In case you have been under a stone for the last four days or engrossed in the UK election drama (not) there has been a slight issue with a volcano in Iceland. This has caused the off airport and airspace to be closed completely for flights.
Having headed out very early on Wednesday morning leaving home at 4.30am for Gatwick and the joys of Easyjet. All went well and we arrived completely knackered at 9.15am local time at Praha Airport.
We realised that there was an issue when I saw a reference on twitter that UK airspace had been completely closed for the first time since 9/11. Having seen the odd false alarm etc we didn’t worry about it until it became clear on Friday morning that we might not be able to get a flight home on Saturday as scheduled. The adventure began that Friday morning while out and about in Praha we were check websites contacting family and looking at options.
It became clear the only option would be to get the train north and get a lift back to the UK via Eurotunnel.
After completing our research we decided it was time to book our travel and prepare for the trip. We went back to the hotel after lunch and got hunting for those train tickets. Unfortunately we couldn’t book the train tickets online which was a shame, but had identified a sleeper service from Praha to Koln and onto Brussels. We spoke to the hotel who recommended a trip to the central station to buy our tickets. The station was packed and the ticket office was worse, so we joined a queue and waited in line. After about 5minutes we spotted a sign being moved around stating another ticket counter was opening. CJ rushed off to check and a minute later mine phone rang instructing me to get to her quick as there were only two people in front of her in the queue.
The ticket office checked around and it became clear that no services out of Praha that day were available, but she checked for Saturday and there was a Praha – Nurnberg – Frankfurt – Brussels route available. So we booked it immediately without firstly worrying about what was 8000 Czech Koruna and was leaving at 5.04am.
We arranged with CJ’s Dad to get Eurotunnel tickets on the Saturday to do a same day return that had increased from the morning price of £29 each way to over £100 each way.
Saturday
Saturday morning started early we us getting up at 4am (3am BST) to grab our taxi to the station at 4.30am. This was on time and a reasonable 250 CK (about £9) given the unearthly time.
We arrived at what seemed a very empty station and went to find the departure boards so we knew which platform the train was going to depart from. Our train the R350 Karel ?apek left about 2mins late but hey ho. The train was pretty full with most seats taken in our carriage. The chatter was amazing a real international service on this little four carriage train heading to Germany and Nurmberg. We have a Belgium family, a number of Czechs, three English, some italians, an american, a chinese man just sitting around us. But not a sound of german to be heard.
Our train stopped at the following
- Praha hl.n. Metro
- Praha-Smíchov
- Beroun
- Ho?ovice
- Rokycany
- Plze? hl.n.
- Domažlice
- Furth i Wald
- Cham(Oberpf)
- Schwandorf
- Amberg
- Nürnberg Hbf
Total Distance 355km in approximately 5 hours.
The journey was smooth and the sunrise was excellent over the Czech countryside which was proceeded by a beautiful mist. Unfortunately I was very tired and the windows very dirty so didn’t get any pictures. We had some food on the train from the trolley service and I was almost covered in hot water when the urn fell off the trolley.
My phone welcomed me to Germany at 8.11am around the time we stopped at Furth i Wald. We arrived at Nurnberg at 10am and spotted a train on the opposite platform going to Frankfurt. We checked with the guard and yes it was good for Frankfurt and got us there an hour early than scheduled so reducing the risk of missing the connection. Now Deutsche Bahn know how to comfortable travel with the second class seating on an ICE travel really good. CJ had a bit of a run in with a german man who thought that his ticket gave him rights to the whole table and all the legroom under that table. Fortunately for us a nice woman offered CJ her seat and then tore a strip off the man.
We got delayed outside Aschaffenburg for 15mins. The train stopped at Würzburg Hbf, Aschaffenburg Hbf and then Frankfurt(Main)Hbf. The driver told everyone onboard that the train would terminate at Frankfurt airport instead of going onto Koln. We had covered about another 15okms. We should have known that things would change on route.
