KenM
Well-known member
This six day account was spent almost entirely on Paphos headland (apart from an occasional trip to Paphos old town with my wife) where I met my partner ''in time'' over a three day period Mike Nesbitt, a fellow birder photographer who had arrived 5 days before me and had already struck gold with male Rock Thrush (got the locals going :eek! and female Desert Wheatear.
However before the ''dessert'', based on past experiences, I've often wondered just how seamless the best made travel plans are, regarding transfers to, and from the airport to one's ''specified'' accommodation resulting in just that. With so many potential pitfalls en-route, it only takes one broken link to have a knock-on effect...thus it was for me.
Stopping a ''chest cavity'' filling virus three days before departure had me wondering if it was wise to go, or cancel? I reasoned that languishing in Blighty, amidst the cold damp temperatures, might well be bettered... by languishing in 25 degrees having the sun on ''yer back'' could just have the edge, not to mention the accompanying adrenalin pumping rush that comes with a good find...(if yer lucky!)
Arrived at Gatwick as planned everything running ''tickety boo'' proceeded to the gate as instructed then awaited for the call...only to find that there would be a delay to the flight due to there being a shortage of cleaning operatives. Eventually (20mins?) I espied 3 young men strolling up the gangway, each holding a transparent refuse sack, almost 15 mins later, they emerged from the aircraft, two still holding their empty sacks! with the last operative proudly holding a sack 2/3rds full of paper and plastic.
I did muse whether their might be any mileage in this, for a time and motion expert's appraisal, however with the job done, it's only a matter of time before the tannoy announcement, and it was soon to arrive! ''Due to a passenger on the previous flight placing an obstruction in the toilet, there would be a further delay, as an engineer would have to be called.
''Apologies to all passengers on this flight, we will keep you informed as to resolving this issue and getting us up, and on our way''. Some 40 minutes later, and with two engineers on the job still being unable to rectify the problem, it would have to be an A320 (c300 people) on a 4hr+ flight with just the one loo! Needless to say when the drinks trolley came down the aisle...there weren't many takers. :eek!:
Eventually taking off 2 hours later than planned, and with the pilot assuring us that he'd be pulling out all stops at 37,000' and 550mph, to make up for lost time...four hours later we had landed, a 20 minute transfer to our hotel,
only to find that the ''sea view'' booked room...was not quite the ticket, but that's another story, off to bed and let the birding begin tomorrow.
to be continued....
However before the ''dessert'', based on past experiences, I've often wondered just how seamless the best made travel plans are, regarding transfers to, and from the airport to one's ''specified'' accommodation resulting in just that. With so many potential pitfalls en-route, it only takes one broken link to have a knock-on effect...thus it was for me.
Stopping a ''chest cavity'' filling virus three days before departure had me wondering if it was wise to go, or cancel? I reasoned that languishing in Blighty, amidst the cold damp temperatures, might well be bettered... by languishing in 25 degrees having the sun on ''yer back'' could just have the edge, not to mention the accompanying adrenalin pumping rush that comes with a good find...(if yer lucky!)
Arrived at Gatwick as planned everything running ''tickety boo'' proceeded to the gate as instructed then awaited for the call...only to find that there would be a delay to the flight due to there being a shortage of cleaning operatives. Eventually (20mins?) I espied 3 young men strolling up the gangway, each holding a transparent refuse sack, almost 15 mins later, they emerged from the aircraft, two still holding their empty sacks! with the last operative proudly holding a sack 2/3rds full of paper and plastic.
I did muse whether their might be any mileage in this, for a time and motion expert's appraisal, however with the job done, it's only a matter of time before the tannoy announcement, and it was soon to arrive! ''Due to a passenger on the previous flight placing an obstruction in the toilet, there would be a further delay, as an engineer would have to be called.
''Apologies to all passengers on this flight, we will keep you informed as to resolving this issue and getting us up, and on our way''. Some 40 minutes later, and with two engineers on the job still being unable to rectify the problem, it would have to be an A320 (c300 people) on a 4hr+ flight with just the one loo! Needless to say when the drinks trolley came down the aisle...there weren't many takers. :eek!:
Eventually taking off 2 hours later than planned, and with the pilot assuring us that he'd be pulling out all stops at 37,000' and 550mph, to make up for lost time...four hours later we had landed, a 20 minute transfer to our hotel,
only to find that the ''sea view'' booked room...was not quite the ticket, but that's another story, off to bed and let the birding begin tomorrow.
to be continued....
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