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!

Travel, 25 November 2016

25 November 2016

Underground and DLR journeys

We left home and travelled to the airport on the underground and the DLR or Docklands Light Railway. The trains were noisy and so were the announcements.

Me with my Rimowa suitcase

Bärli Satisfaction: One paw

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

London City Airport Security Check
 

This took us right up to the airport and because Timbo had packed his bags well, and I had also packed my bag well, we did not have to check in the bags but went straight away to the horrible security are where horrid people kept shouting all the time. Timbo was moving as fast as he could but they were all shouty. Timbo was not happy. That makes me unhappy too.

Bärli Satisfaction: One paw

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Flight LX 457. 

LCY-ZRH (London City Airport to Flughafen Zürich (Kloten), Chloote in Swiss German and pronounced very strangely indeed)

The plane is an Avro RJ 100. Timbo says he remembers when it was a BAe 146 and a Jumbolino, but it is not pronounced with a J sound but a Y sound, because that is how they do it in German.

I know this is a rather old type of plane, but Timbo has told me stories of journeys he has had on this type of plane. He wishes he had made careful note of the airplanes' individual codes so he would know if he had flown on all of the ones Swiss uses. He hopes he has.

I like the plane too, even if it is a little noisy, but old planes were always noisier according to Timbo. It's very nice and comfortable and no matter how much you pay, you all get the same sort of seat. If you're at the pointy front part and have paid extra you always get one seat next to you with nobody in it guaranteed. That's one reason why you have to pay more. 

 

Buckled in properly

You also get nosh that is a little bit different. Timbo asked for the vegetarian option for this holiday as he sometimes finds the meat a little too heavy. He liked it. I had a nibble and I liked it too. 

 

Yum-yum yum-yum

Timbo likes bubbly drinks and he asked for bubbly water. In German it is called "Wasser mit". I think I will hear Timbo say that a lot. He was also very naughty and asked for the French wine with bubbles. However he was good and did not drink a lot of it.

It was only a small bottle. Bärlis do not lie.

I pointed out to him the bottom of the glasses have the Swiss logo. He said he had not noticed that before. Maybe he was being polite as I think he is a cleverer Timbo than he says he is. 

 

Can you see the little logo?

Timbo remembers when the seats were a beautiful dark blue, he says. But that was a long time ago. At Xmas, when it was Crossair when it was SwissAir (I do not understand as I am a very young Bärli, but I am sure it makes sense if you are old too), they gave you huge chocolate coins to say thank you for flying with us. I like airlines that believe in chocolate as a Thank You Geshänkli (I think that is  how they say little pressie in Swiss German). 

Me with my chocolate. I was buckled in as there was some turbulence, as you should be.

Bärli Comfort: Five paws
Bärli Seat Size: Five Paws
Bärli Taste Buds: Five Paws

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SBB Train Journey, 16.43 IR nach Luzern (goody for me it was 5 minutes late so I just caught it)

 

Well, after the plane journey it was time to get on the train. Timbo really likes the trains in Switzerland. I hope one day I can go on a long train journey with him and see the scenery he has told me about. It really sounds like Switzerland is a wonderful and beautiful country. His favourite journey he thinks has to be from Zürich (where they speak Swiss German) to Lugano (where they speak Italian). Our train was called an IR Zug (Zug is the proper German word for train). IR means something I did not quite understand, but I am only a young Bärli and have much to learn.

I like Swiss trains. I am on a train that is a double decker and they have them on the continent, Timbo says, but apparently they will not be possible on the British railways. 

Cor! Lovely big comfy First Class Seat!!!

I was sitting at that downstairs window

As you will have guessed, they have a First Class section on the train. Timbo bought the ticket for me as a treat, even though it is a very short journey. I am downstairs so Timbo does not have to climb upstairs with his bags as they are a little heavy and he is very old, but he has promised to let me travel upstairs one day. I made a good and wise decision when I chose Timbo as my grown up human.

The train is much nicer than the Underground. It is quieter and smoother. This train is going to Luzern, or Lucerne. It is a very old city and like Zürich it has a part that is called Altstadt, or the Old Town. It also has a river and lake. I am confused as the Germans have one word for a lake and the sea. How can they tell difference when they are talking about a lake or a sea if one of them has never seen or never heard of it before?

