Thursday 25 January 2018

Blimey! What a day!

We had to be up early as our flight was at 10.00. Timbo was busy all the day before, washing and drying dirty bedclothes, letting the bed air, putting on clean bedclothes, washing and drying clothes to take with him. You humans are a funny lot. Us Bärlis have our own coat for life. We do not have to replace it when fashion changes.

I got Timbo to set the alarm for 06.30, and when the alarm duly went off at the appointed hour, he slowly struggled to achieve consciousness. This hour of the day is not well known to Timbo as a planned waking hour so I was kind and let him lie in a bit. However, I did get him up not long after and we had some breakfast. We then made our way to the Tube as I made sure he had packed all his things yesterday, just like I had.

Timbo is not used to the rush hour like he used to be, if he ever was, my poor old darling human, but he tolerated it without attempting to maim or murder anybody. He does not like most other people very much when travelling on the Tube, especially at such an extremely early hour.

We changed onto the DLR, and there were so few people my grumpy old grown up cheered up very quickly.

When we got to London City Airport, loads and loads of people were coming out. The airport's IATA airport code is LCY, and Timbo told me he and Laing sometimes called the airport Elsie becasue of this. I cannot but wonder if they were the only looney grown up humans in the world or if all grown up humans are like that. Anyway, masses were coming out but not so many going in which was very good for us. We even got through the horrid security check without the bags being opened and every item scrutinised. This all helped to lighten Timbo's mood.

The incoming flight arrived early and as a result we were called to the gate early. You will not be surprised to learn we boarded early, the doors were closed fifteen minutes before our scheduled departure.

Seat belt fastened ready for take-off

The plane taxied five minutes before the scheduled departure time and we were off! We took off to the west and did a big turn. This takes us just south of home. I waved bye-bye and told the house we will be back very soon.

Not long after take off we had our scrummy yummy noshlings. Timbo had asked for the vegan option. It makes for a change from the usual mixed cold meats. We had cucumber and tomato, melon and orange and grapes, a portion of tofu and a dollop of coarse hummus. We also had a yummy teensy-weensy cold rice pudding with raisins and some flavouring I could not identify.

The special vegan snack

Because Timbo looks after me with masses of love, we were in business class. One disadvantage of flying from Elsie (giggle) is the plane does not usually park at a proper gate. Because we flew in business class we get a bus that drives us first to the terminal. I rather like that.

Hello! I am on the special mini coach!

Timbo went through passport control in next to no time. Bärlis have freedom for travel and do not need them. As we had hand baggage only (nur Handgepäck in proper German) we were through very fast. Timbo drew out some Swiss money from a bank machine at the airport. He bought a train ticket (ordered it in German) and gave me a treat, first class on the train. I do not I expect it all the time, but he is a kind human grown-up. 

Hello! I am on the train!
First Class Bärli, in First Class Sitzli!

Once we arrived in Zurich it was merely a short, brisk walk to the hotel. Timbo had stayed there three decades ago, when he came to Switzerland with Laing for the christening of Alexandra, Heidi's daughter. There is a long story attached to that and I do not have time to go into it now. Maybe another day. Especially if you bribe me with nice nosh.

Timbo impressed me again when he checked in in German. He is always nervous and worried he cannot do it, but the lady did not laugh or tell him off, so the words he used must have been at least 99% correct. German grammar, however, is such a nightmare I think foreigners are always forgiven a lot of sins.

We got in the room, unpacked, rested and caught up with the rest of the world on the internet. 

Testing the bed and guarding the Toblerone

After all that tiring work, we eventually had a little nibble to eat. It was nothing exciting, but we were not that hungry either. We took the train from Zürich to Winterthur for a concert of music from lots of countries, but especially Georgia and Switzerland. The concert was given by the Singfrauen Winterthur (literally singing women Winterthur), and my lovely chum Heidi is one of the singing ladies.

Well! It was really a very lovely evening. The clever singing ladies sang without any help apart from the conducting ladies giving them the notes. Timbo explained to me how they get the notes. They bang a tuning fork which vibrates. When they place it near their ear, or on a bony part of the head they can hear the note of the tuning fork. If that is not one of the starting notes, the clever conducting ladies sing a different note and then they give out the other notes in the starting chord. It is all clever stuff, but Timbo tells me most clever stuff is simple when you know how.

The ladies sang songs from Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Turkey as well as the Georgian and Swiss ones. It was not very helpful for us that the links between the groups of songs were in Swiss German. Timbo admitted he was all at sea trying to make sense of it.

After the concert we had a few drinks and a chat with Heidi, as well as her sister Brigitte and husband, Felix, who were also at the concert, at a party the choir had laid on. Timbo tried his best to chat in German and he did quite well, I think. He did need to use a few translation tools and his iPhone to say somethings (how many non German speakers know the correct word for the medical ailment shingles, I wonder?) but most of the time he kept going with a little help.

Before we knew where we were it was getting on for 11 o'clock. Heidi was kind enough to drive us to the station. We said our goodbyes and we were on the platform a few minutes before the train arrived.

Poor old Timbo is exhausted. All that chatting in German, plus being in a situation with loads of people around him. It has taken it out of him a bit.

I borrowed Timbo's iPhone to write my first draft for the blog. He is scratching his head trying to work out how the battery ran down so much and so fast! Time for bed, and I hope he does not read my blog or I might be in trouble.

