Greetings Malaga airport, I'm waiting for EasyJet flight U2 1867 to Manchester.
It's a bit stressful at check in, busy because stupid Brexit is causing a lot people to leave at this time. And a surprising amount of people don't have Covid certificates or have not filled in the passenger locater form. Tears and tantrums, old folks that can't cope, French people claiming they don't speak English. But I have made it to the gate..
By the time you read this I should be in quarantine in a hotel in Sheffield.
Last week I was telling you about Spring bursting forth here.. the warm weather has just arrived, and I'm leaving.
The Spring is a time of hope and rebirth.. none more than this year. You can read about it here.
I have a spreadsheet, where I record my travel and which country I'm staying in. It's usually a fairly hectic schedule, as regular readers will recall.
Normally, and I'm not particularly proud about my carbon footprint, I will make between 40 and 50 flights in a year and spend time in about 12 countries. My second home is KL airport, and I know my way around most airports without thinking, I'm like a regular customer in a dozen business lounges.. and there are familiar faces. Some of whom are other buyers for retail or wholesale companies. So today is a bit strange.. I'm taking my first flight in six months.
Yesterday I had to get a Covid test, a friend told me where to go to do a saliva test.. there are lots of test places you can go, but I, like you are not particularly fond of the nasty nasal swab. So I gargled some salty liquid, spit in a tub. Hey presto.. a few hours later by whats app I received my negative result paper.. I have also booked another test as instructed in the UK and filled all the online forms in. More complicated than normal but not difficult.
We had to sit at separate tables, as a maximum of 5 per table still applies.
It was slightly emotional saying goodbye to everyone, but it is what it is.. and of course I realise I'm luckier than most. Even so there are friends in the countries I usually visit I miss.. I have good friends in China, India, Indonesia, Nepal not to mention Slovakia and the rest of Europe. Yes. One day when this is all over there will be some grand reunion parties full of tearful emotional hugs.
But travel now (even on business) is very difficult. So my travel blog has been a bit stagnant, for a while.
Anyway it's almost Easter so at least time to chat to friends and family.. remember that this weekend the clocks will leap forward. It really is Spring.
That ship stuck in the Suez Canal, it could cause an almighty blockage, for sure we have a few containers caught up in that. From my house in Spain I have a good view of the Mediterranean, and big ships are often on the horizon. This one with Evergreen written down the side I have seen a couple of times. There is an app called.. Marine Radar, which I use to check what the ships are. I have checked it before with the app.. Check these screen shots from the app. This is pretty serious you can see the congestion building at each side.
Heads up.. Might be worth stocking up now before big shortages hit.
Anyway take care stay safe.