At Frankfurt we got some Euros and grabbed a traditional snack, OK we had hot dogs 
before heading to the platform to wait for our train to arrive.
I took the chance to take some photos as a record of the journey and I like this one as we have been traveling since 4.25am by Taxi and two trains so far 8hours into the journey.
Took this of the ICE service to Paris that was departing from the same platform as our Brussels train would be. The train we would be getting would be splitting at Koln with half going to Amsterdam and half to Brussels, so we double checked we had the right half. We managed to find unreserved seats with a table so we could make ourselves comfortable.
The train was due to leave at 13.29 but it was held for some connections to make Frankfurt thus allowing other travellers to get to Brussels. We could see streams of people get on and before long it was packed with plenty of people standing.
The train was stopping at the following stations:
- Frankfurt(Main)Hbf
- Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf
- Köln Hbf
- Aachen Hbf
- Liège-Guillemins
- Bruxelles-Nord
- Bruxelles-Midi
It was clear very early into the journey thanks to our fellow travellers that we were taking the scenic route to Koln along the Rhine. We had some interesting characters on the train who helped the extended journey pass by a little quicker. So instead of 65mins to get to Koln it took 120mins. The train finally arrived in Brussels at 6.20pm after 4hrs 30mins and about 300kms. We rang CJ’s Dad and he met us by Sam’s Cafe where we grab some supplies and headed out to drive to Calais to catch our EuroTunnel this time 200kms in a car.
Got the nine o’clock train and arrived in UK about 8.40pm and hit the motorway only to get stopped by the police. After a short delay we were back on the way to Gatwick to pick up the car. The airport was very quiet and strange but made getting the car and heading off to CJ’s parents. We eventually arrived there at about 10.45pm and the end of an epic journey of 19hrs 18mins, one taxi, two cars, four trains, five countries and 1054kms (655 miles)….
Future travelling tips:
- Carry some Euros
- Carry Driving License
- Don’t go on short breaks
- Be prepared
Started snowing today at 1.30pm in Reading so decided to head home just in case. This was after reaching the gym this morning with a barmy temperature of -5c but as there was no wind it didn’t feel that cold. Back to the snow as you can see the A329M was clear but slushy and with snow coming down..
Once home I watched the snow to continue to fall and fall. We decided that we should go get the little boy early, but we both had calls to finish. So at just after 4.30pm we headed out deciding not to drive as the roads were not looking good and as we live on a hill it was not a wise idea.
The walk was slippery and as we walked up the hill we saw a car doing about 2mph still slipping down the hill. We reached the nursery only to find that they were still at the hall where they went to see father christmas. We headed over to the hall and the high street was chocker with cars everywhere trying to negotiate the junction and parked car with little or no grip
The walk back was interesting with the pushchair exhibiting the same characteristics as the car slipping and sliding all over the place, but LCJ enjoyed the adventure… Let see if we have an ice rink tomorrow..
Got to the Gatwick around 9.20am and parked up wandering into the South Terminal to drop my bags off. The place was pretty empty and didn’t have wait to drop the bags off, it must be a record cos my hold luggage only weighed 11Kgs and my hand luggage tipped the scales at 6Kgs. This makes me think that I have forgotten something, oh well will just have to go shopping at some point.
Met up with Cali, Stu and Jon C after security. Grabbed a sandwich from Pret and munched these before wanderimg around the shops. Bumped into Karen as well milling around in Dixons and chatted for a while before wandering around a it more and then heading to the gate. Again not for the first time I didn’t buy anything in duty free or whatever it is called these days.
Flight was very full and not a spare seat in the house with a mixture of holiday makers and Lotusphere attendees, I suspect more holiday makers as I am sure tomorrows flight will be full with conference attendees. Took off on time and a little bumpy until over the sea and clear of Ireland. It is actually one of the choppiest flights I have taken across the Atlantic, but hey ho it could have been much worse. Stuck towards the back of the plane in 59C but got an aisle seat Read through Wallpaper and also the T3 I picked up at the gate.