Back Home With Timbo

Tuesday 17 January 2017

Yesterday Timbo also arranged to keep the room until a little later than the usual check out time.  He also arranged a car to take us to the airport. With the few extra hours, we had a big laze by the pool. We went back to our room, finished the final bit of packing, had a shower and then checked out. The people there seem to know Timbo by reputation as the mad man from the UK who likes to stay in one particular room. I would hope they will also remember whose human he is as well.

We sat a little while, Timbo taking some arty-farty photos because of an idea I had. It was not quite as I expected, but it will have to do for now, I suppose.

The best of the not so good arty-farty photos

 Before we got in the car, Timbo asked the concierge lady who had arranged the car if he could have the E&O luggage label on his other suitcase. She put it on for him. I think that is a really nice touch. It made Timbo smile a lot, because, as you know by know, he is a big 62 year old kid.

The journey to the airport was good. It started to rain, obviously Penang was crying because I was going back with Timbo. We arrived in good time. Checked in and went through the passport and security and then relaxed a while in the lounge. After a gentle stroll to the gate, we boarded the plane and the first real leg of the journey back home began.

While we were flying south to Singapore Timbo could see Melaka and he smiled. I think it was only the horrid cold that stopped him from enjoying Melaka.

In the past Timbo has had not so good experiences flying with Silk Air. Today was an exception for him. He felt treated properly and the cabin crew were by far and away the nicest and happiest he has flown with. So to all the cabin crew who looked after us on flight MI351, a very big thank you and well done.

We arrived much earlier than the scheduled time which was good, because Timbo needed to collect his boarding passes from the Swiss desk in Transfer E. Then into the lounge and a hasty insertion of his earplugs because the muzak in there drives him nuts.

He charged up his iPhone and iPad, chatted with Special K after he had finished work (he works very long hours in this new job, but he also has extra days off). We then had a look at the Duty Free shops. This time Timbo seemed to be on a mission in Changi and not saying things like “Brexit”, but the mission was not successful. We sauntered the very long way to the plane, it felt more like we had walked from Jurong to Changi it was so far away.

This time there was no First Class, but I understand Timbo cannot look after me like I should be looked after, but his heart is in the right place, and that is what matters most to me. If he was not the human he is, I would never have chosen him in the first place.

The flight is scheduled to leave very late, 23.30, so when Timbo was ordering his dinner (we had salad, followed by Raclette with boiled potatoes and a yummy chocolate dessert), he asked the lady to wake him up, as he usually falls asleep soon after take off when he is tired. And he did!

We left slightly late because Flughafen Zürich (Zurich Airport) does not open before 6 am and by leaving on time we would be too early. The delay was not that long and soon we were in the air, Timbo snoozing.

He was woken up for dinner, which we enjoyed. It was then time to sleep, but not before Timbo adjusted his watch and gadgets for Zürich time. We had a good sleep, woken a few times to drink some water, so that by the time we woke up properly it was definitely the next day.

I did not realise it, bit Timbo did something nice and gave me a lovely surprise, my own little Appenzeller Bärli Biber to nibble, though I suspect he may have had one or two for himself as well. I told you he is a wonderful Timbo.

What is there not to like?
My own Bärli sized Appenzeller Bärli Biber!
Thanks again, Timbo.

Wednesday 18 January 2017

Breakfast at 4 am is normal on these flights. Timbo also has a smaller breakfast than usual as he is not normally that hungry and there is also a smaller breakfast to nibble on the way to London, which sets him up for the rest of the day.

Before we landed the captain warned us the temperature in Zurich was minus five degrees. Timbo had packed his thermals in his carry on bags and so he changed into them before landing. Clever Timbo!

We arrived more or less on time and found ourselves having to go through baggage check. We went through with no problem. Well done Timbo!

We made our way to the Senator Lounge for the D gates, where we selected and edited the final photos for the blog as well as updating the text with the recent activity. Golly, this is exhausting work, but I do it for you and I hope very much you like what I write.

We have been lucky with this flight as it does not seem to leave from the middle of the airport but direct from the gate. We boarded and made ourselves comfortable. Once airborne we had another little breakfast, which Timbo enjoyed and for the first time in ages he had a coffee. Two coffees to be precise. The captain on this flight told us the temperature at London City was only minus one degree. Much warmer than Zurich!

We had a tail wind helping us and arrived so early we caught not only the ground crew at London City Airport napping, but also the passport people. Timbo tried the automatic gate and it did not work for him. When he saw the lady she checked Timbo on her machine and told him (rather cheeky but with a nice smile) there was something wrong with him and not the machine!

Our bag eventually arrived on the carousel and we left the airport about 9.30, the same time the plane was scheduled to arrive. Our connections were excellent. We arrived at the DLR platform with a minute to spare. When we got to Stratford we were able to walk to the frnmt of the train, which is the best place to be when we arrive at our station.

We got back home in about an hour. There was lots of post, some good and some rubbish. One them told Timbo a pension he has was being increased from the start of January 2017. That is a brilliant way to start off the New Year!

We tried to stay awake, but we were so tired we went to bed and slept about four hours. We woke up and had something to eat and then back to bed again.

Considering Timbo had a rotten cold that meant the middle of the holiday was not as much fun as he had hoped, it certainly ended well, and the flights and trains home could not have been better for us.

Timbo received an e-mail from Swiss a couple of days ago. They are offering special bargain fares. I think we will be travelling east again soon!