Absence of Control

Since tuesday this week I have been at the mercy of forces beyond my control. Things started to derail on Tuesday, as always, so if anybody DARES challenge the Tuesday rule now... well.. ruing will be involved, mums will be mentioned. I usually drone on and rant for hours on here. This week has been so terrible, I simply cant.. so I'll just give you the facts.

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Saturday 1st October
16:00 PST, Seattle Tacoma International Airport, USA
Arrive SeaTac airport, board flight to London Heathrow. Upgraded to Club. Result!
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Sunday 2nd October
12:00 GMT - London Heathrow Airport, UK
Arrive London Heathrow. Sit for 30 minutes 25 metres away from Gate because tractor that has to tow the plan said 25 metres hasnt arrived.
14:35 GMT - London Heathrow Airport, UK
Board flight to Barcelona. Boring flight. Slept.
16:00 GMT +1 - Barcelona Airport, Spain
Arrive Barcelona. Taxi driver spends 40 minutes lost on way to hotel. Arrive hotel. Miss dinner appointment, annoy boss.
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Monday 3rd October
08:00 GMT+1 - Barclona Princess Hotel, Spain
Breakfast. Terrible. Strange omlette gives me awful indigestion. Several Tums later and I'm better.
12:00 GMT+1 - Barcelona Executive Conference Centre, Spain
Press interviews. First chap doesnt speak any english. Interpreter awkwardly translates deep technical details. Results may be iffy. Second interview, boss broadsides me by using wrong product name for launch which wasnt agreed. I despair.
15:00 GMT+1 - Back of a taxi, Barcelona, Spain
Travel to Torro de Consolla where event is being held. En-route I raise issue of my hapless colleagues flight for his girlfriend as our time here is to be extended by a a further two weeks. Get told in simplest of terms "You should be honoured to work for this company, go away you silly little man". I sulk.
15:30 GMT+1 - Torro De Consolla, Barcelona, Spain
Arrive at event location. It looks like a concrete bunker. Spend afternoon moving everything up to the observation deck.
18:00 GMT+1 - Torro De Consolla, Barcelona, Spain
Evening event goes wonderfully. Many hero points accumulated from my brilliant presentation to the customers and guests present.
23:00 GMT+1 - Barcelona Princess Hotel, Spain
Return to hotel. Remember I'm sulking. Spend evening whining over drinks about how horrible our employer is. Retire to bed, slightly drunk and morose.
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Tuesday 4th October (brace yourself)
09:45 GMT+1 - Barcelona Princess Hotel, Spain
Taxi booked to airport for 09:30 has failled to arrive. Other taxi is hastily arranged. Due to error on computer Hotel try and charge me five thousand Euro for 2 nights in hotel. Problem worked through. Taxi driver grumpy because kept waiting.
10:20 GMT+1 - Barcelona International Airport, Spain
Taxi arrives at airport. Huge queues create bad feeling deep down.
10:30 - GMT+1 - Barcelona International Airport, Spain
Get to front of queue bad feeling justified. French air traffic control on strike, Barcelona - Heathrow flight delayed by 2 hours, meaning I will miss my London-Seatte flight. Re-booked onto American Airlines flight to Chicago from London, then United Airlines from Chicago to Seattle.
14:00 GMT+1 - Barcelona International Airport, Spain
Board plane, 2 hours late. Once on plane informed we will be staying on plane for further 2 hours. meaning I will miss my Chicago flight as well.
17:30 GMT London Heathrow Airport, UK
Arrive 5 hours late at London Heathrow. BA check me in for next day 14:35 direct flight to Seattle. Spend night in miserable Renaissance airport hotel, where somehow a gin and tonic costs £10.
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Wednesday 5th October
11:30 GMT - London Heathrow Airport, UK
Get train to Heathrow Terminal 4
12:35 GMT - London Heathrow Airport, UK
Check in to Seattle flight.
14:00 GMT - London Heathrow Airport, UK
Board Seattle flight. Sitting next to American couple from hell, insist on explaining everything to each other in minute detail at such volume my voice cancelling headphones will not block them out. Ipod Mini Battery dies. Thank heavens for 1gb corporate mp3 player.
16:15 PST - Seattle Tacoma Airport, USA
Arrive Seattle Tacoma. Immigration passes by without issue. My name is anounced on the pa system to speak to the BA rep. My luggage has is marked "not seen" and thus, not on plane.
17:00 PST - Seattle Tacoma Airport, USA
Luggage not on plane. Report luggage missing. Realise shoes and chargers are all in luggage along with shirts and proper business atire. Praying no meetings before luggage is found. Small cuddly cat "catswold" which sentimintally gets sent around the world with me or my girlfriend when we're apart is also in luggage. I am gutted.
18:00 PST - Redmond, USA
Arrive back at apartment. Excellent food prepared by m'colleague, wine already stocked.. see review.
22:00 PST - Redmond, USA
Sleep the sleep of the lagged.
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So. There you go. No whinging. I think you'll understand. I'm just so tired. It's not over yet either. There's still the saga of the missing luggage. I've realised when travelling, I have no control over anything. I merely turn up in places im told to clutching the right information, and im therefore at the mercy of French Air Traffic controllers, baggage handlers, taxi drivers, hotels, and airline representitives.