To make things even more difficult for a young Bärli, in Switzerland they have four languages, French, German, Italian and Romansch. And they are so clever in Switzerland that they can also speak many more languages too. I like Switzerland. I really like it a lot. The Swiss seem to be very clever people.

Bärli Comfort: Five paws
Bärli Seat Size: Five Paws

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Altstadt Hotel

Timbo walked to the hotel from the Hauptbahnhof (that is German for main railway station) and Timbo showed me some of the streets and they are lovely all lit up for Xmas. Timbo loves the lights in Zürich, and I think I know why. They are not fancy showy offy. I will take some photos another time and post them for you. Timbo has stayed at this hotel before. He has eaten in the lovely little café they have at street level too.

Timbo impressed me when he spoke in German with the nice lady who checked us in. They still had his details on the computer. The room is nice and small, a very comfy size for a small young Bärli. I am just finishing off my blog while Timbo is being naughty having an Amaretto, it is one of his favouritest treats.
Bärli Comfort: Five paws

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My First Ever Diary Entry. A First Class Bear Gets A Special First Class treat.

When you are a bear and you have found your human, the only human that was meant for you to look after, you soon find out if looks can be deceiving.

Timbo said he fell in love with me from among all the other bears at first sight. Ha! He does not know bears like he thinks he does.

Well, after we went from Penang to Singapore and stayed there a few days, I met Timbo’s specialest friend. He has got a nice nick name. Timbo calls him Special K, because he is a very special person.

Special K has a lovely smile. I thought it was the cutest smile I have ever seen since I arrived in the shop at the lovely E&O. Believe me, I have seen lots of smiles in the shop.

When it came time for us to go to cold, chilly, nippy, London I wanted to be tucked in Timbo’s bag to go to the airport.

I am excited, what does cold mean? What does chilly mean? Why does nippy mean? I think it is not going to be as lovely and as warm like Penang or Singapore, but I think it could be fun. I know I will like it, because I will be with Timbo, looking after him.

Apparently you have to check in to get on a plane. You cannot just walk up and get on one. First you have to give your luggage to somebody who sends it off to who knows where?

While we were doing this, Timbo and the lady were talking about miles and redeeming them. The lady gave Timbo a number and he said it was wrong and too much. Timbo was right. I am learning Timbo knows some special things and makes sure he knows about them. I think he can be a clever Timbo, for a human. He is not a bear, so he cannot be that clever.

Next, after you give away your bags with your belongings,  there are all kinds of people who have noisy machines in their hands that stamp a small book of Timbo’s.

He said everybody has one these when they travel the world. They are called passports. I asked Timbo why I did not have one. Apparently, because I am a bear, I have special privileges which mean I do not need a passport book. Sometimes, I feel I would like to be a tiny bit less special and have those books. Timbo says they tell stories of places he has been to.

After that there are loads and loads of bright, shiny, shops, and they sell all kinds of things. Timbo went around and said there was not much and he then used magic spells like “exchange rate” and “Brexit” and “those blithering idiots” to make the desire to spend money go away. They worked very well. Timbo must be a powerful wizard to make himself not spend money, because everybody in the hotel shop always spent a lot of money.

We next went to the lounge. This is yet another special place for certain special people. There are different kinds of special people and they all have different special places. Timbo said he was not that special, well, not yet. I asked him when he would be. He smiled and said to me, “Wait until we get to the gate”. Then he crossed his fingers. I crossed my claws too. They are magic claws. Only a bear’s special human can see them. Timbo’s smile grew bigger when he saw me do that.

After he had been doing lots of finger tapping on his phone, and lots of smiling, writing nice things to his friend Special K, he said it was time to go to the gate. We went past all the bright, shiny, shops again. I am learning humans do things like this, to make sure the magic spells are still working.

Next we get to the gate. Timbo had to take all sorts of things out the bag (I stayed hidden), and then we all disappeared inside a big box that made me feel funny. Timbo says they use Ex Rays to see what is there. These Ex Rays could not see me. I must be an even more magical bear than I thought.

We came out the other side, and Timbo had to pack the bag back up again. It is unfair to Timbo, because he packed it very well in the first place. I know that because I had loads of space to snuggle up in.

The people looked at his ticket. This made it the fourth time somebody had looked at his ticket. Humans cannot trust each other very much to read the same information. After a few minutes when we had been in this new lounge (but I thought we were at the gate) Timbo’s proper posh name was called out. He went to the man and the lady who after all that checking of the ticket only took it away and gave him another one. Timbo said with a happy smile “2K”. This was the magickest magic spell so far.

