My Bathroom...

This is what my bathroom looks like when I refuse to wash my hose after a trip and keep buying new ones... For a month...

Yay for Bon Qui Qui Juniority

Per the Federal Aviation Administration, flight attendants are required to carry a pen with them at all times. This is a federal law - I have to have a pen. So when passengers ask me for one, I usually just smile and tell them to make friends with their neighbors... like any good kindergarten teacher would.

So this particular flight, I was the door greeter. I personally said hello to just about every single passenger and created warm fuzzy feelings of happiness as the customers boarded the plane - all without my Costa ham & cheese toasty, small latte extra shot. There were a few memorable people who got on the plane, the elderly couples who I jokingly told the husbands to behave themselves, Penn State fans who I told had to go change their shirts. I just like to create a warm, friendly atmosphere as people enter my work space that will last all the way across the pond. So there was this one couple who I recalled having a jovial conversation with who were seated in the middle, rear of the aircraft. I poured a few of their cokes during the first round of service.

The section 8 cabin crew was pretty tight - we were all the same juniority, same age, similar backgrounds and stages in life. We worked really well together and had a blast sitting around talking to pass the time during our Atlantic crossing. At one point, close to when we were getting ready to set up for our pre-arrival service, I went for a walk and was unfortunately too slow making my way back to the aft galley and was stopped by some foreigner asking about forms for landing. As I was now running to the galley to retrieve them, this lady who I had pleasant report with earlier asked me if I had a pen for her to fill out her visa information with, and I quickly told her no, but to make friends with her neighbor. So I went back to the original passenger, handed him the form he needed, and as I was passing her seat I heard, "and there goes that rude bitch." Clear as day, loud enough for the surrounding 4 rows to hear.

I was floored.

I'm not one for confrontation, and I wish all of you could have met the other stews I was flying with because that title, while belonging to no one, most certainly wasn't mine. And aren't we all adults here? Who speaks like that about others in public??? I let it go immediately, I wasn't interested in lowering myself to her level. My co-workers felt differently and she was confronted in a professional way, to the effects of which I cannot quite relay. Something along the lines of is there a problem here? I'm not here to argue, but that behavior is not tolerated.

SO of course I posted this on MyFace.

Responses ranged from of course! to you're a sweetheart! to I had her on my flight last week.

Needless to say, I'm most certainly looking forward to my three day weekend, courtesy of scheduling granting my personal drop for tomorrow.

My new haircut?? Nah, my new suitcase

En Fuego...

On Tuesday, I was good for one day. Request to fly, my call out line (that I forgot I even held this month!) started at 3 and because all the airport alerts had been assigned, I thought I was in the clear to go ahead and plan my weekend. Wrong.

Luckily, I was up and showered with my bag packed and a set of uniforms clean by 2:30 and when I logged into the crew communication system to see what was going on, low and behold there was an assignment! 777 LHR, BusinessFirst. I had 20 minutes to throw on the monkey suit and book it out the door to make it on time, which I did. I didn't have my usual hour in the crew room to run around and talk to everyone, but being on time, getting food and to the gate was far more important.

The trip was uneventful at best. Two of the other girls and I spent the day in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, as well as a quick stop in Harrods. Then it was off to Churchhill's Arms for Thai. Before we went to take our naps, I told the first officer where we had planned on going for dinner and he actually met up with us there on a whim! I had the punang curry and it wasn't nearly as good as the green. The pad Thai looked good; I might try that next time. After dinner we sat around and had a few beers, stopped at the grocery store and were back in the rooms by 9:30.

I was excited to be back so early because Ferris Bueller's Day Off was supposed to start at 10, which is perfect because I like to go to bed at midnight. I passed out even before the movie started! Lights on, tv blaring, contacts in, at the very least I had my pj's on. Unfortunately for me, I was rudely awoken at 2 am by the fire alarm, which was the loudest, most obnoxious noise I've ever heard in my life! It was so awful that I threw on my jacket, grabbed my key and went outside. Only to find all my crew members had changed, grabbed their passports and ids.

While I'm standing there, in my slippers. And hair like you wouldn't even believe.

There was a guy out there in just his boxers, and I was amazed at the number of people wearing the hotel robe. I found that to be a bit unacceptable; not that I've ever worn a hotel robe but now I'm really really not going to wear one!

Come to find out the next morning, some drunk hit the glass plate that covers the alarm. Awesome, drunk British dude. But I must extend a thank you, because we did get crew rest coming home! A whole glorious hour and fifteen minutes in the bunks :)

You don't even have to ask - juniority holds first break!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things!

We finally got that new crew hotel for our long LHR layovers! Its a reasonably nice hotel somewhere in Kensington, and I just love being in central London again. I would have liked to have followed Pinto's example of doing a layover on less than $50 USD, but I wasn't quite dressed to spend much time outside; it was rather breezy and I didn't have a jacket. I did, however, manage to wonder around our new 'hood and find the coolest pub ever! The building is covered in ivy and vines and foliage, with various flags flying from the rooftop - UK, Irish, and something else. I wish I would have taken a picture but I already felt like a poorly dressed American tourist. Inside is a classic pub, with a lovely bar and great beer selection. But if you continue around the bar to the right and keep heading to the back, all of a sudden you're in a Thai restaurant! That's decorated like an English butterfly garden! So I got myself a Guinness and a table, ordered green curry with prawns and gorged myself on some of the best Thai I've had in a while. I can't wait to take crew members and enjoy it with others.

RIP TravelPro

Today as I was coming back from Heathrow, I noted that the handle on my roller was a bit abused. I don't usually use the handle on the side to pick up my bag so after three and a half years of flying around the world, abuse is saying it nicely.

So just now, at this very moment, I was bringing my bag upstairs to un- and re- pack for my trip to who knows where tomorrow, and bam! Gone. The handle broke. I pitched a mini melt down for dramatic effect, seeing as I don't have a back up suitcase. My father promised to glue it and bring my beloved roller that I've had for as long as I've been flying back to life. My game plan is to invest in a new roller tomorrow to have just in case.

I'm Going Home

When I first transfered to the international base, the very first trip I picked up was LHR 777 aft galley. On that trip I made career long friends with a few people on the crew and we spent the layover wondering around the city and stuffing our faces with fish and chips and mushy peas. Oh how I love mushy peas. For those of you who've been following me for quite some time know that I love London; I forced myself to fall in love with this capital city because I knew I'd always be there or that this trip would be floating around open time so I might as well embrace it and enjoy. And I have. I was there for the good - our first crew hotel in Bloomsbury - and the bad - Camp Marriott for Crews. And now, I'm headed to our new crew hotel! I'm not really sure where it is, but it'll be good. I even have errands to do already; I have to exchange a shirt at Primark and my father has requested I bring home coffee. I hope I can find raisin bakes too!

Take me to New York? Nah. Londontown bound.