Started with a glass of tomato juice and red wine, sorry should I say in different glasses before lunch was served. Barbecued chicken with sundries was very edible and filled a gap. Watched Eagle Eye, followed by Death Race and then Mummy 3 which filled the time in between listening to my iPod and messing on the MB. Spent some time importing some of Australia phones from 2004 into Aperture as an experiment and played around in general, def need more horsepower as it was utilising a lot of resources processing the thumbnails and previews on completion of the import. All of the images are from 6 megapixel Canon EOS 10D in JPG format so they are about 2MB each in size and there were around 850 photos in the project. I must admit I am on battery power and it is a bit faster than when importing RAW images from my 40D which tyically run around 10-12MB in size.
Landed on time at 17.40 EST and filed off the plane from the back of the jumbo and eventually made it through immigration and customs to jump in a cab to the hotel. Arrived at Port Orleans Riverside checked in and then off to my room to to dump my stuff off and hen to get some food.
Met up with Chris T and Stuart Mc in the bar and grabbed a beer and chatted about Lotusphere the journeys and the plans for the week, plus what people had been up to over Xmas and New Year. Once everyone was about grabbed some food and tehn retired for the night around midnight. Went back to my room and was unable to get in, so great couldn’t find a house phone so had o walk back to reception to find out if I can get a new key. Was told that I had been moved, but no explanation given so wandered off to the new room and waiting for the bell boy to bring my luggage over. After about 15mins the phone rang which woke me as I had dozed off for a few minutes, once I had worked out it was the phone and it was reception telling me that not to worry there was a mix up with the room and I will be going back to my original room. The bell boy gave me a lift through the sprinklers back to my original room where a young lady called Eve was waiting to move to her own room. Everyone was apologetic and I finally got to finish unpacking and too bed by which time it was 1.30am, damn which was 6.30am UK time. A disturbed sleep and a stinking headache followed….
Today started early, up at 5am after not being able to sleep so did some bits and pieces whilst everyone else slept. Cameron was awake at 5.45am and decided he was hungry so sorted out his milk and tea for CJ. Cameron later managed to knock the tea over, good job the carpet in the bedroom is beige in colour. So glad today was a holiday
Spent the morning playing with Cameron mixed with finishing my packing for Lotusphere 09 which nearly completed apart from a few power cords and electronics such as my phone and mac.
Registered on Brightkite today to see what it gives apart from location based information so will report back over coming weeks on how I am finding it. Spent some time on LinkedIn updating content and connecting some of my colleagues past and present.
Checked in for my Virgin flight to Orlando tomorrow so that just need to join the long queue doing just baggage drops. I will be interested to see if this queue is bigger than the normal I am checkin in queue. This has been my experience in the past so let wait and see.
Parking all sorted and just need to go
Next entries will be related to trip to Lotusphere and all the announcement and my views on what happening.
What a night, up at 1.30am with Cameron who was coughing so put him on the spare room with me so Chacasta could try and get a good nights sleep. Needless to say that it was a very disturbed night with Cameron not sleeping very well.
Finally up at 6.30am very tired and now in need of serious sleep, looks like Orlando and LS09 will be a chance to get some sleep, or should I say undisturbed sleep.
Sorted out the work bag for LS09 except for putting any electronic away yet as I need them tomorrow, so bag pretty empty at this stage
Day started slowly as I was trying to sort out all my admin etc before my trip and work out how to make my large bag smaller, but thats another story. Partially packed this evening so finishing up tomorrow.
Today was full of calls of one type or another and the year is slowly moving but really need the sales team to settle down and get down to it, but account planning underway and should be better once LS 09 has finished.
Schedule is looking very good and a couple eveing things may be sorted, but will have to see.
Rock on LS09