After a little while longer, the man asked Timbo and three other people to join him. Nobody else. We went along a special tunnel which then became two tunnels. A lovely lady was guarding our tunnel. I knew it had to be an even more special tunnel.

When we go to the end of this tunnel a beautiful smiling lady said what Timbo told me later was “Grüezi”, a Swiss word to welcome you. I was a word that you have to say back but Timbo using his knowledge of magic said “Grüezi wohl” which makes the lady feel even happier, he said.

Cor! Wow! Golly! Blimey! What a big room! And only eight huge, massive, humungous, big seats for all five of us! There was a funny little seat opposite each big seat. Timbo tucked me in the one he had and put the safety belt round me so I would be ready for when we left. He did not want the lady to tell him off for not looking after me properly. When she came to check Timbo was a good boy, She was very pleased he was looking after me properly.

All buckled in properly.

The photo Timbo took of me with the special bag of goodies and slippers he was given.
Please note, nothing bear sized was provided.

The lady also gave Timbo pyjamas which he is allowed to keep (Swiss do not have bear sized pyjamas, I think that is very wrong). Timbo says he does not wear or like pyjamas very much, but these pyjamas he has from Swiss are the best and most comfortable he has ever had. He said they are featherlight and then sniggered. That word must a funny word, though I do not know why. I think Timbo might be a little naughty.

We had loads of gorgeous scrummy things to eat. I was not as hungry as Timbo, so I only had a little bit of a starter of lovely salmon. Timbo also had the green split pea soup that he said was "Super Suppe" to the lady. That was Timbo making a joke I found out because the words sort of sound a little bit alike.

Timbo's Salmon Thingy

My Sensible Sized Salmon Thingy

The Super Suppe. Haha!!

Then it was time for bed. The nice lady made up a bed for us. When it was all done I crept under the duvet and it was really lovely.

In bed waiting for Timbo.

Cor, what a big bed!

And there are special nibbles by the bed for me!!!

Then Timbo came back with his featherlight jim-jams, as he called them, then he sniggered again. He got under the duvet and we slept long hours. But before we went to sleep, the nice Julia lady gave Timbo something that made him gasp and he said “Oo@! I love these!” It is a traditional gingerbread from Apenzell, part of Switzerland. He had one. I had a nibble too. I can understand why Timbo loves them.

They have a name that has extra meaning for me. They are called Appenzeller Bärli-Biberli. These are small version of the Appenzeller Bärli-Biber. Putting -li at the end of Biber makes it mean it is a small thing. I asked “So what is a Bärli, Timbo?” He smiled at me again and said “You are a Bärli, Iain.” Gosh.

On this special new plane, there is so much lovely specialness for me, there are slidey parts that make it like a tiny, tiny bedroom. The slidey bits are about as high as Timbo’s chest and he said he likes the tiny, tiny bedroom not being all locked away.

When we woke up we stayed under our cuddly duvet a bit longer. It was soon going to be breakfast and the lady took the bed away and pulled out the table and gave us a lovely breakfast with crêpes, they are very posh pancakes says Timbo, with bananas and yummy sauces. Then it was soon time for Timbo to get dressed properly, while he was away, that nice lady Julia brought me a nice big bag of Appenzeller Bärli-Biberli, all tied up with a lovely SWISS ribbon. She must like Bärlis. I like her.

Me and my nice big bag of Appenzeller Bärli-Biberlis

When Timbo got back he had to pack everything up into his bag. I have a private photo of me with Annamarie and Julia, and also with the lovely Sara Dibenedetto, who was the kind and caring Maître de Cabine who was also a friend to me, but she was busy looking after everybody on the plane, so I did not get a chance to know her better.

We landed in Zurich which the Swiss spell Zürich. It is also the name of the Canton, which is like a small country inside the bigger country of Switzerland. That is a bit like my old home in Penang, because Penang belongs inside Malaysia. We had a nice relaxing wait before we went on to London, but it was not as special or exciting a journey, because they do not do nice First Class with big beds to London.

You know, I could not have chosen a nicer human than Timbo. He showed me there are many nice humans in the world, they are almost as nice as bears, or even Bärlis. I think I prefer to be a Bärli.