap - just in case I miss Canada and want to exhibit my patriotism.
Continental Airlines from Vancouver to Houston, 4 1/2 hours in a plane that reminds of an Air Transat flight I took once(and then vowed to never fly that airline again!) - barely enough space to lift my feet up to take off my shoes. Service - a small bag of snack crackers and juice and water - if you wanted anything else you had to pay for it. Thankfully I was very tired and dozed for most of the flight.
Interlude - Houston (6:00pm - temperature, 100F) for about 2 1/2 hours - of course all I saw of it was George Bush Airport, but I did drink a beer and eat some fries in Ruby's diner, feasted my eyes on some good-looking men of colour, and drank in the sound of that sexy southern accent!
Qatar Airways from Houston to Doha - apparently winner last year of the 'Airline of the Year' award - and I can say that it is well deserved. On my seat I found a pillow, a blanket(a real one-not the crappy kind most airlines use!) and a little bag containing an eye cover, a pair of socks, and a little container with a toothbrush and toothpaste in it!, and more leg space than I've enjoyed on a plane in a long time. Also included free headphones and television with plenty of options, free food(ongoing and plentiful-including ice-cream!), and free drinks(including alcoholic-I only had 2!)
On the downside, I didn't do the math correctly - didn't realize this was a 15 hour flight! Crying babies, not an empty seat on the plane, crying babies, poor hygiene of some passengers, crying babies, ignorant broad behind me who kept kicking my seat(she even put her frigging feet up on my arm rest-wasn't impressed when I asked her to move them!), and did I mention crying babies!, restless leg syndrome bothering me, AND a 3 year old who spent half the trip-including the last hour-having screaming tantrums-I was so freaking ready to toss him out a frigging exit door-and actually, he was an identical twin(his brother was much better behaved)-so he may not have been all that missed by his own family!! This claustrophobic, exhausted woman was more than ready to get out of that plane!
Interlude - Doha, Qatar(7:00pm, temperature 37C) for about an hour. I walked around the duty free, thought about buying a bottle of rum-but didn't know if I could take it into Kuwait, so didn't. Dragged my heavy "carry-ons" up the escalator, saw a food court and couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted an A&W sign" - I actually started salivating at the thought of an ice-cold rootbeer! I was also dying for a drink of water, but didn't have any Qatari money, so I just went to the gate to wait for my flight.
Qatar Airways from Doha to Kuwait City - 55 minutes. A smaller plane but still outstanding service-including-thank the gods-a juice and a water as soon as we were airborne!
Kuwait International Airport - 9:00pm, temperature 37C! Customs and baggage pickup were fairly straightforward. It had occurred to me at some point during my journey that I had neglected to get a phone # I could call in case there was no-one at the airport to meet me-and after the dog and pony show I've been through with this company I was afraid that would actually happen-but within a minute of walking out of customs I spotted a good looking Arab man holding a sign that said "Cambridge English School"! I could have hugged him with relief-but of course I didn't! Also there to meet me was the head of the primary section of the school(who will be my supervisor) and her husband. I was quickly whisked off to Mangaf(where I will be living and working for the next year). The ride was interesting(to say the least) - no seat belt, high speeds, multiple cell phone use by the driver, blinkers appear to be optional and driver courtesy non-existent! On my arrival at the apartment building I was met by the Vice-Principal(here only 2 days before me and never been in the Middle East before)and another primary teacher who had a cold glass of water waiting for me!(believe me-water is worth more than gold in this climate!) She showed me up to my apartment(which she had stocked with some emergency supplies-including water), I was told I didn't have to go to work tomorrow as I had been travelling more than 24 hours, and I started to settle in.
Hearing the Arabic language and music, seeing the palm trees(real ones, Victoria people!), and feeling the warm tropical breeze: PRICELESS!!
More on life in Kuwait tomorrow; my laptop clock says 2:14pm, but here it is actually just after midnight-I need to get to bed!
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